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Scion FR-S Convertible (in Toyota GT86 form) spied in South Africa

Though the eventual existence of a convertible version of the Toyota GT86 (and its Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ versions for America) is a no-brainer, we've yet to get a glimpse of the real-deal car until now.
Spotted in Cape Town, South Africa, of all places, this completely undisguised GT86 convertible seems to be in a remarkably advanced state of development. The image seen here was obviously sniped from quite a distance and without the aid of a powerful lens, but we can still make out a production-ready looking piece of rear bodywork for the convertible top to hide away in, as well as a functioning trunk lid. It's hard to make out with any certainty, based on this evidence, but there does seem to be space retained behind the front seats for two, small rear chairs.
With the first car spotted, we'd expect to seem some more and better images of it flow through in the near future, and if not, Toyota has already confirmed a concept version for next month's Geneva Motor Show, dubbed FT-86 Open, so stay tuned. For now, click through to the FT86Club.com forum to have a slightly closer look at the images.

2019 Subaru WRX starts at $28,080, STI finally gets a bump in power

The Subaru WRX and STI were refreshed for 2018 with updated styling and some new options. America also got the limited-edition WRX STI Type RA, a tribute to the car that made a Nurburgring lap record attempt. Not much has changed for 2019, though we get a new special edition and a new and much needed infotainment system. Also, the STI finally gets a boost in power! The tried and true EJ now cranks out 310 horses. Rejoice? Pricing has gone up a bit for 2019, though it's still competitive with the rest of the segment. A base manual-equipped WRX now starts at $28,080, up $225 over the 2018 model. For comparison, a new 2018 Volkswagen GTI starts at $27,265. Stepping up to a WRX Premium will set you back $30,380 or $32,280 if you want a WRX with a CVT. A WRX Limited starts at $32,680 or $34,580 with the CVT. Premium and Limited models with the CVT get standard Subaru EyeSight, though that doesn't actually include a whole lot. The only features are auto vehicle hold, an electronic parking brake and an EyeSight status indicator. There is a new WRX Premium Series.Gray model. The special edition is limited to just 750 units and starts at $32,585. It comes standard with the Performance Package, Ultrasuede-trimmed Recaro seats, a power driver's seat, Jurid front brake pads, a moonroof delete, LED headlights, LED fog lights and keyless entry with push-button start. The updated WRX STI starts at $37,480 and is only available with a manual transmission. Updates include a retuned ECU, stronger pistons and a shorter third gear ratio, helping improve acceleration. Torque vectoring and a controllable center differential are still standard. The WRX STI Limited will run you $42,280 and offers a low-profile spoiler option for those that don't want the iconic rear wing. There's also a WRX STI Series.Gray model. For $39,965, you get a base STI with Recaro seats, a power driver's seat and keyless entry with push-button start. Individual options include the $2,050 Performance Package (red Brembo calipers, Recaro seats and a moonroof delete) and the $2,100 navigation system with blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic alert. Related Video: News Source: Subaru Subaru Performance Sedan subaru sti

Sunday Drive: Subaru Ascends up to the hottest market segment in America

Utility vehicles – in other words, crossovers and SUVs – are so hot right now. Two of our top stories from last week revolve around the utilitarian vehicle, but besides their jacked-up, five-door bodystyles, they couldn't be more different. The 2019 Subaru Ascent is headed into an extremely crowded and competitive segment, where it'll have to go up against industry stalwarts like the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot, not to mention upstart contenders like the Volkswagen Atlas. The Mercedes-AMG G63, on the other hand, has very little competition – there simply aren't very many ultra-luxurious, off-road-ready SUVs in the world vying to attract the dollars of the wellest-to-do customers across these United States. Moving on from crossovers and SUVs, our readers remain attracted to classic front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sportscars. The Toyota Supra's upcoming rebirth earns two places on our list of stories worth highlighting from the week that was; one with leaked information from a Japanese magazine, and another with rumors indicating that maybe we shouldn't be quite so excited. And finally, there's the strange case of the long-lost 2009 Chevy Corvette Z06 that one lucky individual happened to find squirreled away in a storage container with just 720 original miles. A high-horsepower head scratcher if we've ever seen one. As always, stay tuned to Autoblog this week for all the latest automotive news that's fit to print. 2019 Subaru Ascent vs Honda Pilot vs Toyota Highlander: How they compare on paper 2019 Mercedes-AMG G63 set to bare its 577-horsepower heart in Geneva Toyota Supra leaks in Japanese magazine ahead of Geneva debut Toyota Supra to be little more than a rebodied BMW Z4? Forgotten 720-mile 2009 Corvette Z06 emerges from storage Chevrolet Mercedes-Benz Subaru Toyota Coupe Crossover SUV Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Performance barn find sunday drive subaru ascent mercedes-amg g63