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Toyota FT-86 Open Concept would make a mighty fine droptop FR-S

There's nothing wrong with going topless. And Toyota is proving that its FT-86 (read: Scion FR-S/Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ) coupe is just as excellent with its roof removed. It may only be a concept, but this FT-86 Open previews a new droptop from the Japanese automaker to round out the Toyobaru sports car family. We're finally getting the chance to see the open-air FT-86 in person here at the Geneva Motor Show, and we're already yearning to take it canyon-carving.
Interestingly, the FT-86 retains the Toyota coupe's two-plus-two seating arrangement (we'd prefer a proper roadster setup here), but things still look good for this droptop two-door. We'll be curious to see how the car looks with its folding soft top in place (operated by fancy-shmancy electronics, by the way).
As for production intent, rumors have been flying about a production Scion FR-S convertible, but until we hear it directly from Toyota. Consider our hopes in check but our fingers crossed.

2016 Toyota Tacoma teased again

Toyota is following up its muddy teaser of the back of the 2016 Tacoma with a dusty new one that shows the truck's face for the first time. Without seeing more of the pickup, it's impossible to make any educated judgments, but the company appears to be taking the Taco's styling in a new direction. The 2016 Tacoma features a hexagonal grille outlined in chrome and a narrow intake underneath visually connecting the foglights. The headlights take on a squinting look, and this shot suggests LED running lights at the outer edge (perhaps just for top-level trims). You can also just make out a bit boxier of a flare for the front fender. The truckmaker hasn't announced anything about the Tacoma's powertrain, but we spied a prototype testing several months ago with a six-speed manual transmission. That one reportedly rode on a modified version of the current model's frame, as well. Toyota apparently has high hopes, though, because it's ramping up production at the Taco's factory in Mexico by 41 percent. The truck debuts at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show on January 12, and you can read Toyota's to-the-point press release about it below. See. The. Light. December 17, 2014 The lights come on and Tacoma rolls at the 2015 North American International Auto Show. The all-new 2016 beast hits the stage at 12:50 p.m. EST, Monday Jan. 12. And for those who can't wait for the dust to settle, we'll share a little more dirt later today. www.toyota.com/upcoming-vehicles/tacoma

Even Ferrari swept up in latest Takata recall expansion

The scope of Takata's deadly airbag problems continues to widen. Eight manufacturers announced recalls Friday that affect more than 12 million vehicles, according to documents filed with federal regulators. The automakers include Honda, which is recalling 4.5 million units, Fiat Chrysler with 4.3 million, Toyota with 1.65 million, and Subaru, which is recalling almost 400,000. Some of these cars include the Saab 9-2x and Pontiac Vibe that Toyota and Subaru made for General Motors. Mazda will recall 730,000 vehicles and Nissan has 400,000 affected units. The smallest numbers were posted by Mitsubishi, with 38,000 Lancers manufactured from 2006 to 2007, and as a noteworthy high-end manufacturer, Ferrari is calling back 2,800 vehicles. These are all US-market cars. Beyond America, the Japanese Transport Ministry has announced seven million additional vehicles will be recalled, which means 19.6 million vehicles across the globe are affected by recalls announced. The defects have been traced to an insufficiently manufactured airbag inflator, which lacks a drying agent that would prevent the inflators from deteriorating over time. Thirteen deaths have been linked to the faulty airbags, which have become unstable and are prone to exploding and showering vehicle occupants with lethal amounts of metal shrapnel. A private equity firm, KKR & Co., has been named in a possible buyout of the struggling Takata. Related Video: News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Shutterstock Government/Legal Recalls Ferrari Honda Mazda Automakers Mitsubishi Nissan Pontiac Subaru Toyota Saab Safety