2022 Toyota GR 86
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Toyota GR 86
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Year:2022
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Engine:flat-4
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Transmission:6-speed manual
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Horsepower @ RPM:228
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Torque @ RPM:184
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Displacement:2.4 L
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0-60 time:6.1 sec.
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Price:
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car segment:
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If you thought the first-gen Toyota 86 was awesome, just wait until you learn about the second-gen model!
Entering its second generation, the GR 86 has uplifting expectations as a coupe, and carries forward quite a few elements which make it stick to “the roots”. And that, we all know that the GR 86 shares a lot of DNA with the Subaru BRZ, including the same chassis and the engine, but some would argue that the former is lighter and manageable in most conditions. For the 2022 model year, the 86 features a flat-four engine layout but the size has gone up to 2.4-liter and it is still naturally aspirated. The new 86 is offered with your choice of a manual or automatic transmission. Apart from the mechanics, the coupe comes loaded with tech and the cabin gets significant updates to give that new-car feeling. The Gazoo Racing team has put up a big effort to make the GR 86 stand out in the crowd and and it’s fairly affordable for what it offers.
Latest Toyota GT86 news and reviews:
The 2022 Toyota 86 Is Still One of the Most Affordable Sports Cars With a Manual Transmission
The small cheap fun car is not dead yet. There are several options to be had with a good amount of horsepower and a manual gearbox. However, the amount of brand new, rear-wheel-drive sports cars with a manual gearbox for sale under $30,000 is dwindling.
Rocket Bunny’s New Body Kit Makes The Toyota 86 Look Very Angry
If you follow the tuner scene, you are, most likely, familiar with the Rocket Bunny body kits. Originating from Japan, the Rocket Bunny body kits are as striking and as aggressive as possible for a road-going car. Kei Miura’s wide-body designs can make even the most docile-looking car look like a road-going predator. As soon as we learned of the new Toyota GR 86, we knew it was a matter of time before a dedicated Rocket Bunny kit was in the making. Now, we finally have images of the Rocket Bunny 86, and we like what we see.
2022 Toyota GR 86
Entering its second generation, the GR 86 has uplifting expectations as a coupe, and carries forward quite a few elements which make it stick to “the roots”. And that, we all know that the GR 86 shares a lot of DNA with the Subaru BRZ, including the same chassis and the engine, but some would argue that the former is lighter and manageable in most conditions. For the 2022 model year, the 86 features a flat-four engine layout but the size has gone up to 2.4-liter and it is still naturally aspirated. The new 86 is offered with your choice of a manual or automatic transmission. Apart from the mechanics, the coupe comes loaded with tech and the cabin gets significant updates to give that new-car feeling. The Gazoo Racing team has put up a big effort to make the GR 86 stand out in the crowd and and it’s fairly affordable for what it offers.
Gazoo Racing Has A Big Surprise for Toyota GR86 Fans
It’s painfully obvious that Toyota isn’t interested in developing any high-performance vehicles, at least not by itself. This explains the more recent collaborations that spawned the GR Supra and 86 models. The latter, in particular, has been on the radar of tuning specialists since the beginning, as its playful chassis and less-than-sufficient power output (for some) are a good starting point for some epic builds. This time, however, Toyota isn’t about to let the tuners steal its lunch money and are giving us their vision of a serious performance proposition based on the Toyota GR86.
The Toyota GR Supra Might Offer Better Performance Than the GR86, But Is It A Better Toyota?
By now, it’s painfully obvious that Toyota isn’t interested in reliving the glorious 1990s. Back in those days, they had the SW20 MR-2/MR-S, the Celica GT-Four and SS3, and let’s not forget the venerable Supra Mk IV. However, sports cars cost a lot to develop and their market niche is insignificant compared to something like a Corolla. You can see why, nowadays, Toyota has two front-engine rear-wheel-drive sports cars and both of which are not pure Toyota products – the GR Supra and GR86. The latter, though, is more worthy of the Toyota badge and here’s why.
The 2022 Toyota GR86 Is Lightyears Ahead of its Predecessor
The global version of the 2022 Toyota GR86 arrived back in April of 2021, and since then, we’ve seen what it could look like as a convertible, as a shooting brake, and we’ve even seen how others would have redesigned it. However, up until now, we hadn’t seen or heard anything about the model that would land here in the States, but all that has changed now, as Toyota has finally revealed most of what we need to know. We already had a good idea of what to expect, but now we know for sure that it was worth the wait. Here’s what you need to know about the U.S.-spec 2022 Toyota GR86.
Unexpected Alternatives to the Toyota GR86
The 2022 Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ twins are back in their second generation and better than ever. Given that cars are getting more and more expensive, it’s good to see manufacturers are still willing to make cars that more people are able to buy. The GR86 and BRZ have a bigger 2.4-liter naturally-aspirated flat-four with 231 horsepower and 184 pound-feet (249 Nm).
With that being said, the new BRZ still costs $28,845 and the GR86 around $31,000, which is more money than some people are willing to part with. Luckily, there is a surprising amount of alternatives out there that can provide similar levels of fun at a lower price.
Redesigning the Toyota GR86 - What It Could Have Looked Like
The new Toyota GR86 succeeds the GT86/86, as the brand’s compact rear-wheel-drive sports car. The design of the new car is definitely bolder than the previous version, but it’s still rather bland. “TheSketchMonkey” is a YouTube channel where a graphic designer with an affinity for car design uses his incredible photoshop skills to reimagine certain cars in his way, or simply to “fix” the aesthetics of cars that are currently of interest.
After seeing This Rendering, Toyota Definitely Needs to Build a GR 86 Shooting Brake
We recently covered a rendering, which gave us an idea of how a Toyota GR86 Convertible could look like. Now, the Hungarian virtual design studio – X-Tomi Design – is giving us another great idea. They’ve taken the Toyota GR86 and decided to make a shooting break out of it. We have to admit, the results are quite good. The Shooting brake concept is a very old one. It dates back to the 1800s and the first shooting brake cars were manufactured in Britain.
This 2022 Toyota GR86 Convertible Is Strangely Attractive
The Toyota GR86 is certainly one of the more pleasant surprises in the automotive world. In times when cars are becoming bigger, heavier, and much more complex, car enthusiasts begged for a car that’s simple, sporty, and relatively attainable. That being said, the Toyota GR86 may be available as both a Toyota and a Subaru product, but it only comes in coupe form. Although we definitely don’t mind that, some of us have wondered how a convertible version would look like.
