Toyota GR86

FIRSTDRIVE It’s no wonder that cracking Toyota sports car sold out in the UK in just 90 minutes

Alex Ingram

Alex _ Ingram@autovia.co.uk @AxleIngram

WE weren’t surprised when Toyota announced that the new GR86 had sold out in Britain in 90 minutes. A fresh, rearwheel-drive sports car, from the same Gazoo Racing division that gave us the firespitting GR Yaris hot hatch? Count us in. And just like the GR Yaris, the GR86 has nailed its first impressions on UK tarmac.

The GR86 takes the GT86 as a starting point, and then subjects it to a very extensive technical overhaul. Toyota has targeted keeping the GR86’s kerbweight roughly the same as its predecessor’s, along with a lower centre of gravity, better aerodynamic efficiency and extra power.

The list of changes, big and small, is far too lengthy to list in its entirety. As well as the chassis tweaks it gets a lighter silencer, seats and rear prop shafts, along with an aluminium roof, bonnet and front wings –all of which contribute to lowering the centre of mass by 1.6mm and shifting the weight balance 0.05 per cent backwards (now 53:47 front to rear). That bonnet is stiffer, and improvements to cross-member fastenings and internal chassis structures boost rigidity by 50 per cent over the GT86.

Drive is sent to the rear wheels through a Torsen limited-slip rear differential, and a quicker-shifting, smoother six-speed manual gearbox. The flat-four engine has been bored out, increasing the capacity from 2.0 litres to 2.4. New intake and exhaust systems work with the larger capacity, while the bigger intake valves are hollow for lightness. Along with thinner cylinder liners and resin rocker covers, it all means that the engine isn’t just lighter than before, but also more responsive and potent. Power now stands at 231bhp, while torque is up 45Nm to 250Nm.

In the age of 300bhp-plus hot hatches, those numbers might seem a little bit ordinary. But this is a car which absolutely shows that numbers and stats are pretty much irrelevant to the driving experience. That engine has a fairly modest 1,276kg to shift around, and as a result it always feels keen. Accelerate hard, and you’ll discover that it’s willing to be thrashed.

You’re egged-on to make the most of the 7,500rpm available to you by a little bit of sound augmentation through the speakers, but it certainly feels exciting. The six-speed manual gearbox is sweet, and the engine so responsive that heel-and-toe downshifts only require a gentle blip of the throttle.

But it’s the chassis that undoubtedly plays the starring role here. The direction changes seem instantaneous, the body control is fabulous, and the steering system is so pure and precise, delivering great detail as the tyres load up through the corners. The balance is wonderful, too; you can adjust it mid-corner on the brakes or the throttle to pick your chosen line.

All of those chassis modifications in the new GR86 have absolutely refined the previous GT86 formula, but one of the

“It shows that numbers and stats are pretty much irrelevant to the driving experience”