CANBERRA: Car enthusiasts have a strong affinity for the practical, sensible shape of a station wagon, so this Toyota 86 Shooting Brake concept is a huge tease. There are no plans to put it into production, even though the new bodywork would seriously increase the practicality of Toyota’s rear-wheel-drive sports coupe.
The concept takes the body of a regular Toyota 86 (aka. Subaru BRZ) coupe and extends its roofline, creating a taller, wagon-like rear that would certainly provide more headroom for back-seat passengers, and more cargo space for track-day essentials like spare tires and fluids. The car was conceived by Toyota Australia and hand-built in Japan.
“The Shooting Brake concept is a classy option for active couples or a second car for families who want something different,” Toyota Australia manager of national marketing Brad Cramb said in a statement. “Equally suited to weekends away as well as the track, it’s a car you could buy with your head and your heart.”
A styling concept for the car was first shown to Toyota 86 chief engineer Tetsuya Tada in November 2014, and he has since driven prototype versions on test tracks in Japan. Nonetheless, Toyota is adamant there are no plans to put this into production.
“While we never say, and I would love this concept to become a production reality, it is very much a concept that demonstrates the passion within Toyota for cars that are fun to drive,” Tetsuya said in a statement.
This is hardly the first time that Toyota has shut down the potential for a new 86 body style, having previously nixed a long-rumored convertible version of the sports coupe. We see huge potential for a practical, rear-drive sports coupe like this — think of it as Toyota’s answer to practical hot hatches like the VW GTI and Ford Focus ST — but for now, we’ll have to satisfy ourselves with simply ogling this ultra-cool concept
