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Jockeying for the spotlight, the new FT-86 Open concept will make its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show next week, drawing eyes to the Toyota stand on a day that will also see debuts of the McLaren P1 and the successor to the Ferrari Enzo.
Impressively, despite the car’s diminutive size, Toyota has managed to engineer a solution that sees the rear two seats remain intact, making it a true convertible rather than a roadster. The multi-layered soft-top will fold down behind the rear seats, which Toyota says will impact luggage space only minimally. In addition, the soft top will house a glass rear window.
Usually in creating a convertible out of a coupe a car gets significantly heavier and less sporty, however, Toyota has aimed to deliver equally high levels of driving excitement, with a weight gain kept to just 13 lbs with a 2,771 lb curb weight. Looking to maintain the driving excitement level in other areas, Toyota says it still delivers a near-perfect 53:47 front-to-rear weight distribution, while the removal of the hard-top roof further improves its center of gravity.
Will Toyota build the GT86 Convertible? Most certainly. In a release the automaker even admits that the, “GT86 was designed with the development of a cabriolet in mind.”