2022 Second-gen Toyota 86 Arrives With A Bigger Engine, More Power, And An Attitude
Toyota sparked quite a buzz when it announced a joint reveal with Subaru a few days back. The online stream was supposed to happen on the Toyota Gazoo page, so we knew it would be a performance car. Fast forward to the present day and the secret is finally out.
The car under the wraps was the second-gen of the 86 sports car, which is essentially a 2022 Subaru BRZ with the Toyota badge. The GR 86 comes with a bigger four-pot engine, a rear-wheel-drive configuration, and a quicker 0-62 mph time compared to its predecessor. Does anything else really matter?
This Supercharged 2JZ-Swapped Toyota 86 Is Your Personal Burnout Jesus
Before the new Supra arrived, Toyota’s solely purpose-built sports car was the 86 (or GT86 or FT86 or Subaru BRZ or Scion FR-S, if you wish). In the U.S., the 2020 86 makes 200 or 205 horsepower and 151 or 156 pound-feet of torque depending on which gearbox you pick, so while it’s not oozing power, the 86 has other aces up its sleeves.
For example, the 86 is agile and overall a hoot to drive but, for some, a nimble RWD car that doesn’t need to be driven fast to generate quite the thrills simply doesn’t do the trick. Take this nice chap from Australia, for example.
The Toyota 86 Might Be Delayed But For a Very Good Reason
Our First Look At the 2022 Toyota GR86 Proves Little Will Change Under the Skin
With more than a year’s worth of leaks and news about the next-gen Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ, we finally learned in early August that Subaru was ending production of the BRZ. Toyota hasn’t commented on its production timetable for the current-gen 86, but we’re pretty sure the current-gens end of production isn’t far off. That has become more than evident now that the first spy video and images of the 2022 Toyota GR86 has surfaced online. Much like the most recent rumors suggest, neither Subaru nor Toyota are changing very much as they shift into the next generation.
A Leak Just Presented Some Unbelievable Info About the 2021 Toyota 86
Rumors and bits of info on the upcoming new 2021 Toyota 86 have been travelling around the internet for quite some time and have been intensively covered here on TopSpeed as well.
However, a recent leak reaffirms the fact that the 86 nameplate is making a comeback, albeit as part of a new naming scheme.
The 2021 Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 - A New Platform and More Power
We’ve been preaching news about the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ rather consitently for a while now – everything from the lack of turbo in this generation to the fact that the updated twins are on their way even [what will change with the next-gen models.→art185720] Now, we’re looking at the next-gen models debuting sometime in 2021, if we’re lucky, and there’s a lot of new information to discuss.
Toyota 86 Limited Hakone Edition
Seven years after arriving in the auto scene, the Toyota 86 is somehow still going strong. At the very least, it’s going strong enough to warrant more special edition models from Toyota. Don’t look now — well, you can look now, or you should look now — but the newest special edition 86 is on its way, and it’s named after Japan’s most famous stretch of highway. The new special edition sports coupé is called the Toyota 86 Hakone Edition, and, believe it or not, it’s actually available in the U.S. Details on pricing and availability have yet to be revealed, but the model does go on sale the U.S. this fall.
A Next-Gen Toyota 86 is In the Works; Probably Co-Developed with Subaru
After months of speculation and reports that contradicted one another, it appears that a new Toyota 86 is in the works and it will again be the fruit of a collaboration between Toyota and Subaru which all but confirms that a new BRZ is around the corner as well. Now, the news comes from the mouth of Toyota Europe Head of Marketing Matt Harrison, so we tend to believe it, although it’s not the first time a high-ranked Toyota employee talked about a new 86.
These past 12 months have been quite the rollercoaster ride for fans of both the BRZ and the 86 (or GT86 as it’s known across the pond). Everyone saw the first-generation models were getting long in the tooth and Toyota never seemed to clarify the matter of its co-op with Subaru that produced two wonderful sporty coupes. Then came the launch of the A90 Supra and the news that the basic version in Japan is powered by a less powerful engine than the 86’s 2.0-liter 197 horsepower four-pot. Many thought that meant the writing was on the wall for the 86 as Toyota wouldn’t want to undermine the Supra by selling another sports car with more oomph and a cheaper price tag. But, apparently, sales have been satisfactory enough to prompt Toyota and Subaru to get to the drawing boards once more.
Turns out the all-new Subaru BRZ / Toyota GT86 is, in fact, on its way
Recent rumors suggested that Toyota and Subaru were going to pull the plug on the GT86/BRZ models as early as next year, but according to new information, that may not be the case. It was believed that the sporty coupe was no longer relevant given that the base version of the new Supra makes around as much horsepower and it’s about the same size too.
10 Sports Cars with the Best MPG
Fuel efficiency may not be the prime concern when looking to purchase a sports car, but these days the two don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Long gone are the days when you had to sacrifice pretty much everything in order to drive a fun car that put a smile on your face - these days you can have your sporty cake and also eat it, and these are the cars you can do it in. All models below blend twisty road enjoyment with some manner of fuel-sipping tech on top of their improved practicality and day-to-day usability compared to equivalent models of decades past.decades past.
Toyota Celebrates 86 Years of Le Mans By Dressing Up Its GT86 Models
As an automaker that has a long and proud history racing at Le Mans, Toyota is celebrating the race’s 86th installment by dressing a trio of GT86 sports coupes in the colors of some of its most iconic LMP1 racers. In an intentional move, Toyota unveiled the three dressed up sports coupes, called the 86 Le Mans Heritage, on June 8, or the eighth day of the year’s sixth month: 8-6. The puns are heavy on these three special edition GT86 models.
Chief Engineer of the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ Says No Turbo for You - Not in this Generation, Buddy
It’s been over five years since the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ hit the market, and if you’re still hoping to see turbocharged versions of each sports car anytime soon, you have a better chance of seeing Ferrari build a four-cylinder hatchback. It’s not happening. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever — at least not in this generation, anyway.
Video of the Day: Somebody Crammed a BMW M5 5.0-liter V-10 into a Toyota 86
The Toyota GT86 is not the most powerful sports car on the market. Some will even say that its lack of top-flight performance car power is its biggest drawback. As disappointing as that is, the 86 does have a few things going for it, including its ability to be easily customized. Over the years, we’ve seen tuners of all shapes and sizes work on the Toyota sports to varying degrees of success. Now, we turn our attention to Australian tuner Zoom Garage and how it was able to turn the 86 into a Time Attack conqueror with the help of an old BMW engine.
