Photo: edited by autoevolution
Toyota is known to experiment now with an advanced hybrid powertrain to use in one of its future sportscars, but if you were expecting it to also arrive in the GT 86 coupe, the automaker’s marketing director will burst your bubble right quick.
Most enthusiasts consider the Toyota GT 86 a bit underpowered with its 200 hp engine of which only around 150 will reach the rear wheels, while some of them are expecting the automaker to install a factory turbocharger on it at some point in the future.
Or, in the worst case scenario, make a hybrid version. However, Toyota’s marketing director Fabio Capano says the model is too much of a hassle now to fit it with assistive electric power.
“We can create a product with this technology, but it needs to make proper business sense. We have to prioritise,” Capano told Autocar.
Although we all want the GT 86 to get more ponies, we can only agree with him on this one. The coupe has been engineered as a back-to-basics sportscar - aspirated engine up front, six-speed manual shifter in the middle and a mechanical diff at the back along with an almost 50:50 weight distribution.
Just imagine how much work the engineers must do and the amount of money the company needs to spend in order to modify the original blueprint to accommodate an electric motor and a battery pack without messing the playful handling.
Capano also said a hybrid GT 86 might not be that appealing for customers; it’s not like the standard version sells like hot cakes anyway. Also, remember the hybrid Honda CR-Z offered with a standard manual transmission? How many do you see on the streets now?
Or, in the worst case scenario, make a hybrid version. However, Toyota’s marketing director Fabio Capano says the model is too much of a hassle now to fit it with assistive electric power.
“We can create a product with this technology, but it needs to make proper business sense. We have to prioritise,” Capano told Autocar.
Although we all want the GT 86 to get more ponies, we can only agree with him on this one. The coupe has been engineered as a back-to-basics sportscar - aspirated engine up front, six-speed manual shifter in the middle and a mechanical diff at the back along with an almost 50:50 weight distribution.
Just imagine how much work the engineers must do and the amount of money the company needs to spend in order to modify the original blueprint to accommodate an electric motor and a battery pack without messing the playful handling.
Capano also said a hybrid GT 86 might not be that appealing for customers; it’s not like the standard version sells like hot cakes anyway. Also, remember the hybrid Honda CR-Z offered with a standard manual transmission? How many do you see on the streets now?
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