New reports from Japan suggest that the future of the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ may include a turbocharged 1.6-liter 3-cylinder engine borrowed from the GR Yaris and GR Corolla. However, there are conflicting details regarding the inclusion of this engine in the Subaru Twin.
According to Mag-X’s report, Toyota will internally develop the GR86 and equip it with a 1.4-liter version of the Gazoo three-pot engine. To meet carbon neutrality targets, an electric hybrid powertrain may be added, but the car’s agile front-engine, rear-wheel-drive arrangement will be kept.
One reason for this development shift is the retirement of Tetsuya Tada, the engineer who facilitated partnerships between Toyota, Subaru, and BMW for previous generations of sports cars. Without a successor to drive collaboration between the two companies, the future of the project became uncertain.
Another account from Best Car offers a different perspective. The magazine suggests that the next GR86 will feature the GR Yaris’ turbo three-cylinder engine with a hybrid supplement, retaining its 1.6-liter displacement. It also predicts a minimum output of 300 horsepower.
Both sources indicate that the GR Yaris and GR Corolla’s 3-cylinder engine is a strong possibility. Toyota has already tested a prototype of the current GR86 with this engine while experimenting with synthetic fuel.
