Toyota 86 / GT86: The First-Gen Twin

The Toyota 86 (also sold as the Scion FR-S in the US, GT86 in Europe) is the Toyota side of the Toyota/Subaru sports coupe partnership that produced the first-generation 86/BRZ. Launched in 2012, the 86 was Toyota's first rear-wheel-drive affordable sports car in many years, built specifically to honor the Toyota AE86 Corolla — hence the "86" badge. The project was championed by Akio Toyoda himself, Toyota's CEO and an enthusiastic driver who reportedly threatened to kill the project if the engineers didn't make it special.

The 86 Name Origin

Toyota's marketing team deliberately chose "86" to evoke the Toyota AE86 Corolla that had been elevated to cult status by Initial D. Every marketing asset, every press release, every promotional video referenced the AE86 drift heritage. The car's styling — a low, wide coupe with a long hood and short rear deck — was designed to recall the AE86 Trueno's silhouette.

The name worked. Within a year of launch, the Toyota 86 was being called "the new AE86" in magazines around the world.

Akio Toyoda's Influence

Akio Toyoda was personally involved in the 86's development. He reportedly drove prototype 86s at Fuji Speedway multiple times and provided direct feedback to the engineers. His input was:

• Steering feel: He wanted the steering to be communicative like a rally car
• Chassis balance: He insisted the weight distribution be close to 50/50
• Sound: He wanted the FA20 engine to have a specific mechanical character
• Manual transmission only: Early planning included automatic only; Toyoda pushed for manual as the primary variant

Toyoda's personal involvement made the 86 different from the average Toyota. It felt like a "driver's Toyota" rather than a "Toyota-engineered driver's car."

The US Market: Scion FR-S

In the US, Toyota launched the car as the Scion FR-S to leverage the Scion youth-oriented brand. Sales were initially strong — Scion sold ~18,000 FR-Ss in 2013 alone. When Scion was shut down in 2016, the car became the Toyota 86 in the US market starting 2017.

Production Changes

• 2012-2016: Scion FR-S in the US, Toyota 86 in Japan, Toyota GT86 in Europe, 197 hp
• 2017-2020: Toyota 86 in all markets after Scion closure, 205 hp (minor output bump), revised suspension
• 2021+: Toyota GR86 (second generation, 2.4L, more power) — discussed in a separate article

Total first-generation Toyota 86/FR-S/GT86 production: approximately 250,000 units worldwide over 8 years.

Motorsport

The 86 became an active motorsport platform:

• TRD 86 racing series: Toyota's dedicated one-make race series in Japan and internationally
• SCCA T3/T4: The 86 is a popular entry in SCCA Touring categories
• Drifting: Many amateur drift drivers started with the 86
• Time attack: The 86 is a common chassis for budget time attack builds

Today's Market

Clean first-generation Toyota 86/FR-S examples trade for $15,000-$28,000 depending on year and condition. The GT86 tuning scene has added value to modified but well-maintained examples. The 2017+ 86 (post-Scion) with the output bump and updated interior is generally preferred.

Legacy

The Toyota 86 is the car that brought affordable RWD sports cars back to the American market. Before 2012, buying a used E30 BMW or an NB Miata was the only path to a manual RWD performance car under $20,000. The 86 gave buyers a new-car option, with warranty, modern safety features, and reasonable fuel economy.

It's also the car that Akio Toyoda built to prove Toyota still cared about driving. In an era when Camry and RAV4 dominated the balance sheet, the 86 was a statement that Toyota had not forgotten about enthusiasts.