Lovely isn’t it? This is the new Scion FR-S and if it looks somewhat familiar then that’s because Scion is a North American brand owned by Toyota, and you’ve seen this car as the Toyota FT-86 II concept.

FR-S stands for Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive, Sport and it’s inspired by the iconic AE86 Toyota Corolla better known as the Hachi-Roku, meaning “8-6” in Japanese. The FR-S is said to be lightweight and well balanced, making it an ideal car for driving enthusiasts. It’s fitted with a 2.0-litre boxer flat-four engine in a front-engine, rear-wheel drive configuration.

The engine’s compact size and shape allows the FR-S’ powertrain to be mounted lower and further back towards the rear, giving the car a lower centre of gravity and a dynamically favourable front-to-rear weight ratio.

The flat-four boxer engine incorporates Toyota’s D4-S injection system, which utilises both direct and port injection, resulting in increased power and torque throughout the rev range, without sacrificing fuel economy. The flat-four can mate to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission.

The manual offers quick and precise shifts with a short-throw, while the automatic transmission is said to feature aggressive shifts that are initiated by steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Power is distributed via a limited-slip differential.

“Akio Toyoda has mentioned that he is going to bring the fun-to-drive spirit back to Toyota,” said Jack Hollis, Scion vice president. “I know that the Scion FR-S Concept is one of the ways that he plans to accomplish that.”

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AE86 Corolla ft-86 hachi roku new york auto show Scion toyota