This tuning job isn’t your typical cut-and-paste cosmetic work. In giving the 86 the chops to be competitive in a Time Attack race setting, Zoom didn’t just slap on a turbocharger on the 86’s four-cylinder engine or drop an LS crate engine. It had to get creative in giving it enough power to compete in Sydney’s World Time Attack Challenge. So it turned its attention to BMW’s 5.0-liter S85 V-10 engine, the same mill that’s found in older models of the BMW M5 and M6.
Once the work of putting the S85 engine into the Toyota 86 started, Zoom faced a few challenges, including the task of trying to find the right balance in weight that wouldn’t compromise the 86’s performance abilities. The tuning shop went to work on modifying the engine, which included installing a lightweight air intake to save weight and customizing the transmission tunnel to make the engine fit into the engine bay. When everything was done, the tuner managed to cut about 25 kilos off of the engine’s weight, ensuring that it weighed just 10 kilos heavier than the 86’s original flat-four engine. Added upgrades to the fuel pump and injector, modifications with a dry sump setup, and the addition of fuel cell at the back ensured that the car achieved a 52/48 weight ratio. The result yielded positive results for Zoom Racing in more ways than one. All you need to do is watch the video and listen to the engine’s wailing noise. You don’t get that kind rip roar on the 86’s stock four-cylinder engine.
Hagerty Has These 2017-2018MY Cars On Track To Be Future Collectibles
2017 has been quite the year for the automotive industry. We’ve seen hypercars make their debuts. We’ve seen incredible advancements and electrification and autonomous driving technology. Heck, we’ve even seen deceased brands come back to life - shout out to TVR! - with a vengeance. One of the best parts of all these releases is that at some point, some of them will inevitably skip the depreciation curve and become collectible cars. The trick is figuring out which ones will be able to navigate down that road, and if you’re trying to do that, there’s no better source of authority in matters pertaining to the collector car market than Hagerty.
It’s safe to say that when the insurance company talks, all of our ears perk up. If it says that one of today’s models is on the inside track to be a future classic, there’s a good chance that it could turn into one. Ok, so enough small talk. Hagerty’s has already released its picks of 2017-2018 models that are trending on the right path. It’s not a guarantee that these cars will earn collectible status in the future, but having Hagerty’s stamp of approval goes a long way in shaping the opinions of car collectors all over the world.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
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Halloween Special – “Costumed” Cars
I don’t think I’m alone in recognizing Halloween as one of the best holidays ever. In addition to pumpkin carving and excessive amounts of candy consumption, it’s an excuse to dress up in costume, giving us one day out of the year to become whoever (or whatever) we want. Of course, sometimes, this charade continues regardless of what the calendar says, even in the automotive world. Indeed, there are many cars out there right now masquerading as something other than what they really are. For whatever reason, these cars are draped in a costume that hides what they truly are underneath.
Carmakers do this for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, it’s because two car companies collaborate on a project and create something together. Sometimes, one car company adopts the bones of another brand’s car and slaps on new badges. Whatever the case, we’ve assembled here a list of dressed-up cars to keep you from getting tricked, no matter how sweet the treat might be. Read on to learn more, and don’t hesitate to provide your own examples of “Costumed” cars in the comments!
And oh yeah –
Happy Halloween!
Continue reading to learn more about a few “Costumed” Cars.
Bargain Buys: Performance Cars That You Can Score For Less Than $50,000
Times like this, picking a sports car can get a little tricky, especially when money is no object. The range of options cuts across different segments and if you really want to make an impression, the cost of getting one could run up in the seven figures. But for those who don’t have the proverbial “unli-funds” at their disposal, buying a sports car becomes a little bit more difficult. For one, a large number of options are pulled off of the table because of their costs. Then there’s the prospect of availability.
But there is some good news. Just because money’s tight, doesn’t mean that the market becomes slim pickings. Far from it actually. Just lower those expectations, and you might find themselves having more than enough options to consider. And, since we’re in the business of helping others out, we’ve put up a list of some sweet performance rides that buyers can score for less than $50,000. I’m purposefully leaving out performance hatchbacks out of this list because they’re an entirely different category of their own. So we’re going with coupes and sedans, some of which can go as cheap as $20,000 while others can max out at or near the $50,000. The point is that they’re affordable and can put buyers one step closer to finally scoring that long-awaited performance car purchase.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
2017 Toyota GR HV Sports Concept
Toyota is the largest automaker in the world, even outpacing Volkswagen this year with over 7 million units sold across a plethora of markets. But, despite the huge volume of automobiles Toyota pumps out annually, picking a true-blue sports car from its lineup is a little limited. Very limited, actually, with just a single performance model on offer in the form of the Toyota GT86. Don’t get us wrong – we’re big fans of the little two-door coupe, and we’re quite happy that it exists. That said, we think Toyota has the means to offer us at least a few more options, don’t you? Now, it looks like we might get just that, as Toyota appears to be gearing up for the release of the next-generation Supra. While details on that are rooted in rumor, Toyota could be offering a glimpse at things to come with this new concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. Dubbed the GR HV Sports Concept, it’s a compact two-door with eccentric styling, a hybrid powertrain, and an odd H-pattern automatic gearbox.
Intrigued? So are we. Toyota frames it as “a new way to enjoy cars by integrating the thrill of a sports car with the environmental friendliness of an eco-car.” We see it as a chance for Toyota to instill the brand with a little more adrenaline. Read on for the details.
Continue reading to learn more about the Toyota GR HV Sports Concept.
Jennings Motor Group Renders 10 Everyday Family Cars As Supercars
From wide body kits to free flowing exhaust kits, carbon fiber interior vinyl wraps to oversized rear wings, there’s no shortage of aftermarket options when it comes to making the family errand-runner as close as possible to looking like a full-fledged supercar. But what if we could snap our fingers and turn that commonplace commuter into a seven-figure eater of worlds capable of hanging with the best from Ferrari, Porsche, and Koenigsegg? That’s exactly what Jennings Motor Group did with these 10 everyday family cars, now rendered to supercar stardom.
Included in the list are favorites from the likes of Mini, Renault, Fiat, Honda, Volkswagen, Toyota, Smart, Kia, Tesla, and Lada, each of which was blessed with the traditional supercar stance and more sharp ends than a needle factory. Some make a little more sense than the others, but regardless, we think the renderings look badass, and wouldn’t mind if the respective automakers took the hint that more supercars are indeed always welcome. Of course, we want to know – do these renderings for it for you as well? Which is your favorite? Let us know in the comments, but before you post, check out all 10 renderings after the jump.
Continue reading to learn more about 10 everyday family cars rendered as supercars.
