Car Reviews > Toyota > GT > Toyota GT 86 Car Review
Prices: £28,000 (estimated)
Engine: 2.0-litre flat 4-cylinder engine
Power/torque: 197 bhp/ 205 Nm 0-60 mph: 7.0 seconds
Top Speed: 143 miles per hour (estimated)
Economy: 40 miles per gallon (estimated)
Emissions: 160g per kilometre (estimated)
Equipment: Climate control, alloy wheels, sports seats and steering wheels, electric windows
On Sale: Summer 2012
The new Toyota GT 86 is a rear-wheel drive lightweight coupe capable of a bhp rating of as much as 197.
The brand new Toyota GT 86 has arrived! First unveiled two years ago at the 2009 Toyota Motor Show, the rear-wheel drive coupe has undergone tweaks and further development ever since and now it is finally here. The question is, of course, whether it can succeed in bringing a bit of excitement back to the Toyota brand and provide the firm with cut-price Porsche Cayman competitor.
Not many vehicles get to have such lavish unveilings. Then again, few are worth such a level of exaltation. The good news, however, is that the Toyota GT 86 definitely ranks as one of the ones that is. At Fuji Speedway and in front of around 60,000 screaming fans, Akio Toyoda, the chief executive officer of Toyota, drove the stylish new GT 86 along the straightaway, passed by around 12 high profile Lexus and Toyota racecars which were parked on the grid, and pulled up in front of a global media pack. He did this in order to announce the new model and declare that the Toyota GT 86 is not only his baby, but also the vehicle that car lovers have been waiting for.
The new coupe was created via a very intriguing joint development project between Subaru and Toyota, with a design that takes its inspiration from the Toyota 2000GT from the 1960s and, latterly, the early 1980s rear-wheel drive drifting sensation known as the Corolla Levin AE86.
The product planning and exterior styling of the GT 86 was handled by Toyota, with the great majority of the parts which make the vehicle so much fun to drive, including the brakes, chassis, engine, suspension and transmission, being supplied by Subaru. Subaru’s revamped 2.0-litre boxer engine has also been made cleaner and more fuel-efficient thanks to Toyota’s D4-S direct injection technology. The GT 86 generates a bhp rating of 197 at 7000 revs per minute and a torque level of 205 Nm at 6000 revs per minute, meaning that the car has around an extra 30 bhp than its primary Japanese rival, the Mazda MX-5.
The secret to the driver’s thrills in this new Toyota lie with the rear-wheel drive boxer engine layout, a world first, which has a choice of either 6-speed manual gearboxes that comes with steering wheel paddles or a Subaru Impreza-inspired 6-speed manual.
On the downside, while the GT 86 is billed as being a two plus two, anyone over 170 centimetres tall need not expect to be able to get in the back seat. The driver’s seat, on the other hand, will easily handle anyone up to and over 190 centimetres tall without an issue. The front seats are comfortable, supportive, with perfectly set pedal positions, and good all round visibility.
The strong Subaru flavour burbles its way through the cabin courtesy of the naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine, which delivers plenty of torque from the bottom to mid-range, though it could use more punch at the top end. The ride is firm but not harsh, with minimal body roll and sharp and precise turn-in.
This is a great driver’s vehicle that looks the part and will not break the bank.
by Autoweb
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