Toyota GR86 Hybrid imagined with hot new Prius face

The Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ two-door sports coupe twins will reportedly be electrified to curb emissions regulations and boost power.

According to the Japanese publication Best Car, Toyota has started working on the third-generation GR86 using a modified underpinning from the Lexus IS sports sedan (now axed in Australia) and a hybridised three-cylinder turbo engine from the GR Yaris hot hatch or the hybrid system from the Toyota Crown flagship.

The GR86 Hybrid will help the company meet increasingly strict emissions standards globally, with Japan requiring a 32.4 per cent fuel economy improvement by 2030. The current Subaru-sourced 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated Boxer engine is rumoured to not meet that regulation.

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Toyota GR Prius Coupe rendering by Theottle

With Toyota adopting a new design language, we’ve added the face of the sleek all-new Prius to see what a GR86 Hybrid may look like.

The sharp C-shape claw-like LED daytime running lights run into the bonnet line and connected splitter across the front, with chrome and gloss black surrounds on the lower bumper.

A similar face is also seen in the upcoming new-gen Toyota C-HR city crossover and Beyond Zero (BZ) Compact SUV concept.

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Toyota GR Prius Coupe rendering by Theottle

The added electric assistance should theoretically help with increasing torque, though it’s unclear whether performance outputs would change due to a potentially downsized engine displacement (but with a turbocharger added).

The current Toyota GR86 is based on a modified version of the first-gen model and produces 174kW of power and 250Nm of torque driven to the rear wheels only. It can accelerate from 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.3 seconds in the manual or 6.8 seconds in the torque converter automatic transmission.

However, it demands higher quality 98RON premium unleaded fuel and consumes between a claimed 8.8 to 9.5-litres per 100km depending on the variant.

BELOW: The current GR86, next to its iconic AE86 ancestor

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