The next Toyota 86 could share a platform with the Miata

A report out of Japan claims that Toyota’s partner for the next GR86 will no longer be Subaru. After two generations of platform sharing with the BRZ, Toyota will instead join with Mazda and develop the GR86 alongside the next Miata. However, that doesn’t mean the BRZ is dead. Details are sparse, but apparently it will soldier on as well.

According to the October 26 issue of Best Car magazine, which just went on sale in Japan, the next GR86 will be a joint project between Toyota and Mazda, and will be built by Mazda akin to the way the Subaru builds the BRZ and GR86 on the same assembly line now.

Previously, it was believed that the Toyota-Mazda collaboration was going to result in a high-end sports car like the next-generation Supra. After all, Mazda is the only Japanese carmaker with an inline-six, and we’ve been told that such a configuration is a must for the Supra. It was believed that Mazda’s side of that equation would have been a sports car, possibly with a rotary hybrid drivetrain and the body of the RX-Vision. That could still happen, but Best Car says that Mazda engineers have been meeting in Toyota City to co-develop the GR86 and Roadster.

In theory, this could make more sense than twinning the GR86 with the BRZ. Those two were never truly differentiated, and there was not a clear reason to buy a GR86 over a BRZ (or vice versa) other than brand preference. But with Mazda, the GR86 could be the hardtop coupe while the Miata retained its trademark open-top configuration, giving buyers a solid reason to visit one dealership over the other.

Of course, the GR86 is a 2+2 and the Miata is only a 2-seater. Mazdafarians’ concern that the Miata’s ethos of lightness might be compromised would be justified if Mazda is forced to build the Roadster atop a chassis designed for a larger car. The NC Miata shared components with the RX-8 and as a result felt more bloated compared to the purer NA, NB, and ND generations.

On the other hand, if the Toyota borrows the Mazda chassis from Mazda’s unparalleled driving dynamics. But GR86 customers would likely balk at a horsepower drop and Toyota would have to find a way to fit a more powerful, possibly larger engine into a chassis optimized for lightness.

Best Car reports that the Toyota-Mazda cousins will debut in 2028. As for the BRZ, they say Subaru will go it alone and continue to sell it with the current chassis. They will further develop the platform and make improvements to keep it competitive. Whatever happens, it’s good to know that there are three carmakers dedicated to offering exciting sports cars that don’t require a second mortgage to enjoy.