The Toyota GT 86 Re-Establishes Its Claim As The King Of Endurance Drifting
The Toyota GT86 has had a very interesting life since it burst onto the scene in 2012. It’s captivated and frustrated people from all corners of the world, and to this day, it still finds a way to make headlines. In fact, the 86’s latest news-grabbing episode has all to do with the Guinness Book of World Records, specifically the car etching its name into rarefied air by setting a new record for the world’s longest drift, going a distance of 102.5 miles with its tail out and eclipsing the previous record of 89 miles.
South African journalist Jesse Adams takes the distinction of piloting the 86 in the record slide, upending German racer Harald Müller’s record-setting attempt in 2014, which he set while drifting… a Toyota GT86. So basically, the GT86 beat the GT86 for the record, an achievement not lost on anyone who swears by the coupe’s ability to kick its rear out for extended periods of time. The record has yet to be verified by representatives from the Guinness world records, but all signs point to it getting the nod since the model that was used was largely stock in configuration except for the larger fuel tank that was put in place in the spare-tire well. So once more, all hail the Toyota GT86 as the kind of endurance drifting. I’d say it’s a title that the car isn’t too keen on giving up anytime soon.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
Petrolicious Takes A Look At One Man’s Passion For The Toyota 86, Both New And Old: Video
Some cars are just so incredibly good, they manage to transcend time itself. The Toyota AE86 is one such car. Made in the ‘80s using tin cans and old plastic bottles, the AE86 sought driving nirvana via an age-old formula – engine up front, power in the back, and very little weight in between. The recipe worked wonders, giving birth to one of the most iconic enthusiasts’ cars to ever hail from the Land of the Rising Sun. And that’s saying quite a lot. It was so good, in fact, Toyota decided to give it an encore several decades later. Southern California resident Ron Ng owns an example of both the new and old 86, and Petrolicious decided to highlight them both in this eight-and-a-half-minute video.
If you wanna be specific about it, Ng owns a 2017 Toyota 86 and a 1986 Toyota Corolla GTS. Both are finished in a classic white and black two-tone panda paint scheme, offer cog swaps through a three-pedal manual transmission, and equip high-revving four-cylinder engines under the hood.
But the similarities don’t end there. “Driving the new Toyota 86, it definitely has the characteristics of driving the older Corolla,” Ng says. And just like the old Corolla, the new 86 isn’t about burnouts and quarter-mile times. “It’s a momentum car. You always have to push it. You’ve gotta learn your brakes points properly to keep your RPMs up,” he explains, later adding, “The new 86 is a tool that teaches you how to achieve a high driving IQ.”
Which would you rather have? Let us know in the comments. And don’t forget to check out our review of the new 86 here.
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Top Gear Is Finally Getting A Proper Reasonably-Priced Car
It seems that the BBC is serious about wiping the slate clean with Top Gear, isn’t it? It feels that way after last year’s tumultuous season, and now, a new report indicates that even the car used in the “Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car” segment will also be new to the show. Yep, say goodbye to that ill-fated Mini rallycross car used in last year’s segment.
For the 24th season of the motoring show, British tabloid The Sun is reporting that the show will revert to the reasonably-priced car segment, doing away with the rally format that was reportedly the brainchild of departed host Chris Evans. Just as important, the segment will also have a new reasonably-priced car in the form of the Toyota GT86.
To be fair, Evans’ “Star in a Rallycross Car” segment had its share of laughs, but it steered so far from the spirit of the original segment that it felt a little too gimmicky, a word that could also be used to describe the whole Evans era of the show, short-lived as it was.
So now, we have the Toyota GT86 that’s reportedly going to be the new reasonably-priced car that the show’s guests will take turns driving. It’s a good choice on paper and an even better one when you consider that its predecessors included the likes of the Kia Cee’d, Vauxhall Astra, and the immortal Suzuki Liana, which to this day is still being used when the guests are Formula One race car drivers.
The Toyota GT86 is clearly a better representation of Top Gear and it can also be described as a reasonably-priced car. Even better, upcoming guests will not only have the Stig as their instructor, but also Chris Harris, who himself is considered a pretty good driver, even by motor racing standards.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
A Toyota Exec Just Confirmed The Second-Generation 86
Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that the Toyota 86 sports car has been everything Toyota hoped it would be, warts and all. It’s never been the most appealing sports car of its market, but it did give the Japanese auto giant entry into a segment that it hasn’t been in since the last legs of the Toyota MR-2 back in 2007.
Good news then for fans of the 86 because Toyota has reportedly given the green light to develop the second-generation model of the sports car. Speaking with Autocar, Toyota’s European boss, Karl Schlicht, said that the second-guess 86 has been penciled in to arrive in 2019, slotting below the Supra successor that itself is on track to make its debut in 2018.
Details are still scarce on how Toyota wants to proceed with the development of the second-generation 86. At this point, it’s hard to expect anything in the way of details since the company is probably still in the process of hashing those out itself. Even Subaru’s involvement is still a mystery at this point and without a clear-cut response from either company, expect that to be one of the most talked-about facets of the second-generation 86, especially after the extent both companies co-developed the first-generation model, right do its styling and mechanical characteristics.
For his part, Schlict is hopeful that a partnership between the two Japanese brands continues, saying that there are “a lot of reasons to continue with Subaru.”
However the dominoes fall, it is reassuring to hear a Toyota higher-up vouch for plans to develop the second-generation 86. Now it’s all about waiting for more details and hoping that a lot of the real or perceived issues of the existing model will be addressed by the next-generation version.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
2017 Toyota 86 Solar Orange Limited
It seems like we’ve been down this road before, doesn’t it? A special edition Toyota 86 that’s exclusive to the Japanese market is nothing new and yet, as often as our friends in Japan get these limited edition 86s, we haven’t had as much luck in that regard. In any event, a new limited-run Toyota 86 is fresh from the oven over there in Japan, and it’s promising, among other things, improved braking, sharper handling, and a special edition paint color. It’s called the Toyota 86 Solar Orange Limited and yes, it’s not coming to the States.
The upgrades themselves didn’t turn the 86 Solar Orange Limited into a full-blown performance car, but in the technical sense, they helped create a better driving experience for those who are willing to spend the money for the car. In a lot of ways, it’s similar to past special edition 86s that have made their way into Japan, including the 86 Yellow Limited and the curiously designed 86 Style CB. The latter is arguably the most unique of the three examples, but the Solar Orange limited is different too in some respects. The Creamsicle paint finish, for example, is exclusive to this edition, as is Toyota’s new High Performance package, which adds a number of functionally useful components that help improve the 86’s overall driving and handling experience.
