For sports cars, there is a traditional launch playbook. Coupe comes first and then a convertible later to boost interest and sales into the car’s model cycle. The Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ are still riding high on a lot of pent up demand, but Autocar is looking ahead to the convertible model. Toyota originally wouldn’t confirm or deny a convertible, but we all knew one was coming.
According to the report, the drop top will debut (as a Toyota GT-86) at the Geneva Motor Show next March. Scion previously confirmed a launch date for early 2014, meaning either that has been moved up, or the convertible will be launching internationally first.
The FR-S was designed from the beginning to be offered as a convertible, eliminating the need for a lot of extra bracing to stiffen things up. The standard car was developed with a focus on pure performance, eliminating unnecessary weight that would distract from that goal. The result is an incredibly well-balanced and light-weight sports car with a great price tag.
The convertible will live up to those goals as well. Instead of a heavy and expensive retractable hard-top system like a lot of today’s convertibles, the FR-S will have traditional soft-top. The need for extra space will require the elimination of the rear seats, which weren’t usable anyway. Under the hood, the car’s 200 horsepower 2.0-liter boxer four will remain the same. Many enthusiasts are hoping a power upgrade is in the works. While it certainly isn’t slow with 200 hp, the FR-S is begging for more power. Turbo charging that puts it near the 300 hp mark would be great.
