Can Toyota Pull Through with S-FR?
At the 44th Tokyo Motor Show 2015, Toyota will exhibit the much-talked-about FR lightweight sports car S-FR, at Tokyo Big Site, October 30- November 8.
S-FR is a brother of SUBARU's BRZ and this is its world debut. This concept model is sure to bump head-on with Honda's NSX.
Will Toyota pull through the competition in a limited market? A rigorous battle over sports cars is sure to ensue.
The Tokyo Motor Show this season has plenty to offer by ways of business topics with Toyota throwing in its next-generation Prius against Honda's fuel‐cell vehicle ready for deliveries within 2015. Motor journalism heavily focuses attention on Toyota's S-FR.
S-FR is reminiscent of Toyota's legendary sports car S800 in styling, 3990mm in length, 1695mm in width and 1320mm in height - a size more compact than 86/BRZ. The engine is placed out in front midship and drives rear wheels by 6 speeds manual transmission. Toyota boasts the vehicle responds to the driver's will and affords the driver the fun of conversing with his vehicle.
No data are available on its engine and the weight of the vehicle but the engine is expected to be either 1.2 turbo or 1.5 and the weight will probably be less than a ton. The price will be in the vicinity of 1.5 to 1.7 million yen; deliveries in 2017.
Sports cars have little chance of survival at home. It all depends on their performance in the US market. Nissan's Fairly sold only 73 at home in August but 635 in the United States. Likewise, Honda's CR-Z sold 333 in the month of August.
The market for sports cars, however, is limited to, say, several hundred per month with US and Japan put together. Motor fans are watching how Toyota will pull through the race.