Toyota didn’t say how many examples of the 86 Solar Orange Limited it plans to build, opting only to say that pricing starts at 3,251,880 yen for the manual transmission model and 3,318,840 yen for the automatic transmission model. Based on current exchange rates, those prices convert to around $29,400 and $30,000, respectively. Interested customers have only between January 31 to March 10, 2017 to place their orders, after which Toyota will likely stop production to retain its overall exclusivity.
Continue after the jump to read more about the Toyota 86 Solar Orange Limited.
2017 Toyota Motorsport GT86 CS-Cup
The Toyota GT86 — also known as the 86 in North America and Asia — was launched in early 2012 as a two-door sports car of fairly compact dimensions. The result of a collaboration between Toyota and Subaru, the coupe was originally sold under three brands: the Toyota 86, Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S (the latter was discontinued in 2016). The sports car is available with just one engine, a 2.0-liter boxer provided by Subaru, the same company that manufactures the GT86 in Japan. Received with great enthusiasm and awarded with several titles in 2012, the GT86 was criticized in recent years for the lack of drivetrain upgrades and a turbocharged engine. Although Toyota gave the GT86 a mid-cycle facelift for 2017, the drivetrain carried over unchanged save for the additional five horsepower and five pound-feet of torque added by the revised manual transmission.
At the 2016 SEMA Show, Toyota finally unveiled a more powerful version of the GT86, dubbed CS-Cup, developed by its Motorsport division. However, the vehicle wasn’t designed as a road-going production model, but for a one-make racing series in Japan. What’s it doing at the SEMA Show, you ask? Well, the company said it "wanted to bring it here to inspire, innovate, and excite." Needless to say, the CS-Cup arrival on U.S. soil was pretty exciting, but it quickly became upsetting at the thought that Toyota still doesn’t want to give us a higher performance model.
We can still dream though...
Back to car in question, the CS-Cup is the third race-spec GT86 is a series of vehicles that came to life in 2012, when Toyota Motorsport launched the CS-V3 VLN. It was followed by the CS-R3 rally car in 2015, and now the CS-Cup. Let’s find out more about it in the review below.
Continue reading to learn more about the Toyota Motorsport GT86 CS-Cup.
2017 Toyota 86 – Driving Impression And Review
What’s it take to create a car for “enthusiasts?” What are the ingredients? Truth be told, there are plenty of four-wheeled recipes out there if you wanna stir up some excitement, but sometimes, what you really need is that classic combo of two doors, power in the rear, low weight, and faultless poise in the twisty bits. Considered traditional fare amongst those with a taste for gas-powered adrenaline, modern interpretations usually carry a price tag that’s out of reach for most. Not so with the 2017 86. Toyota frames it as an affordable sport compact coupe engineered for switchbacks rather than straightaways, taking aim at the kind of person who lives for canyon runs rather than stoplight drags. Tossable, controllable, and above all, fun – these are the things that make this kind of car go, and thankfully, Toyota hasn’t strayed from the original recipe.
I recently got a chance to drive the 2017 86 in its native environment – winding, deserted two-lanes stretching towards some far-flung mountaintop. But the question is this – will the new 86 satisfy, or leave a bitter taste in your mouth?
Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 Toyota 86.
2017 Toyota 86
With the exception of the soon-to-be-released, limited production, Scion tC Release Series 10.0, and one final display at the New York Auto Show, Scion is pretty much history. Even though the brand will be no more, some of its cars will live on. The most exciting of the bunch – the Scion FR-S – will now wear a Toyota badge. The name is also changing, moving away from FR-S. Rather. The car is going to live on as the Toyota 86, and we’ve just received the first official information and images of the new 86, along with confirmation that it will debut at the New York Auto Show along with the Toyota C-HR Concept.
Toyota Division Group Vice President, Bill Fay, said, “When we announced the transition of the Scion models to Toyota we hadn’t planned on changing the names of our cars, but by popular demand, for our sports car, we decided to adopt the global name of 86.” He continued, “Enthusiasts have a strong association with the front-engine, rear-drive heritage of the ‘hachi-roku’ and the dynamic performance it offers.”
So, will the 86 be all show and no go like the FR-S, or will Toyota step its game up and make the 86 the driver’s car it should be? Well, Toyota did mention some upgrades, but you’ll have to keep reading to find out more about that. The Toyota 86 will hit Dealership showrooms this fall, but before then – and before its debut in New York – let’s take a good look at the pre-release materials that Toyota sent our way.
Update 08/22/2016: Toyota has announced pricing for the 2017 Toyota 86. Check out the "Prices" section below for details.
Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 Toyota 86.
2016 Toyota GT 86 By Street FX
When Toyota released the GT 86 in 2012, there was one notable complaint about it. As awesome as it looked, its 200-horsepower four-cylinder engine didn’t leave a lot to the imagination. In other words, it felt underpowered and owners of the car had to go to the aftermarket route if they wanted to get more out of the 2.0-liter engine. Well, a lot of owners have done just that, including Australian tuner StreetFX, which cooked up a plan to replace the sports car’s stock four-cylinder engine with a 3.8-liter bi-turbo V-6 engine belonging to none other than the Nissan R35 GT-R,. The goal, according to StreetFX, was to make this GT 86 that it’s preparing for its owner Mark Trueno the first of its kind to have an output in excess of 1,000 horsepower.
Those numbers don’t lie; that’s really what Street FX is shooting for. It’s ambitious, but history has shown that ambition is nothing compared to a tuning firm that’s determined to see its work through. That’s what we get here as Street FX is turning no stone unturned in accomplishing its objective.
Like most project cars, the development of this GT 86 follows a long and complicated history. Even before the decision to switch the engines was made, StreetFX had already made modifications to the sports car’s four-cylinder engine, squeezing out 545 horsepower in the process. But as is the case with people who don’t settle, Trueno thought that he could get more out his already potent GT 86 by taking out its 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and replacing with the GT-R’s twin-turbo V-6 on top of all the modifications that came after that.
The car’s tuning is not done yet and I can imagine that there will be more upgrades in place before Street FX finally celebrates its completion. In the mean time, let it all sink in. A Toyota GT 86 that can produce more than 1,000 horsepower is delightfully absurd in every which way imaginable.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
2017 Toyota 86 TRD
Launched in 2012, the 86 is a sports car that resulted from a collaboration between Japanese manufacturers Toyota and Subaru. Launched alongside its identical siblings, the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S — the latter discontinued in 2016 — the 86 is sold globally with a Subaru-developed, 2.0-liter boxer engine and either a manual or automatic transmission. The coupe was updated for the 2017 model year, receiving revised exterior elements, various interior upgrades, chassis tweaks, and a mild power bump for models equipped with the manual gearbox.
