Toyota to launch MX-5 sized S-FR Coupe

"tapzz" (tapzz) 10/08/2015 at 07:55 • Filed to: Toyota S-FR

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Want a smaller, lighter, cheaper GT-86/FR-S?

The core of the S-FR is simple: less than a 1000 kg (2200 lb) and about 130 hp from a 1.5 litre i4. The rest also follows the classic Jalopnik fun recipe: front engine, rear wheel drive and 6 speed manny tranny. Yep, just like everyone’s favourite answer to all questions.

Sure, US citizens will all die horribly when they come within 2 cable lengths of something that underpowered, but I’m sure a heavier and more powerful version will be made to address that particular issue. Besides, it’s made to be tuned, much like the Toyobaru. In spite of the fact that it’s 25 cm shorter (bit less than a foot) than that car, the S-FR is still supposed to have four seats.

I’m thinking they’re riffing on the Toyota 800 – also known as the ‘yota hachi –, which was Toyota’s first sports car in 1966:

The S-FR is meant to become available in 2018, and be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month.

Given the poor sales of the Toyobaru, it’s brave of them to try again with something so Jalopy. I’d love to think that it’ll be a success, but that challenging styling is up against the all-round loveliness of the current MX-5. Sales wise, my money is on Mazda.

More on !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

(Photo credit: Toyota)

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:04

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ZOMGTHEWANT!!!!!!! I’ll admit to wanting the S660 and an MR2 successor more, but underpowered and only 10% overweight? Sign me up!

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:05

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It looks like a MINI crashed into a basking shark.

jjhats > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:06

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unless that engine is turbo idk how they expect peopleto tune it and get any significant improvements. if they really didn’t learn anything from the frs and release this with an engine smaller than the ND I have no words of encouragement to save this once great company

Sweet Trav > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:07

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The front end looks like a frog taking a fear poop.

tapzz > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/08/2015 at 08:08

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It does have shades of the Mini Superleggera- but with an even bigger gob. Not good.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:09

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Love the ideology and concept, but strongly concerned for the styling...

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:11

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I'll take one. And an original 800 while we're at it.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:12

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I like it. I like it a lot.

Sure the styling is a bit extreme, but obviously the production version will be more subdued.

tapzz > jjhats 10/08/2015 at 08:14

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MX-5 NDs come with a 1.5 litre 130 hp-ish engine as the base model everywhere but the US. As noted, US citizens are all going to die upon hearing such numbers, so I’d expect Toyota to make a porkier and more powerful version as well.

Having said that, people have found ways of tuning anything, so if that 1.5 is NA, a turbo kit could be first on the menu.

LongbowMkII > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:16

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definite toyota 800 vibes.

tapzz > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 10/08/2015 at 08:16

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That’s it: I love the concept, but the execution ... needs work.

LongbowMkII > jjhats 10/08/2015 at 08:16

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no one has ever tuned n/a japanese 4 cyls before.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:18

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I dig it. Especially the styling. The Honda CRX proved that a car didn't have to be fast to be fun. If it's light enough, this thing could be a hoot to drive. And the fact that it should be cheaper than the Toyobaru, sounds like a winner to me. And by 2018 I'll probably be looking for something different to drive anyway.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:19

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Yeah looks like it could be a fun car, but it’s far from a looker.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > LongbowMkII 10/08/2015 at 08:19

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Nope. There’s no point. I mean, it’s not like they rev high or anything.

TractorPillow > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:20

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Neat enough I guess. Won't mind seeing them driving around because at least they are different, but it has zero appeal to me.

tapzz > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 10/08/2015 at 08:21

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I hope so, but it does look pretty close to production spec. Remember that this is what passes for a concept car at the Tokyo show:

Toyota Kikai. Torchinsky is going to need some medical supervision today.

jjhats > LongbowMkII 10/08/2015 at 08:24

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your really on my case today aren’t you? a tune on a stock frs will give you 15-20 or so whp and 16-25 torque. source: http://www.delicioustuning.com/Stage_2_PumpGa…

a tune on a stock focus st will give you 20-40 whp and 50-100 tourque

LongbowMkII > jjhats 10/08/2015 at 08:26

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coincidence ;)

anyways, not everything needs to be turbo’d. its much easier to get power out of it, but not everything needs 70hp more than stock.

Berang > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:27

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Change the grill and it might be awesome.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:32

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When did Toyota suddenly get so cool again?

