How the Scion FR-S Became Toyota's Modern Tribute to a Drifting Legend

In 2013, a young car enthusiast spotted a Hot Lava orange Scion FR-S at a Toyota dealership and was instantly hooked by its three pedals and sporty look. That car, it turns out, was Toyota's way of paying tribute to the AE86 Corolla, a model that became a drifting icon, and an attempt to make the brand cool again.

The FR-S was built with a clear goal: a lightweight sports coupe with a low center of gravity. It didn't need massive power to be fun, because driver engagement came from how well it responded to delicate inputs. Alongside its Subaru twin, the BRZ, it stood out in the early 2010s as an affordable, light sports car, with alternatives like the Mazda MX-5 and the heavier Hyundai Genesis Coupe.

Toyota teased a twin-charged version with 320 horsepower, but it never reached production. Owners instead turned to turbo kits and simpler mods like new headers and ECU tunes to fix the boxer engine's mid-range torque dip. The car weighed about 2,750 pounds, and with just 200 horsepower, it was still a blast on the right tires and suspension.

The project came from then-CEO Akio Toyoda, who wanted a car inspired by the AE86's recipe: featherweight, rev-happy engine up front, rear-wheel drive. Engineers studied Toyota's first sports car, the Sports 800, which used a tiny two-cylinder boxer engine and weighed just 1,278 pounds.

Toyota teamed up with Subaru to co-develop the powertrain, giving the FR-S a boxer engine, the first in a Toyota since the Sports 800, and design cues from the 2000GT.

After the Scion brand folded, the car became the Toyota 86, and later the GR86 for 2022 with a 2.4-liter boxer engine producing 228 horsepower. The FR-S also paved the way for the GR Supra and GR Corolla, reminding buyers Toyota could still build fun cars.

Prices for used FR-S models vary: unmodified, high-mileage examples go for $11,000 to $14,000, while low-mileage, tastefully modified cars can reach $20,000. 0 (1,500 units, yellow paint, TRD suspension, around $20,000), the 2014 Monogram edition (2,000 units with leather and navigation), and the 10th Anniversary Edition (2,500 FR-S units, $13,000 to $18,000).

The FR-S's 13-year evolution into the GR86 is a rare example of a brand keeping a low-volume sports car alive against the odds.