Toyota South Africa has announced prices of one of its most eagerly awaited cars: the all-new Toyota 86.

The Toyota 86 officially debuts in South Africa with the standard model on 9 July 2012. This will be followed shortly by two high-spec versions later in the month.

The good news? Well the starting price for the standard model sneaks in under the R300k mark, at R298 500 (including VAT). This positions the two-door 2+2 sports car within reach of those wanting an alternative to the predictable set of hot hatches.

At the top end of the range are the two highly specified versions (a manual and a six-speed auto with paddle shift), equipped with all sorts of trimmings, including Smart Start (keyless entry system), leather/alcantara upholstery, fully automatic climate control system and 17-inch alloy wheels. The 86 High manual will retail for R329 400 while the 86 High six-speed Auto will carry a sticker price of R346 500. All 86 models come with a four-year or 60 000km service plan as standard.

All 86 models are equipped with the newly-developed Subaru 2.0-litre, four-cylinder boxer engine. This is the world's first horizontally opposed engine with Toyota's revolutionary Direct Injection 4-stroke petrol System (D-4S). Power figures? Well, how does 147kW at 7000rpm and 205Nm at 6400-6600rpm sound?

"The 86 is so much more than just another product, it signals a completely new direction for Toyota," says Kerry Roodt, General Manager of Marketing Communications. "Here you have a car that's designed entirely around the driver; a car that exists purely for those who regard driving as a passion rather than a necessity. These cars have, of course, always existed, but for the first time a motor manufacturer is making this much automotive fun available to as wide an audience as possible... that's genius."