[RUMOUR-NEWS] Next-Gen Toyota 86 to be Turbo-hybrid? BRZ to get axed?

[Your Name]

Not sure that such a change to a hybrid would actually still be a
"Toyota 86". :-( Hopefully someone is just getting confused or wrong.


Wild Rumor Claims Next-Gen Toyota GR86 Will Be a Turbo Hybrid
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We don't know if this is actually true, but the rumor from
Japan sure sounds awesome.

The current Toyota GR86 is a fantastic sports coupe, but if
there's one complaint you see over and over again is that it
doesn't have enough power. Ever since the original showed up
as the Scion FR-S (RIP Scion), keyboard warriors have
insisted Toyota made a mistake by not offering a turbo
version. If the latest rumor is to be believed, it may only
be a matter of time before they get their wish.

According to Japan's Best Car, the next-generation GR86 will
get a turbo. Specifically, it will get the 1.6-liter
three-cylinder turbo currently found in the GR Yaris and
GR Corolla. The report also goes onto claim the next GR86
will be built on the Lexus IS's platform and gain the hybrid
system from the Toyota Crown.

If true, that would mean the GR86 wouldn't just be getting
more power. It would become significantly heavier, too. And
the Crown connection suggests it may move to all-wheel drive.
Without a Subaru engine, would this mean the BRZ is about to
get the axe? We have so many questions.

That said, we need to make it abundantly clear that this is
nothing more than rumor at this point, and the version we
read was translated into English by Google. Japanese-language
outlets (and let's be honest, more than a few English-language
ones) have been known in the past to publish rumors never turn
out to be true.

To be fair, Best Car does say it was able to verify the
information it was originally given. So maybe there's some
truth to this one? Possibly? We can't be certain either way.

Does the idea of a Toyota sports car with the GR Corolla's
engine, a Lexus-sourced chassis, and a hybrid system have us
intrigued? Oh, absolutely. It would be a huge departure from
the current formula that makes the GR86 a fun, tossable little
sports car, but we'd have to be drunk to turn down a test
drive.

Then again, it almost sounds like this new hypothetical sports
car would be more of a replacement for the Supra than the GR86.
With a hybrid system, the engine from the GR Corolla, and
admittedly old Lexus platform, it's hard to imagine Toyota
would be able to sell it for anything close to current GR86
prices.

Like with all rumors, it's definitely fun to think about, but
please don't assume it's a done deal until Toyota officially
announces anything. If it's true, though, we won't have to wait
long to find out. Toyota's reportedly hoping to have the new
turbocharged hybrid GR86 rolling off the line in 2025.

<https://jalopnik.com/wild-rumor-claims-next-gen-toyota-gr86-will-be-a-turbo-1849710259>