New reports coming out of Japan suggest that big changes are on the way for the fun and affordable Toyota GR86, but they are coming far sooner than anyone had expected. By 2025, we may have the third-generation GR86, suggesting that the second-generation will only last for four years. This is a very lop-sided model-change, considering the first-generation lasted from the 2012 to 2021 model year. What could be the cause for such an expedited major update?
Well, if these reports have any merit at all, then there is some reason to believe that troubled waters have formed over Toyota and Subaru’s collaborative team. Apparently, the next generation will ditch the Subaru platform and engines for all-Toyota mechanicals. That could even include a hybridized option. Instead of a 4-cylinder naturally-aspirated boxer engine, we may see the GR Corolla’s 1.6L turbocharged 3-cylinder making somewhere around 300 horsepower. It may also be hybridized to an extent. Platform-wise, instead of the expected move to a TNGA platform, the GR86 could actually ride on a version of the Lexus IS’ long-in-the-tooth ‘New N’ platform, which dates back to 2013. The most important aspect of the car that won’t change is the format: front-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door coupe.
More on the next-generation Toyota GR86 here.