Tokyo news: Toyota FT-86 and eco concepts

Toyota keeps things green as usual in Tokyo, but it also debuts the car that many (including us) are hoping will become the new Celica - the FT-86 concept.

What's all the fuss about?

The FT-86 coupe, co-developed with Subaru, could well turn into a thoroughly dizzying driver's coupe because it'll be powerful, light, rear-wheel drive, good looking and cheap. That sounds like all the right ingredients to us. It's powered by a 2.0-litre boxer engine that has 146bhp, though turbocharging (as per the Subaru Impreza) is a distinct possibility, which could result in some serious rear tyre smoking.

Moving on, there's a trio of green concepts in Tokyo with Toyota badges on them too€

Anything that stands out?

The obligatory green stuff from Toyota, that's what. First there's the FT-EVII, which is smaller than the iQ but seats four and is electrically powered for CO₂-free driving. It has a joystick to save space, and presumably also to fulfil the main fantasy of every 1980s console gamer: to control a real life car using the same method that made them a champion on Outrun and Turbo Outrun.

Then there are a pair of hybrids. Firstly the plug-in Prius, which extends the standard car's electric-only range by replacing the battery with a better lithium ion one and allowing plug-in charging. Finally, there's the Sai 'luxury hybrid', which goes on sale in Japan in December but will probably never see the light of a showroom here. That's probably a good thing too, because the 2.4-litre petrol hybrid doesn't exactly set the pulse racing.

When can I buy one?

The plug-in Prius is currently undergoing an 'evaluation' programme, so we're not sure when it'll get the go-ahead, and nor do we know if the FT-EVII will be signed off. The FT-86 certainly will though, probably hitting showrooms in 2011. We're looking forward to it.

Mark Nichol