Less than six months have passed since Toyota unleashed the upgraded 86, and the brand’s performance and motorsport division, Toyota Racing Development (TRD), has already launched its very own package for the coupe. Consisting mostly of a race-inspired body kit and a handful of chassis options, the new TRD upgrade is perfect for those looking to turn their 86s into a car more suitable toy for weekends at the race track.
Unfortunately, the package comes with two drawbacks. Those that were hoping for a more powerful engine will be disappointed, while those who are anxious to place an order need to know that the upgrade isn’t available outside Japan as of this writing. Toyota will most likely make it available in other markets as well, but until that happens, let’s have a closer look at what it brings to the table.
Continue reading to learn more about the Toyota 86 TRD.
Toyota Has BMW M And Mercedes AMG In Its Sights
Toyota has had a pretty wild and successful history and in 2013 the company fell just $20,000 shy of crossing the annual sales threshold of more than $10 million. The company is still doing well as of the time of this writing, but it did just recently absorb the Scion brand due to poor sales. Toyota has always been one of the go-to brands for economy cars like the Corolla and the Camry, so the Scion brand didn’t stand much of a chance, but what happened to the days when Toyota had a few exciting cars too? Well, those days might be coming back if Toyota’s lead engineer for the Toyota 86 – Tetsuya Tada – has anything to say about it.
In a recent interview with CarAdvice Tada admitted that he was on a mission to convince Toyota to create a performance division. I know you’re probably thinking “what about TRD?” right? Well TRD is so invested in trucks at the moment that Toyota needs something else. If you don’t believe me, just look at how little TRD did to the 2015 Toyota TRD Corolla, the 2015 Toyota TRD Camry, and the 2016 Toyota Yaris TRD Sportivo – all three were about as disappointing as finding out that your wife is cheating on you. The future may hold something better, though, as Tada wants to absorb Gazoo Racing just like BMW did with M Performance and Audi did with Quattro GmbH.
In the interview with CarAdvice, Tada said, “BMW has its M Division, Mercedes-Benz has Mercedes-AMG, Audi has Quattro GmbH, so they have a stance of a sports car, but Toyota hasn’t. So I would like to build that major sports car brand within Toyota, like BMW’s M. He continued, “BMW and M and Audi and Quattro GmbH used to be like the Toyota relationship with Gazoo—it wasn’t really one body, it was two separate things, but because of the time and the continuous effort, now they are together. So, I’m wishing that Toyota puts effort continuously, and then someday later, Toyota and Gazoo will be one body.”
How can you argue with logic like that? Toyota has become a dull company that provides your everyday family movers, but nothing exciting to brag about. Here’s to hoping that Tada gets his way sooner than later and Toyota either creates a new performance division or absorbs Gazoo.
Continue reading for the full story.
2016 Toyota 86 Shooting Brake Concept
Initially a custom-built luxury wagon altered for use by hunters and other sportsmen, the shooting brake concept gained more modern meaning in the late 1960s by bringing practicality and sportiness under the same roof. The two-door wagon took many forms and adopted many badges in the last four decades, but the body styles became less popular in the 21st century, with only a handful of models available in dealerships. Toyota has just unveiled its very own shooting brake, but unlike the Ferrari FF (recently renamed the GTC4Lusso), it’s not yet slated to become a production car.
It’s called the 86 Shooting Brake Concept and as the name suggests, it is based on the Toyota 86 sports car. Granted, the Ferrari FF comparison is a bit out of line given that the concept car is just a regular 86 under the skin, but this is definitely the most important update this car has received since its official introduction in 2012.
How did this happen, you ask?
Well, Toyota says that the company’s Australian design team created a 1/4-scale clay model of the shooting brake and showed it to Tetsuya Tada, the father of the 86, when he visited in 2014. Tada was so impressed that he commissioned his takumi craftsmen from Japan to build a full size vehicle based on the Australian design. The shooting brake is not only fully functional, but has already been put through the paces on Toyota’s test tracks.
"The nicely weighted and direct steering of the 86 ensures the car retains the involving drive experience of the coupe with a slightly more neutral feel in tight corners on a driver’s favorite road," Tada said.
"The silhouette is still sporty, taut and energetic, but it’s more practical as it allows the roof to be used to carry surfboards, bikes or storage pods for a weekend away while the larger opening of the new boot enables much easier loading," added Nicolas Hogios, Toyota Australia’s design chief.
The company says the shooting brake is only a study built to "gauge reaction" and that there are no plans for production. On the other hand, Tada noted that "we never say never and I would love this concept to become a production reality." At least there is some hope that the shooting brake will make it into showrooms sometime in the future...
Continue reading to learn more about the Toyota 86 Shooting Brake Concept.
It’s been nearly two years since Toyota unveiled the GRMN 86 Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, and a production version is finally being offered for public consumption. Unfortunately, it won’t be sold outside of Japan, which means the U.S. won’t get a similar version with a Scion badge.
I say "unfortunately" because the 86 GRMN could easily become the Scion FR-S we’ve always wanted. One that’s lighter and more powerful than the standard version.
Built by Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s Japanese racing division, this special-edition coupe takes it moniker from Gazoo Racing Masters of Nurburgring. In short, this 86 was developed with racing in mind and then honed on Germany’s iconic race track. Like the concept car, the production model is significantly lighter than the standard version, while its engine received a noteworthy output increase to go with the lowered curb weight. Additionally, the body features a number of aero upgrades that make it more menacing to look at, quicker, and more nimble than any other factory-built, road-legal 86/FR-S to date.
What makes it special besides the 100-unit limited production run, the Japan-only availability, and its JPY6.48 million (about $54,000) sticker? Keep reading to find out.
Continue reading to learn more about the Toyota 86 GRMN.
With a revised version of the Toyota GT 86 underway, the Japanese coupe might finally get the more powerful drivetrain enthusiasts have been clamoring about since its launch in 2012. Meanwhile, Toyota is trying to keep customers happy with all sorts of special-edition models. Following the introduction of the Scion FR-S Release Series 2.0 at the 2015 SEMA Show, Toyota has crafted yet another limited-edition coupe. This time around, it’s being offered in Australia and goes by the name GT 86 Blackline.
Based on the range-topping 86 GTS, the Blackline package adds a subtle body kit, a new paint scheme, new wheels, and a sportier interior, most of which is sourced from TRD — Toyota’s motorsport division.
