--- title: "Toyota Mocked Up an 86 Shooting Brake Concept That Never Went Anywhere" description: "After the success of the 86, Toyota's CALTY design team worked up a shooting brake version dubbed the X86D that was never made." date: "2023-12-04" modified: "2023-12-04" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/toyota-mocked-up-an-86-shooting-brake-concept-that-never-went-anywhere" categories: - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Toyota News" tags: - "GR86" - "sports car" - "Toyota" --- # Toyota Mocked Up an 86 Shooting Brake Concept That Never Went Anywhere ![]() *Toyota* Discovering the designs that car companies choose not to make is always bittersweet. On one hand, they offer a glimpse at truly unique, sometimes ingenious ideas before they're hit with regulations and safety constraints. On the other, they remind us of what we could've had. One such example is this [Toyota]() 86 shooting brake concept that didn't make it past the mockup stage in the early part of the prior decade and hadn't been revealed to the public, until last week. The [86]() and [Subaru BRZ]() blew minds across the globe by offering an incredibly fun, drift-happy rear-wheel-drive sports car at a price that us normies could afford. It was the everyman's sports car but, more than that, it was *fun*. It had famed figures of the car world, such as [Jeremy Clarkson](), singing its praises. With that status, Toyota decided to see if there was any more juice to squeeze from the 86 platform and turned to its Calty Design Research (CALTY) team in California. What they came up with was a sleek, stylish, and more practical variant: a four-door shooting brake called the X86D. ![]() **Toyota** With rear doors and a hatchback body, the 86 shooting brake could fit a quartet of passengers comfortably *and* all of their stuff in the trunk. More than that, CALTY paired the car's 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with all-wheel-drive, replacing the normal car's rear-drive layout. That, coupled with this version's additional weight, would have robbed some of its tail-out, hooligan fun. However, it also would've made the 86 far more livable all year long, particularly in snowy climates. CALTY's design was killer looking, with rear-biased hatchback proportions, swollen rear wheel arches, and swoopy front and rear ends. I also really like how the windows and windshield appear as a singular wraparound piece of glass, by virtue of tinting the windows and blacking out the A-pillars. ![]() **Toyota** Why did Toyota shelve the X86D shooting brake, rather than putting it into production? The automaker doesn't say, but we can only guess it was down to the same reason many enthusiast-minded concepts die on the cutting-room floor: focus groups and bean-counters determined there was no market for such a vehicle, and it ultimately wasn't worth building. Which is a damn shame because, with its funky looks, all-wheel-drive layout, hatchback body, and hopefully manual transmission, the X86D would've been one of the most unique, kick-ass cars on sale. Like a budget [Ferrari FF]() with a stick. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()