TOKYO MOTOR SHOW: Toyota reveals new 86 concept

Toyota will debut an open-top two-seat sports car concept at the Tokyo motor show late this month, and it could preview the company's next-generation 86 coupe.

Called the GR HV Sports Concept, the car is based heavily on the current Toyota 86. The key points of difference are clumsy front-end styling, a lift-out targa-style top and, more substantively, a hybrid drivetrain.

The ‘GR’ in the car’s name stands for GAZOO Racing, the European-based team responsible for Toyota’s TS050 LMP1 racer which competes in the World Endurance Championship. And, like the TS050, the GR HV employs a petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain.

Furthermore, Toyota says the rear-wheel drive two-seat concept car measures 4395mm long, 1805mm wide and 1280mm high, making it 155mm longer, 30mm wider and 5mm lower than the current 86.

However, do not confuse it with Toyota's born-again Supra, which has been spotted in spy shots, will share its basic architecture with BMW's next Z4 and is also expected to appear in concept form at this year's Tokyo show.

Toyota is yet to pre-reveal any info about the Supra, but has potentially teased its next FJ Cruiser via the TJ Cruiser concept (also pictured here) and has also revealed new Crown and Century luxury sedans for overseas markets.

Toyota is not delivering any details at this time save for saying the HV Sports Concept’s petrol engine (presumably a boxer for like the 86) is mounted up-front with the hybrid battery central for optimized weight distribution.

Drive is to the rear wheels via an automatic transmission with a six-speed manual mode (which uses a compact H-pattern shift). Significantly, this is Toyota’s first hybrid production vehicle with a ‘manual’ gearshift option.

A motorsport touch inside is the mounting of the engine-start button on the gear-lever .

Aided by hybrid performance, Toyota is tipping a zero to 100km/h time around 4.0 seconds.

Toyota Australia spokesman Orlando Rodriguez told motoring.com.au that while initial details of the GR HV have been revealed, the full story will emerge in Tokyo in a few weeks.