Tokyo motor show highlights - Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT 86

Sorry, but I refuse to split these two sports coupés, whose development has been a joint effort between Subaru (most of the mechanicals) and Toyota (most of the cash, I suspect).

Their production forms arrived at (long) last in Tokyo, Toyota’s 86 (it’ll be GT 86 in the UK) clothed in an eye-catching bronze paint job that had the faintest hint of 1980s retro about it.

With a relatively modest 197bhp, ultra-low weight distribution and rear-wheel drive, both cars are designed for an entertaining drive, rather than Porsche Cayman-rivalling performance.

For me, Subaru’s version had a slight edge, with a cleaner, less fussy design (some thought it plain, mind), a choice of colours - Subaru’s old ‘rally Impreza’ blue and a pearlescent white - and an endurance racing version that looked sensational. In the long run, the company’s tuning division STi will also give the BRZ a power advantage, too.

Either way, I can’t wait to try them both. It’s terrific to see Japanese manufacturers striving to make cars designed for driving pleasure, alongside those renowned for durability and practicality.