Toyota has released new images of its GT86-based rally car. The overseas equivalent of its Scion FR-S sports coupe is undergoing final testing for a WRC debut later this year.

Called the GT86 CS-R3, it will be offered to privateer teams in two specifications, gravel or tarmac. The general layout of the car will remain not too different from stock, with a six-speed transmission (though sequential), 2.0L boxer four, and, surprisingly for rallying, a rear-wheel-drive layout.

The motor will be modified to output 238hp and 169 lb-ft of torque (up slightly from the stock version’s 200hp and 151 lb-ft). The bump comes thanks to more aggressive cams, a higher compression ratio and new ECU map.

Upgraded suspension, brakes (four-piston front, two rear), a fuel cell, safety cage and a variety of final drive gear ratios are offered. The bodies in white with powertrain assembly required will sell for $88,531.

Built by Toyota Motorsport GmbH, a racing division headquartered in Germany, the GT86 will compete in the RC3 category against cars like the Renault Clio, Fiat Grande Punto, and Citroen DST, all of whom are front or all-wheel-drive. The RWD configuration of the GT86 will be unique to the category and has spurred a rule change to gain entry.

The GT86 CS-R3 will hit the rally stages in July.

Honda is abandoning the Accord model, and indeed the entire segment, in Europe.

Sold as the Acura TSX in the US, the European-market Accord provided a sprightlier alternative to the bread-and-butter family sedan sold by American Honda. However, with the next TSX being merged with the once-larger Acura TL to create the TLX, there is nothing in the global Honda portfolio to fill the void.

That’s just as well, says Leon Brannan, head of autos at Honda UK, who spoke to Automotive News Europe. “We are running out the Accord and we will not return to the segment,” he confirmed.

In fact, the article reports, the trend in Europe is shifting towards the luxury end of the market. Sales of mainstream mid-sized sedans like the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat are suffering as buyers look to premium offerings like the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes C-Class.

Incidentally, both the European- and US-spec Accord are sold alongside each other in Honda’s home market of Japan. The European version gets to hold onto the Accord name, while the American model is called the Inspire. Regional differentiation in the Accord model line began in 1998.

Mercedes-AMG has announced that the 2016 GT S will start at $129,900 before a mandatory $925 destination charge is factored in.
The GT S’ list of standard features includes seats upholstered in Nappa leather, Keyless-GO, the latest generation of Mercedes’ COMAND infotainment system, parking sensors on both ends and a high-end Burmester sound system. On the safety front, the GT S is fitted with Collision Prevention Assist PLUS and the passengers are protected by no less than eight airbags.

Power for the GT S comes from a new twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine that sends 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft. of torque to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The 911-fighting coupe can reach 60 mph from a stop in 3.7 seconds and go on to a top speed of 192 mph.

The base GT packs a de-tuned version of the S’ V8 that generates 456 horsepower and 443 lb-ft. of torque, enough to sprint from zero to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Pricing information for the GT has not been published yet.

The 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S will go on sale across the nation next April, while the less powerful GT model will be launched in the spring of 2016 as a 2017 model. A more powerful Black Series model is expected to round out the lineup a little later in the production run.

Photos by Ronan Glon.

Spy shots taken in China have given us the best look yet at the seven-seater variant of the BMW 2-Series Active Tourer. BMW’s latest people mover is scheduled to make its public debut at a major auto show this year.
Tentatively called 2-Series Grand Tourer, BMW’s next people-mover will ride on the same front-wheel drive UKL platform as the aforementioned Active Tourer, the MINI Hardtop and the next X1 crossover. The Grand Tourer will look similar to its five-seater sibling from the tip of the front bumper to the B-pillar. Beyond that, it will gain a stretched wheelbase and a noticeably longer rear overhang in order to free up extra space in the cockpit.

The Grand Tourer is expected to be mechanically identical to the Active Tourer. Entry-level models will be offered with a three-cylinder 1.5-liter gasoline-burning engine while upper-spec models will benefit from a 2.0-liter turbo four linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission. A frugal 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbodiesel mill will be available in select markets.

The BMW 2-Series Grand Tourer could be introduced at next March’s the Geneva Motor Show. It will go on sale across Europe by next fall, but whether or not the people-mover will be sold in the United States is up in the air.

Photos by Ronan Glon.