More powerful 2017 Toyota 86 takes over for the Scion FR-S


Scion is dead, and the FR-S name passes away with it. The rear-wheel-drive sports coupe isn't gone, though, because it's now the the 2017 Toyota 86. To match the new moniker, the latest model finally has a little extra power and more aggressive styling. The public debut will take place at next week's New York Auto Show, and sales begin this fall.

"When we announced the transition of the Scion models to Toyota we hadn't planned on changing the names of our cars, but by popular demand, for our sports car, we decided to adopt the global name of 86," said Toyota Division Group Vice President Bill Fay.

The 2.0-liter boxer-four's output grows to 205 horsepower and 156 pound-feet of torque – increases of 5 hp and 5 lb-ft. The 86 still isn't the turbocharged rear-wheel-drive coupe of some peoples' dreams, but at least this is an improvement. Toyota also promises "additional performance" thanks to different gear ratios for the six-speed manual transmission, and there's now Hill Start Assist Control. New shock tuning and spring rates will affect the handling, too.

The 86 wears a meaner look than the outgoing FR-S. The biggest change is a new front bumper with a large intake that stretches across the coupe's width, and the two sharp points along the bottom look like teeth ready to chomp down. Toyota also replaces the headlights and taillights with LED units. The twist-spoke wheels are a great accompaniment to the more aggressive look, too. The tweaks are more modest inside, including silver stitching and new materials for the dashboard and doors.

Toyota will also display the C-HR crossover concept again in the Big Apple. We won't see the production version until later this year, and sales won't begin until spring 2017 as a 2018 model.


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