Toyota and Subaru’s twins—the 86 and BRZ—are nearing the end of their respective lifecycles. The models debuted in 2012 and delivered customers an introductory-priced rear-wheel-drive platform that enthusiasts had been hungry for. And according to a new report by Motoring, the lovingly coined Toyobaru twins’ redesign could involve a migration over to the Toyota TNGA platform.
The TNGA platform is Toyota’s scalable chassis architecture that allows the company to build everything from front-wheel-drive Corollas and Camrys to the rear-wheel-drive Lexus LC500 and LS flagships. According to Motoring’s report, though a decision hasn’t been made yet, the Toyobaru’s could trade the co-developed chassis for the strictly Toyota-based one as to reduce cost. The same source also says that Subaru’s most recent Subaru Global Platform architecture has been ruled out altogether as it would “not support the rear-wheel-drive layout.”
Although both the BRZ and 86 have forgone forced induction in the past, to the dismay of many owners, a rumor that’s been circling could indicate critics may finally be silenced. With the introduction of Subaru’s new FA24 engine developed for the Ascent, there’s been speculation that the turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine could also find its way into the upcoming second-generation Toyobarus.
Power and torque are still theoretical, just like the engine and platform rumors. However, based on the Ascent’s stated 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, we’d hazard to guess the second generation twins would likely stick with similar performance metrics, as both are more than the current generation cars develop.
While both manufacturers have continued to push for more performance offerings in recent years—Toyota’s Supra is evidence of that fact—rumblings of the sports cars’ demise have plagued their lives. Yet, while these rumors resurface a few times a year, both Toyota and Subaru have continually pledged their respective commitment to the sports car project. Most recently, Toyota’s European Marketing Matt Harrison confirmed to Autocar that there would definitely be a second generation, saying the Supra and 86 will sit alongside each other.
We reached out to both Subaru and Toyota for comment. Subaru stated that “It cannot comment on that product,” while we’ve yet to hear back from Toyota as to the veracity of Motoring’s claims. This post was updated after Subaru returned our email and will be updated further if and when Toyota comments on the aforementioned report.