Limited to only 450 units, offered with both manual and automatic transmissions, the GT 86 Blackline marks the start of a six-month countdown to the first round of the Toyota 86 Racing Series. For the uninitiated, it’s a one-make racing series that’s set to commence in Australia in May 2016. The new series, which was created for pro-am drivers, will run as a support category to the highly popular V8 Supercars Championship.
Each entrant will drive a production-based T86RS model, with details about the car to be released soon. In the meantime, let’s have a closer look at the GT 86 Blackline limited-edition below.
Continue reading to learn more about the Toyota GT 86 Blackline.
It’s been nearly four years since it launched the 2013 Toyota GT 86, and Toyota has been receiving a lot of heat for the lack of updates for the rear-wheel-drive sports car. This will change in 2016, as the Japanese are finally working on a facelift for the GT 86. That’s the word from our trusty paparazzi, who spotted a camouflaged model on the road.
The prototype surfaced while most of our attention was directed toward the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, a venue packed with loads of awesome new cars and concepts, but our carparazzi also kept an eye out for any new mule that might come out to play. Turns out they were right to do so, as this GT 86 prototype has quite a few new features hidden underneath its swirly camouflage.
The GT 86 is finally getting its long-awaited upgrade, which will also find its way to the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S, and although the facelifted model won’t break cover in 2016, these spy shots provides us with a few hints as to what to expect from the two-door coupe. Check out my speculative review below for more details.
Continue reading to learn more about the facelift Toyota GT 86.
The philosophies behind the Scion FR-S/Toyota 86 and the Mazda Miata/MX-5 are clearly very different. But since the two cars are both Japanese, both some sort of sport model and have fairly similar price tags, there’s a very good chance that if you’re looking at buying one, you’ve probably at least considered the other. That’s why Evo decided to do a comparison video of the two. Filmed entirely on the track, the video has essentially nothing at all to say about the cars that isn’t about how they drive, so if you want to know about interiors, cargo space or cup holders, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
The track does make a lot of sense for these cars though. They’re bought by people for whom tenths of a second are very important and who, if they’re going to use it as a daily driver, have already accepted that there will be some serious limitations involved. The review won’t really tell you which one would be better to buy, but with both of these being such good cars, it really shouldn’t endeavor to tell you which one to buy. The reviewer has more fun in the Toyota, but that doesn’t mean you will.
Felix Baumgartner became a household name when he bailed out of a perfectly good, balloon-borne craft and parachuted back to earth from 24 miles up. While that certainly took nerve, his latest stunt shows his prowess with the Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Bo-105 helicopter, and I gotta say, the man has mad skills. Felix chose Polish racer Jakub Przygoński for his drifting skills in a slightly modified Toyota GT 86 to serve as his “worthy opponent” in this little skills battle. All Felix has to do is keep up with a 1,000-horsepower race car – sounds simple, right?
The event, simply called “Red Bull Heli Drifting,” took place at the Debrzno Airfield, where the athletes and film crews would have plenty of room to work. (Face it, nobody wants to be too close if the heli and the car get tangled up.)
The resulting video footage will have you on the edge of your seat, and even non-pilots can appreciate the skill displayed by both men. My wife and fellow writer, Allyn Hinton, took one look at the stillshots and said “I’m glad I’m not his mother/wife/girlfriend!” Little does she know that I would do this in a heartbeat if I were even half as good as Felix.
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Mention the Toyota GT 86/Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ to anyone who knows, and you’ll likely elicit two responses. The first is that the car has fantastic handling. The second is that it feels down on power. At this point, that second attribute is almost a joke, with enthusiasts the world over pleading for a factory variant with more straight-line speed to complement the superb chassis tuning. Well, if the latest rumors are to be believed, Toyota will provide exactly that, as the next generation looks like it may get not just a turbo, but a Formula 1-inspired kinetic energy recovery system as well.
Citing unidentified Japanese insiders, the Aussie publication Motoring is reporting that the next-gen GT 86 will come with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder similar to Mazda’s Skyactiv powerplant, with output up to 188 horsepower. KERS will be thrown in to boost performance and fuel economy.
I know what you’re thinking: “Um, that’s less than the 200 horsepower on the current generation, idiot.”
While that may be true, you gotta remember that the next-gen 86 will be based on the ultra-lightweight 2016 Mazda MX-5 platform. The current-gen 2013 Toyota GT 86 weighs upwards of 2,800 pounds, while the new Miata weighs just 2,300 pounds. The Mazda also has only 155 horsepower, yet hits 60 mph several tenths faster than the current-gen Toyota, and you don’t hear too many folks complaining about that, do you? Throw in a dose of KERS, and it looks like your prayers have been answered. Maybe.
If all goes according to plan, the new car should have the same legendary cornering agility as Mazda’s iconic roadster, paired with a heady new engine package and the same low MSRP as the first generation.
A concept for the next-gen GT 86 is expected to break cover sometime in 2017. Production models will follow, slated for showrooms in 2020 for about 2.5 million yen ($20,178 at current exchange rates, 7/15).
Continue reading for the full story.
Toyota is offering another limited edition of its Hachi Roku successor, the GT 86, and it comes in three forms that progressively add tweaks to the car’s interior upholstery, exterior styling, and handling performance. It’s called the Yellow Limited, and it’s only available to Japanese customers.
The three iterations include the base Yellow Limited, which comes with new details on the inside and outside, the Yellow Limited aero package, which throws on a wing big enough to need navigation lights, and the Yellow Limited aero package FT, which adds new components to the suspension.
Toyota says the special edition was created to “highlight the sporty feeling” of the GT 86 (aka, Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ here in the states), and on paper, I’d say highlight is an understatement. This thing is practically dipped in neon, depending on the desired specification.
But does it work? Is it worth extra outlay? Or is it just another limited run without any real substance?
Continue reading to learn more about the Toyota 86 Yellow Limited.
To help celebrate five decades of race and rally cars, Toyota has recreated a handful of old-school liveries and classic styling cues in a series of six one-off GT86 coupes.
The fleet of RWD sports cars will make their debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, an annual event held on the grounds of Goodwood House in West Sussex, England. There, they will participate in the festival’s Moving Motor Show on June 25th, where visitors will have the chance to drive each on a prescribed route around the Goodwood Estate, including the renowned 1.16-mile hill climb course. The GT-86s will most likely be in high demand, so get there early if you want a decent shot at the driver’s seat. Of course, if you miss the Toyotas, don’t fret – it’s expected that models from Ferrari, Porsche, and Aston Martin will also be made available.
Afterward, the Toyotas will move to the Goodwood racing circuit where they will be put on static display in support of the popular Drift Experience. Launched in 2013, this low-grip driver’s education program utilizes the GT86’s universally acclaimed handling prowess to teach the basics of at-limit driving.
