Toyota 86 TRD gets nod

Toyota has made an early commitment to a range of TRD tweaks - performance and cosmetic - for the new coupe that should arrive from the USA in time for Christmas.

Local deliveries of the 86 will not begin until June but hot-up work is already well underway in both Japan and America as TRD, the official tuning division for Toyota.

TRD has even test run a tweak 86 in Japan as part of its work for the country's biggest annual tuner show, the Tokyo Auto Salon.

Toyota had 15 display vehicles at the event with a range of tuner connections, including TRD, G Sports and Gazoo Racing, the company directed by Toyota's chairman Akio Toyoda.

The 86 dominated the display area and among the cars was a prototype that race in last year's Nurburgring 24-hour race in Germany.

The 86 hits the road in Australia in June and TRD parts will be available this year through dealerships, although the exact timing is not set.

"We will have a range of TRD stuff, but it won't be available for about nine months," says Toyota spokesman, Mike Breen. "It's a very similar range to what TRD has shown in Japan. We're looking at dampers, strut braces, exhaust systems, those sorts of things."

Breen says the decision to source parts from the USA was made for economic reasons, which should mean a better deal for owners.

"The full range hasn't been decided yet, but we're hoping to take just about everything. TRD in the USA received their development cars a little late. So we're still waiting to hear. But the TRD parts will all be sold directly through Toyota Australia dealerships."