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Two new RWD Toyota sports cars to join FR-S?

Toyota as we know it could become a thing of the past. According to Australian site Car Advice, the Japanese brand known for bland cruisers like the Camry and Corolla is preparing to bring two new rear-drive cars to market that would slot above and below the Scion-badged FR-S. This is very, very good news.
Car Advice spoke to the GT86/FR-S' chief engineer, Tatsuya Tada, who claimed, "Akio Toyoda always says to me, Toyota sports car [family] should be three sports car brothers. 86 is in the middle." The oldest "brother" would be the spiritual successor to the Supra, even if it doesn't wear that name. Tada is in charge of that project, while a sub-GT86 project is being headed-up elsewhere.
Tada refused to comment on names (CA specifically mentions MR2 and Celica) for the new small car, but did say that, "Yes it is rear-wheel drive and that's Toyota's strong position - Toyota sports car must be rear-wheel drive." Perhaps the juiciest bit of information obtained from Tada's interview with Car Advice was his hinting that both new sports cars would be joint ventures, like the GT86/FR-S/Subaru BRZ triplets. Tada wouldn't say who Toyota was in bed with on the smaller model, but did mention that the Supra would be a product of the world's largest automaker's partnership with BMW.

Ryan Tuerck's Ferrari-powered Gumout GT4586 debuts at SEMA

Las Vegas is famous for its shotgun marriages, but the only Sin City nuptials we're interested in is the one officiated by Ryan Tuerck between a Toyota GT86 and the V8 engine from a Ferrari 458 Italia. The insane Gumout GT4586, as it's called, is probably one of the most well-known of the 2016 SEMA Show's stars, after video popped up showing the rear-drive Frankenstein firing up and spitting flames through its weird, front-mounted exhausts. The day after we published that video, which showed the GT86 in mostly bare frame, Gumout and Tuerck posted a second clip showing the Japanese-Italian coupe literally running rings around a 458 while wearing its sheetmetal and yellow-tinted headlights. The car's look in that second video carried over to the Las Vegas Convention Center floor, where the GT4586 showed up sans hood, ludicrously wide tires, and a huge wing and rear diffuser. It's clearly a good-looking car. You can check out our full SEMA gallery above, or, click the video below for a second look at Tuerck's Ferra-yota in action below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Toyota Aygo X-Wave pops its top

Chop the top off a car and you'll let the sunshine and warm air in, but you'll also get a car that's heavier, less rigid and costlier. That's why European hatchbacks in particular have been increasingly favoring retractable fabric roof panels that keep the structural integrity in tact while letting the sunshine in. The Fiat 500C, Citroen DS3 Cabrio and Renault Twingo all offer this type of setup – as do the Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1, and now their Toyota platform-mate is following them down the same path. Recently announced in the UK is this Toyota Aygo with X-Wave roof option. It's a black canvas panel that opens up the space above both rows of seats at the push of a button. Unlike the roofs on some of the other aforementioned European city cars, it doesn't extend all the way down to the base of the back window, but that just means it doesn't stack up and impede cargo space and rearward visibility. Toyota is bundling the X-Wave roof option with additional equipment like upgraded lighting, infotainment system and alloys for GBP895, taxes included (equivalent to $1,355 at today's exchange rates). That's a lot less than Fiat, for example, gets for upgrading from a 500 to a 500C on either side of the Atlantic. It's also even less than Peugeot and Citroen charge for similar options on their versions of the same vehicle in the UK, and that strikes us as a pretty cost-effective way to go motoring with the top down. LESS METAL, MORE FUN WITH AYGO'S X-WAVE OPEN TOP OPTION How do you make driving a Toyota Aygo even more fun? One sure-fire way is to provide some classic open-top enjoyment with a new retractable x-wave canvas roof. Looking ahead to longer, warmer days, Toyota has launched the x-wave as an option on the five-door Aygo x-pression model. Finished in black, the roof is factory fitted and is full length, ensuring that anyone travelling in the rear seats also gets to enjoy some of the wind-in-the-hair experience. The roof is electrically operated, using a simple switch next to the map light control in the headlining. Specifying the x-wave adds even more appeal to the Aygo x-pression, which also features 15-inch alloy wheels, front fog lamps, projector headlights with LED daytime running lights, the x-touch multimedia system with DAB and Bluetooth, reversing camera and air conditioning.