FR-S fans that want an open roof, taste the sad. Miata fans, taste the happy. The Toyota FT-86 Open Concept will not enter production. And neither will a high-powered turbo FR-S.
The FT-86 Open was Toyota's vision of an open top 86/GT86/FR-S and it looked damn good. But there were a few issues. First, open top cars that aren't designed that way from the outset lose a lot of rigidity and gain oodles of weight.
It seems the FR-S Convertible hit road blocks like that, as well as cost. It would be a low volume car and would then be too expensive. That means it would no longer compete with the Miata on price. And that means there would be no point to it.
The cost problem also hit plans for a low volume turbo FR-S. We've driven the car a number of times and loved it as is, but the chassis is plenty capable of adding some horsepower and still being seriously awesome. Unfortunately, it seems the cost was too much to make the investment.
Come on Subaru, you're our only hope. BRZ STI anyone?
(Hat Tip to F40LM!)