COVER Toyota GR86

New coupé is an evolution of GT86 featuring a bigger engine

Running costs

32.1mpg (official) £86 fill-up

iving fun

Matt Robinson

Matt _ robinson@autovia.co.uk @matt _ 201

IT has a new face and name, but in many ways the Toyota GR86 is a known quantity. The bodyshell is largely carried over from the outgoing GT86, albeit with some modifications, and the basic suspension set-up is much the same, too. It’s also still arguably more a Subaru than a Toyota, since it shares most of its parts with the BRZ; once again it uses a Subaru flat-four engine, and is built in a Subaru-owned factory.

Such is the way with making a sports car now; given the low production volumes involved, you can’t hurl too much money at developing these vehicles. But in all the ways that matter for a sports car, the GR86 has been improved – most notably under the bonnet.

This new car sticks with a naturally aspirated engine, but it’s a larger one than in the car it replaces. Displacement is now up to 2.4 litres from 2.0, providing a useful uplift in power to give 231bhp. There’s 250Nm of torque, 45Nm more than before, but what’s arguably more important is where it arrives –from 3,700rpm, instead of 6,600 in the GT86. There is still a torque dip, but it’s much shallower.

The body has been comprehensively stiffened, with additional structural bonding and more widespread use of high-tensile steel. The suspension components have been thoroughly upgraded, too, with the intention of compensating for the increase in power without taking things in too much of a hardcore direction.

The centre of gravity is now 10mm lower, and the body’s torsional rigidity is up by 50 per cent. Famously, the GT86

Essentials

Toyota GR86

Price: £29,995

Engine: 2.4-litre flat-four petrol Power/torque: 231bhp/250Nm Transmission: Six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive 0-62mph: 6.3 seconds

Top speed: 140mph

Economy: 32.1mpg CO2: 200g/km

ONSALE Sold out

was offered on the same Michelin Primacy tyres found on the Toyota Prius, something that continues on cars sold in markets using the base-spec 17-inch wheels. In the UK, you can only get 18-inch alloys shod with grippier Pilot Sport 4 rubber.

A starting price of £29,995 is cheaper than many hot hatches, and has proved all too tempting for UK buyers; the entire British allocation of cars sold in 90 minutes. The GR86 is only going to be on sale for two years due to incoming EU regs that will impact NCAP crash testing, so if you want one, you’ll need to sign up to a waiting list and cross your fingers for cancellations, or hold out for used examples to arrive on the market.

From behind the wheel, the GR86 feels familiar, and while it’s still not the plushest sports car, Toyota’s mild cabin alterations go a long way to adding a premium touch. The infotainment is probably the weakest point of the car – it has the feeling of an aftermarket system, and the sat-nav in our car crashed a couple of times

INTERIOR Driver-focused interior is snug and boasts a 2+2 seating layout, so GR86 is surprisingly practical. Boot capacity stands at 226 litres, while infotainment system has been updated with more functionality