The Vanishing Boy
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Toyota S-FR Concept (a future Sport 1500 or even a Scion!?)
- Thread starter The Vanishing Boy
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Wouldn't the S-FR be light anyway?
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The one issue I see would be throttle response... though there are ways to minimize it.
A smaller engine would help ease up packaging restraints. I imagine a longitudinally mounted three-pot 1.2 turbo would be easier to package than a four-cylinder 1.5... allowing for more crush space for pedestrian protection within a smaller front end. It should even be possible to upgrade to a 1.5 three-pot without increasing the overall size of the ICE package.
A smaller engine would help ease up packaging restraints. I imagine a longitudinally mounted three-pot 1.2 turbo would be easier to package than a four-cylinder 1.5... allowing for more crush space for pedestrian protection within a smaller front end. It should even be possible to upgrade to a 1.5 three-pot without increasing the overall size of the ICE package.
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Exposing a plastic shift gate wouldn't inspire much confidence, now would it? Based on feelings for the FR-S, there hasn't been as much unhappiness with the clutch effort, throw, and notch compared to the recent Scion offerings.
I like the three simple dials for temperature, fan speed, and ventilation on cheaper Toyota products from last decade. But I think that might appear too passé for a new car, so smaller buttons seem to be in use here, keeping in line with recent Toyota fare.
I like the three simple dials for temperature, fan speed, and ventilation on cheaper Toyota products from last decade. But I think that might appear too passé for a new car, so smaller buttons seem to be in use here, keeping in line with recent Toyota fare.
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Indeed, but I'd say that's not really the point of a car like this. I'd gladly lose some low-end shove for better throttle response across the rev range.
If the S-FR is turbocharged... my interest in it wanes a little.
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They sure that radiator is getting enough air? 
From peeved pufferfish to angry skull. I actually like it.
But can they please stop teasing us with the blacked-out roof and just go ahead and make a roadster version, for crying out loud? I mean, how obvious do you have to get with the drop-top envy?
From peeved pufferfish to angry skull. I actually like it.
But can they please stop teasing us with the blacked-out roof and just go ahead and make a roadster version, for crying out loud? I mean, how obvious do you have to get with the drop-top envy?
CodeRedR51
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It's nice and all, but where would they use such a thing?
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I wonder if BMW would be okay with the Mini's engine (er, and the i8's) showing up in something that could, feasibly, be cross-shopped. I know I'd much rather have this than a Mini Roadster/Speedster/Backwards-hat-brah-ster.
Other than the unfortunate taillights, I like the racing concept a lot. Reminds me of the ridiculously pumped up Cappies that have existed over the years.
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No no no. This one needs to remain a coupe. If it's a coupe, I'm buying one. If they make it a roadster then I might as well just get an MX-5. Or a used Elise, which is my current classified ad temptress of choice.
Really not sure the styling on the S-FR would work as a roadster. The kind of bubble fastback canopy with the neat kick of bodywork at the C-pillar suits it better, and improve the car's proportions, if blocking off the roof with my hand to imagine a roadster is anything to go by.
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CodeRedR51
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Yep.
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Since they're not developing a Roadster/Coupe version off the new chassis, I don't think it will be a problem.
Screamin' monkeys!
I still love it. It's silly as hell. But I still love it.
That C-Pillar kick will get smoothed out, but the way it's painted to resemble the cowling behind the headrests on race cars raises the possibility of a contoured trunk-lid.
I think it could work. This would not be a Miata competitor. They could sell a 1.2T or 1.5 variant to undercut the MX-5, targetted at a more lifestyle crowd than the Mazda.
Think of an MRS. But cheaper. And more liveable.
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You think? To me it looks more like a direct reference to the B-pillar of the Sports 800 - and the black roof a reference to that car's targa top. Which does of course raise the possibility of an Elise/Honda S660-style fold-away fabric roof, but I'd prefer it doesn't have one of those either.
In reality, or along your line of thinking? To me it seems almost a direct Miata competitor, roof configuration aside - it's more or less the same size, and the wheels and tyres are identical in size to the base 1.5 Miata.
I really think a soft-top would remove a lot of the car's character. It'd certainly remove the car's current USP - there is no truly compact rear-drive coupe on the market right now.
And it's probably wishful thinking on my part, but I really hope Toyota doesn't turbocharge it. The small (<1.6-litre) turbocharged engines on the market are impressive in terms of performance and refinement, but they're one-trick ponies. Throttle response is nearly always poor, few of them sound any good, economy is never even slightly as good as it's claimed to be* and it always seems like an added layer of overcomplication in an otherwise simple small car.
If Toyota is genuinely serious about making this thing, it needs to have a roof for structural rigidity (and styling, but that's a personal thing), and it needs a naturally-aspirated engine for response and sound. If the MX-5 can get out of its own way with a 1.5 (and it can), then a Toyota can too.
* Drove our long-term MX-5 2-litre back from the airport the other day. Tedious 50-60mph traffic most of the way until I got caught in a 2-hour queue. Until that point, it had averaged 51mpg. I'd love to see which turbocharged engine of similar performance would have done that number so easily over the same route. Certainly none with the drivetrain sophistication of the Mazda...
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Considering it's projected to be so much cheaper, I think they can easily aim for a different buyer demographic. People who want something "sporty" but who aren't looking for something that requires the dedication an MX-5 does.
I hear you on the throttle response... but if BMW can get turbocharged engines to behave decently, it should be possible to have one that's not too terrible under the hood of this car.
