The FT-86 concept has been slated to become a new Solara, with engine tweaks for mpgs instead of hp.
At least we can retain some hope for the Subaru model. 
The story's on Jalopnik.
On a side note, I've officially given up on Toyota at this point.
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April 21, 2010 10:33 a.m. ReverendDexter Dork
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April 21, 2010 10:37 a.m. Kia_racer Reader
Don't give up. Just keep hope alive that maybe, maybe they will realize that performance counts also.
And, there are all the cool stuff they put out in the past before they became the next big box appliance store.
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April 21, 2010 10:41 a.m. ReverendDexter Dork
Oh, I'm still down with '80s RWD Toyotas, I was just hoping they'd make something new that I'd actually consider owning, and prove everyone wrong about them making nothing but appliances anymore.
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April 21, 2010 10:51 a.m. oldeskewltoy New Reader
cmon.... as of now it is just a rumor......
it was about 4 or 5 weeks back that they said they were changing the body design... and that proved to be a big puff about nothing.
The likely story is that Toyota DOES want to improve the n/a flat 4 economy.... all the rest of the article is likely that Pamper-clad whiners(the author on jalopnik) opinions
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April 21, 2010 1:00 p.m. carguy123 SuperDork
They've just seen how popular the concept is and have decided to raise the price is all. The other stuff is just posturing so that people will see how Green and how responsible a company they are. It's a way to try to help recover from the other bad news.
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April 21, 2010 1:30 p.m. Appleseed SuperDork
Unintended acceleration or not, I want my FT-86.
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April 21, 2010 1:51 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork
I think they are having a serious case of the stupids recently. This one does not surprise me at all
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April 21, 2010 1:54 p.m. z31maniac Dork
I hate when people mention a particular story pertaining to the thread but don't bother linking it.
That said, will suck if true. The FT-86 seemed like an instant hit.
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April 21, 2010 2:03 p.m. ReverendDexter Dork
z31maniac wrote:
I hate when people mention a particular story pertaining to the thread but don't bother linking it.
That said, will suck if true. The FT-86 seemed like an instant hit.
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April 21, 2010 2:05 p.m. ReverendDexter Dork
And I misread it... saying it was becoming the Solara was Jalopnik being dramatic regarding the stated changes; I originally interpreted that as a statement from Toyota that it was going to be branded as such.
I overreacted, as my biggest fear for this car has been Toyota "toyotaizing" this car into an appliance.
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April 21, 2010 8:55 p.m. Tom Heath Marketing / Club Coordinator
I feel the same way about the FT86 as I did the Solstice before it made it to market. Great potential, but I'm not sure I trust the manufacturer to get it right.
While they aren't perfect, I was pleasantly surprised with the way the solstice/sky came out, so maybe lightning can strike twice. -
April 21, 2010 9:05 p.m. irish44j HalfDork
That's why there will (hopefully) be a Subaru version. A brand associated with performance more than economy. A brand that the target audience for an FT-86 style car sees as "cool." And a company that will make major changes year to year in response to what the customer wants (just look at the '08 ---> '09 ----> '11 WRX and how much it has changed in just 3 model year).
I love our Toyota (4Runner), but when I think Toyota, performance cars don't exactly come to mind first. It's been too long since the Supra and 2nd gen MR2 have been gone.
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April 21, 2010 9:11 p.m. carguy123 SuperDork
They get to raise their prices too now that Toyo has raised the price of their model. We lose on all counts.
I am really looking forward for this coming out. The minute one crashes and I can buy the engine/tranny it's going into a middie Locost.
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April 21, 2010 9:38 p.m. Schmidlap Reader
What if the rise in price and engine efficiency is because of Subaru underestimating the cost and weight of the platform and Toyota is being forced to change the target market of this vehicle in order to turn a profit and not because Toyota insists on sucking the life out of every car they make?
HAHAHAHA. I almost couldn't get that out with a straight face.
Bob (who is really just piling on Toyota and has actually never driven one)
Edit: I forgot about the Lexus LS400 I drove - that was a pretty fun car to drive for being a big luxury car.
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April 21, 2010 10:13 p.m. Stuc HalfDork
carguy123 wrote: I am really looking forward for this coming out. The minute one crashes and I can buy the engine/tranny it's going into a middie Locost.
..? There's plenty of great FR options for that available as it is... this one will probably just cost more because it's new
Overall though, depressing. It doesn't reveal much. As far as the factory tuning for MPG, it doesn't bother me at all. There are always options to add power ourselves.
I wonder how much they paid on "after market research" which now gets factored into their costs for developing this model that could have just been a lower price tag in the first place
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April 22, 2010 12:55 a.m. MitchellC Dork
Well, according to one of Toyota's latest commercials, they are spending a million bucks an hour on safety research. They have to pay for it somehow.
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April 22, 2010 7:50 a.m. GameboyRMH SuperDork
Old news, they've been toyotaizing this thing from last year. It's been long-known that it won't be light, affordable or targeted at young people (to be fair, of people my age only the biggest debt junkies would try to buy a new car).
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April 22, 2010 7:58 a.m. Xceler8x Dork
No biggie. We've been undoing MPG tweaks for years! We can undo these.
Hell man! My Miata would get low 30's on the interstate. Now I'm lucky if it cracks 25!
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April 22, 2010 3:57 p.m. mr2peak New Reader
MPG tweaks means it's gonna be light. The MK3 MR2 is just over 2,200 lbs...
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April 22, 2010 4:18 p.m. 93celicaGT2 SuperDork
mr2peak wrote:
MPG tweaks means it's gonna be light. The MK3 MR2 is just over 2,200 lbs...
Curb weight is actually just under.
I wish i shared the belief you do, though. I bet this sucker is well over 3000lbs.
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April 22, 2010 7:07 p.m. ignorant SuperDork
irish44j wrote:
A brand associated with performance more than economy.
up north its just more associated with.. getting to work.
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April 22, 2010 7:27 p.m. irish44j HalfDork
ignorant wrote:
irish44j wrote:
A brand associated with performance more than economy.
up north its just more associated with.. getting to work.
no reason you can't do both!
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April 22, 2010 7:34 p.m. Fit_Is_Slo Reader
I like fuel mileage if it handles so no bitching here...
