Toyota has come out and shown the world a shooting brake version of its 86 sports car. It's a concept for now, a design study if you will. Please make it.
Toyota Australia has taken the wraps off a very interesting, and very desirable, spin on the 86 sports coupe. Called the 86 Shooting Brake, it is essentially an 86 with an extended canopy and hatchback. In short, the perfect family car.
Alright, perhaps not. But it is a compelling proof of concept for a more practical Toyota 86, broadening the appeal of an already accomplished sports car. Sadly, however, it is a concept (but a fully functioning one) and it’s unclear exactly how far down the line the Toyota upper management is on turning it into a production reality as an extra body style option to a prospective 86 buyer. Here’s to hoping its closer than we think.
The Shooting Brake concept was unveiled in Sydney by Tetsuya Tada, the global chief engineer for the Toyota 86. It has a rather strong Aussie connection, this concept, having been conceived and developed by Toyota Australia’s Product design team before being hand-built in Japan under the direction of the Toyota global sports car division.
The design itself is a very interesting one that might take a little getting used to if you’re not accustomed to the shooting brake body style, and the curvature of the new rear windows and drooping roof does put this writer in mind of the Honda CR-Z, although we’re positive that was far from their intentions.
Tada-san was very pleased with the Australian design, taking him by surprise so much that he arranged for the in-house prototype craftsmen to start work on the 86 Shooting Brake concept. He added that Toyota wants to gauge the global reaction to the new concept, and although it was conceived as an internal design study, an overwhelming positive response could convince Toyota that it’s worth pursuing seriously.
Toyota Australia's design chief Nicolas Hogios said his Australian design team engaged in enthusiastic debate about the extent to which they should make changes to the 86 coupe, eventually remodelling only the rear quarter and roof.
"Like kids in a lolly shop, we thought about restyling more of the car; however, like a good parent saying 'no' to too many sweets, we made the conscious decision to keep as much of the original 86 as possible, only changing what was absolutely necessary,”
"The silhouette is still sporty, taut and energetic, but it's more practical as it allows the roof to be used to carry surfboards, bikes or storage pods for a weekend away while the larger opening of the new boot enables much easier loading. As a result, we have expanded the appeal of the coupe while intentionally retaining the purity of the now-iconic 86 style."
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