Toyota Wants Second-Gen 86 To Be New Supra’s ‘Little Brother’

Toyota Australia has revealed that a second-generation of the 86 compact sports coupe is on its way.

Earlier this year, a Japanese publication claimed that neither the Toyota 86 or Subaru BRZ would get direct replacements. The BRZ would allegedly be replaced by a more expensive version of the new Supra, while the 86 would have been killed off.

However, a Toyota spokesperson told Carscoops that the 86 will indeed continue to solider on – and so did Subaru for its rear-wheel drive coupe.

Now, Toyota Australia public affairs manager Brodie Bott has informed GoAuto that not only will the 86 continue to be a part of the brand’s lineup, but that it will be updated with a second-generation model.

“When those reports blew up, we had a few chats internally and I can tell you right now, the car (second-generation 86) is coming.

“I don’t know where these reports have come from, but at this stage we are certainly not looking to discontinue it, it’s a pretty important car for us and it will be the little brother to the Supra.”

What’s more, Bott added that those within Toyota have already seen the second-generation 86 and that it is just around the corner.

Not much is known about the second-generation 86, and it’s unknown if it will be developed and built with the help of Subaru like the current model. According to some reports, the new 86 could receive an enlarged 2.4-liter four-cylinder flat-four which would most likely be naturally-aspirated.

The rumors suggested that Toyota would drop the 86 in order to ensure that it didn’t cannibalize sales of the entry-level Supra. However, even the four-cylinder version of the Supra, which will be sold in select markets, will be substantially more expensive than the 86.