Funktheduck > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:35

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Very odd looking. Not bad per se but definitely toes (steps over?) the line of conventional looks.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > jjhats 10/08/2015 at 08:40

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You’re using tuning and reflashes interchangeably. Reflashes are a form of tuning, but tuning is not necessarily a reflash. Yes, on a turbo car, a reflash will make a big difference. This is largely due to conservative tuning from the factory on turbo cars to ensure longevity. You can get serious power out of an NA engine, it just will be more focused in one place, the sheer potential per liter isn’t there (hence equivalency formulas in many race series), and it will be more expensive due to probably requiring internals instead of just bolting on a bigger snail. Personally, I prefer a high-strung NA engine because I love to hear them scream and love the way the power builds. There is no better than, though. You can tune an NA engine like crazy or you can tune a smaller turbo engine by pumping more air into it. The NA parts won’t take the turbo boost, and the turbo will never have the throttle response or sound. It’s just a different means to an end.

William Byrd > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:40

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I give it a solid “ only if Honda does it ” chance. Which is to say, not incredibly likely.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:41

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Oh cool. I’ll put it in my garage with a convertible 86, turbo brz, evo XI and 2016 RX7

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:42

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I like it. Since the horsepower wars are dumb, can we start the lightness wars?

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:44

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I’m thinking back to the various iterations of the FT-86 and the final product. I’ve got hope.

If this really is cheaper than the GT86/FR-S it will have a huge advantage over the ND, which is disappointingly pricey. If it can handle 80% as well and be priced significantly less, the S-FR could be awesome.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 10/08/2015 at 08:45

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Right?! I love it.

Jayhawk Jake > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:48

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“Besides, it’s made to be tuned, much like the Toyobaru.”

Will it not void the warranty to tune it? Unless there’s a clause that says so no, it’s not made to be tuned.

LongbowMkII > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:48

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now that is a want.

Teleph0nes > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 08:51

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You know what would be a better use of the Toyabaru chassis? A small, RWD sport sedan.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 09:06

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I’m in love

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 10/08/2015 at 09:08

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I dig the styling. Too many sports cars are overtly aggressive and it looks silly to me. bring back the cuteness, bring back the fun! I just want to hug it.

zedx > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/08/2015 at 09:08

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Does it matter how it looks once you’re in the driver seat, hooning the crap out of it? :D

tapzz > Jayhawk Jake 10/08/2015 at 09:22

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There’s an interesting area: I think cars such as various Civic generations, the original AE86, and the NA MX-5 showed that you can acquire cult status and a lucrative parts ecosystem by being easy to modify.

It seems that Mazda, Toyota and Subaru are very aware of this, and delibaretely target the tuner crowd with simple, plain and modestly powered new cars that are easy to wrench on. Judging by the sheer amount of fiddling going on with Imprezas, NCs and FR-Ss, those buyers don’t care about legal obstacles, but do care about technical ones.

punkgoose17 > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 09:26

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I want one just because it is a new 800. I hope they change the name S-FR and FR-S is confusing.

tapzz > Teleph0nes 10/08/2015 at 09:26

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I think the S-FR uses a different chassis from the Toyobaru; wheelbase and width are different.

But yes, if I were Toyota, I’d stick my development yen in a Toyobaru based sport sedan, not unlike the Nissan IDx...

tapzz > punkgoose17 10/08/2015 at 09:28

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Outside the US, S-FR is fine, but in the US, they’re going to have to do something about that: “Scion tS”?

Teleph0nes > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 09:48

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Good point, I assumed the chassis architecture would be somewhat modular. Sort of like the RX-8 and NC Miata being built of out the same basic “platform.”

tapzz > Teleph0nes 10/08/2015 at 09:53

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That’s certainly possible, and would make sense. I wonder whether that would mean the engine is another Subaru boxer?

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 10/08/2015 at 09:57

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I like cutesy too, but that grille on the front is just too big and ogle-y. And I think that black trim on the back is too much.

Teleph0nes > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 10:05

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The article says a 1.5 liter inline 4. They are already using the Mazda skyactiv 1.5 in the Scion IM (a rebadged, uglified Mazda 2) maybe they will really go full Miata and just use Mazda’s own motor?

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 10/08/2015 at 10:09

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Looking at pics now, and they did such a good job of making it look like a modern Sports 800.

tapzz > Teleph0nes 10/08/2015 at 10:20

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I’m sure Toyota would have a 1.5 liter inline four somewhere, but I thought that might not fit in a Toyobaru derived platform. I’d not considered the possibility that Toyota’d use the actual MX-5 platform- it’d be quite a departure. Looking at the numbers, though, it’s not exactly the same as an MX-5: the S-FR’s wheel base is marginally longer: 17 cm.

karrock > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/08/2015 at 10:24

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Neo-fugly as this little guy is in hardtop form, I bet it looks spectacular as a convertible/roadster.

Tapas > tapzz 10/08/2015 at 11:00

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Unfortunately, it S-ufFeRs from a crap design.

Everything doesn’t need to be a call back to older models.