Is this the Toyota 86 at last? Japanese giant to finally reveal "good car" developed with Subaru

It seems Toyota is set to finally reveal its Subaru BRZ twin, with the new 86 though to be the star of the Japanese giant's just-announced new-car reveal on April 5.

The announcement - though mysterious - is entitled "let's make a good car together! Talk session" and will be hosted by senior executives from Toyota's Gazoo Racing, as well as Subaru.

While neither brand has confirmed what vehicle will be revealed, the entirety of the Japanese automotive media is pointing to the Toyota 86 as being the star of the show.

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To be fair, the only remaining question mark surrounding Toyota's new performance car is its appearance, as the BRZ's unveiling in the USA told us all we need to know about what's under the skin ahead of the latter car's launch in Australia, which is expected around Q3 next year.

The new BRZ - and so likely the new 86, too - makes use of a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder horizontally-opposed "Boxer" petrol that develops 170kW and 249Nm, up from the up to 152kW and 212Nm produced by the outgoing car. The old model delivered a sprint to 100km/h of around 8.2 seconds, which should see this new model drop that figure into at least the seven-second range.

Subaru says the new engine will deliver "a smooth revving feel and sharp throttle response, (and) the engine provides stronger acceleration and a noticeable power increase".

Like before, the new BRZ and 86 will be had with a choice of a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox, with the latter also getting a more aggressive "Sport" mode that will pick and stick with a lower gear when cornering.

Handling should be improved, too, with Subaru reporting a 60 per cent increase in front lateral rigidity and a 50 per cent increase in torsional stiffness. The brand says you can expect faster steering response, more agile handling and more grip - also thanks to the 18-inch alloys shod in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber.

The unveiling will be streamed on YouTube on Aril 5 in Japan.