Each of the GT-86 one-offs was giving the custom vinyl treatment courtesy of Motor Mode, a UK-based specialist in automotive wraps and decals. They faithfully reproduced the original liveries to match the lines and proportions of the more modern coupe. To complete the look, ride height was dropped by 40 mm (1.57 inches) using lowering springs. This appropriately brought the arches down to fit snugly against new wheels from Rota, which provided just the right set of retro-looking rollers to complement the new vinyl, individualized for each car. Finally, a new stainless steel exhaust from Milltek Sport adds the correct kind of aural presence, not to mention a healthy dose of power as verified by the trusty ole’ butt-dyno.
Continue reading for the full story.
Toyota is currently considering a new compact sports car that could slot below the Toyota GT86 and Scion FR-S twins. Internally designated 69DZ, the proposed new car would have rear-wheel drive and be powered by a 1.5-liter engine producing around 130 horsepower. While it won’t be winning many drag races, a curb weight below 2,200 pounds should keep things lively. Starting cost could be as low as $17,000, about seven grand cheaper than the GT86.
"Designers have a final prototype that could very well go into production as is," a source within Toyota told Motoring, suggesting the program is already pretty far along. The source went on to explain that both the tiny Toyota Sports 800 from 1965 and the limited-run, Japan-only GT86 Style Cb inspired the new car’s styling. “That’s why you will see roundish headlights and a large, signature grille on the new coupe," said Motoring’s source. "The finished product looks like a brother to the Cb.”
Unlike the GT86, the 69DZ will have an inline-four under the hood instead of a horizontally opposed boxer-four. The taller engine requires what is described as an accommodating “lump” in the hood, but the overall shape is said to be very sleek and incorporates flared wheel arches. Inside, is a 2+2 cabin, but the rear seats will likely be even more useless than the ones in the GT86. Transmission options will include a six-speed manual and six-speed auto.
Interestingly, Toyota has reportedly tapped four-time World Rally Champion Tommi Mäkinen to sign off on the coupe’s handling. Despite driving for both Subaru and Mitsubishi during his career, Mäkinen has been lending a hand at Toyota’s Gazoo racing division.
Continue reading for the full story.
The GT86, along with its two brothers, the BRZ and FR-S, hit the production line in 2012 as a joint venture between two of Japan’s best automakers: Toyota and Subaru. Since their debuts there have been cries and screams for a convertible or turbocharged model, but Subaru holds the cards on the production side of this partnership, and it’s reluctant to change anything. However, Toyota does have some freedom with the GT86, and it used that to create a special model dubbed the Style Cb based on the existing sports car.
This special-edition GT86 appears to be a Japan-only model, so don’t get your hopes up of seeing a Scion FR-S-based Cb any time soon. Look for this new model to debut in Japan in April 2015.
Does the Cb have what it takes to fill the void left by the lack of a turbo or convertible version of the GT86?
Click past the jump to read my full review to find out.
Sympathy is not a common trait among racing drivers, no matter the category. Watch a GT race and you’re sure to witness plenty of fender rubbing as those behind the wheel attempt to edge out rivals. Rally pilots will literally roll a car into the undergrowth, get out, tip the thing so the rubber is facing down, and continue on their way.
And as this video clearly demonstrates, drifters are no better. Never mind the twisted suspension or dented bodywork wrought by a crash. Even when a drifter gets it right, it’s not necessarily good news for the machine in question — particularly the engine.
That’s because drifters are usually far too concerned with maintaining a slide to bother with things like bent valves, spun bearings, and shattered pistons. There’s steering angle, weight transfer, and momentum flowing through their brains, not the wrench time required to fix all the nasty results of a pinned right foot.
Thankfully, there are some engines out there that revel in the abuse. One such masochistic powerplant is the Toyota 2JZ, most commonly known as the motive force lurking under the hood of the fourth generation Supra. This overbuilt, 3.0-liter inline-six boasts a reputation for being absolutely bulletproof. Some even claim it’s capable of producing 1,000 horsepower on a stock bottom end.
Hit play to witness evidence of its sturdiness, not to mention a thrilling first-person perspective of a prolonged skid up a Norwegian mountain pass.
Click past the jump to read about the Toyota GT 86.
Although it has yet to introduce a much-needed engine upgrade for the GT 86, you have to give Toyota some credit for rolling out new models and trim levels, and even a rally car for the 2015 model year. The most enticing iteration so far seems to be the 14R60, a lighter and aerodynamically enhanced version of the GT 86, but Toyota is also interested in expanding the coupe’s popularity by adding more affordable models to the lineup. As a result, the GT 86 Primo was created; a more accessible sports car that will sit at the bottom of the range. That’s good news for sports car enthusiasts all over the world, but somewhat of a letdown for anyone not living in the United Kingdom.
You guessed it, the GT 86 Primo is exclusive to the British market and there’s no word on whether or not the Scion FR-S will get a similar version in the United States anytime soon. Keep your fingers crossed for that to happen sooner than later and read on to find out more about the new base model of the GT 86 lineup.
Click past the jump to read more about the Toyota GT 86 Primo.
The Toyota GT 86 will get a second-generation version. Quite frankly, I don’t know if that’s good news or bad news because the current-generation model hasn’t progressed the way we’d hoped. Maybe that’s a contrarian opinion, but I just thought Toyota had more planned for the GT 86 than what it’s done since the car came out. Whatever the case may be, Toyota of Europe executive vice president Karl Schlicht told Motoring Australia that the GT 86 will live to see a second generation model, even though he cautioned that the sports coupe still needed to go through a normal life cycle.
According to Schlicht, the Japanese automaker wants to keep some fun cars in its lineup and not make the same mistake it once did when it discontinued the Celica in 2006, leaving a gaping hole in the entry-level sports car segment. Right now, the GT 86 occupies that slot and will soon sit below the returning Supra.
Schlicht didn’t elaborate on details regarding the second-generation GT 86, specifically how this disclosure would affect its relationship with the Subaru BRZ. Remember, Fuji Heavy Industries president Yasuyuki Yoshinaga said in July 2014 that the BRZ would also get a second-generation run.
Past reports have also linked the next GT 86 to the Toyota-BMW collaboration that’s currently working on the Toyota Supra. Obviously, there are still a lot of unanswered questions regarding the status of the GT 86 and, by extension, the BRZ.
What we do know is that a high-ranking Toyota executive has said that the GT 86 will live to see a second generation; at this point, we’ll take that news and hang on to it tightly.
Click past the jump to read more about the Toyota GT 86.