We’ve known for a little while that Toyota had a GR86 in the works but it’s officially a thing now and the Japanese brand have revealed some exciting news about the car! Jointly developed by Toyota and Subaru who decided to join forces in September 2019 for the greater good of car manufacturing.
While one of the companies’ shared goals is to improve EV technology, they also have a strong focus on keeping the joy of sportscar ownership alive. Once again, the GR86 and Subaru BRZ will share a platform but Toyota assures us that the two cars are very different and there’s almost a friendly rivalry going on between the two.
Toyota wanted the GR86 to reflect the outstanding driving dynamics that the Gazoo Racing department have become famous for recently. And to make the launch even more special, the two cars will be tested at the ‘Fuji 86 Style’ event at Fuji Speedway. The event will be streamed on Toyota Gazoo Racing’s YouTube channel.
Save the date, it’s the 21st of November!
The new GR86 and BRZ will begin to arrive in Japanese showrooms later on this year but nothing has been confirmed yet for our part of the world. Prices start from 2.8m Yen (NZD $34,000) and go all the way up to 3.5m Yen (NZD $43,000).
The exterior design gives away the front engine-rear wheel drive combination that hides underneath with a long bonnet and a shorter rear. The wheel arches have been flared to give it some proper road presence and emphasize its low center of gravity. Lastly, the front has been transformed with the inclusion of a GR-Matrix grille and the 86 logo itself has undergone an update.
On the inside, the infotainment can be hidden away to aid the driver’s focus. A feature that I am a big fan of! The design of the instrument cluster is a proper nerd fest as it takes inspiration from the Boxer engine’s layout. The central rev counter is flanked by various other meters on either side that move in a way to mimic the horizontally opposed piston movement of a Boxer engine. Seriously cool stuff here!
Speaking of the Boxer engine, it has now been upgraded to a 2.4 litre displacement. Despite that, the engine is both lighter and lower, marking an improvement to the car’s centre of gravity.
Sprinting from 0-100 takes place in 6.3 seconds, more than a second quicker than the outgoing model. A new twin injector system improves the responsiveness, emissions and overtaking ability of the GR86. The driver now sits slap bang in the middle of the car providing better balance as well!
Gazoo Racing’s influence is obvious in the aerodynamics of the car but if you still think the styling is a bit reserved then there are several GR options to suit. Aggressive bumpers, side skirts and quad exhausts are all available!
