Toyota Remembers its Past as it... Accelerates into the Future with FT-86 Coupe

Knowing that "the past is only the future with the lights turned on", Toyota hopes to learn from its mistakes and take only the best from its times of yore and apply the lessons to its future products like the highly anticipated production version of the FT-86 concept study.

Or at least that's what the troubled Japanese automaker wants us to believe with the release of this family portrait that places the FT-86 (Future Toyota-86) Sports Concept alongside its closest relative, the Corolla AE86 as well as the Celica and Supra sport coupes.

The FT-86 study, which was designed at Toyota's ED² studio in Nice, France, had its European premier this week at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show.

The compact sized coupe measures that 4,160mm long, 1,760mm wide and 1,260mm tall, with a 2,570mm wheelbase, is being co-developed with Subaru that will also present its own variant of the 2+2 seater sports model.

As a reminder of Subaru's involvement in the project, the near production-ready FT-86 prototype uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine from the Impreza while power is sent to the rear-wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. The study rides on 19-inch wheels shod with 225/40R19 tires.

According to Toyota, the FT-86 is scheduled to be launched into the market towards the end of 2011 with Subaru's variant to follow later on.