First official pictures

At last – Toyota finally has a coupe to replace the Celica, and these are the first official pictures of the near-production ready Toyota FT-86.

And you have to admit, it’s been worth the wait. The cutting edge styling was penned in France and has the kind of fighter jet-inspired interior that’d give the Lamborghini Reventon a fright.

The Toyota FT-86 will receive its worldwide debut at the Tokyo motor show in a few weeks, and is likely to go on sale in the first half of 2010.

The car has been co-developed by Toyota and Subaru and both manufacturers will offer their own versions with distinct styling, although there are hints of Nissan 370Z in the concept’s look.

Under the bonnet sits a 2-litre boxer engine lifted from the Subaru Impreza, but don’t expect WRX STI performance – yet. The engine in the concept is said to be of the non-turbo variety, developing around 150bhp through the rear wheels.

Details are scarce, but there are rumours engineers have tweaked another 50bhp from it, taking it to 200bhp. And it’s worth noting Subaru offers a 250bhp turbo engine in its domestic market Impreza too.

That’d give the sharp FT-86 the poke its styling demands.

Unlike the Honda CR-Z coupe, which will only be offered as a hybrid, the rear-wheel drive FT-86 is “a sports model with a gasoline engine developed to convey the essential appeal of automobiles in a new era”, according to its official website.

The FT-86 name harks back to the rear wheel drive Corolla AE-86 from the 1980s which has a cult following around the world thanks to the rally and drifting scene.

By Stuart Milne