So, what do the happy depositaries have in store? Essentially an evolution of the charming but rough GT86, which was introduced in 2012 and captivated anyone who drove one in anger (especially in the wet) but never made the numbers for Toyota. Only 7,500 have been sold here in nine years, and while it’s unlikely the car was loss-making, there’s no doubt that it made little profit. Much more valuable was what he did for Toyota’s perception both internally and in the eyes of enthusiasts. The GT86 paved the way for the eventual revival of the Toyota Supra, then the scorching GR Yaris and now its own successor, the GR86, all under the umbrella of the Gazoo Racing sub-brand whose initials have become widely respected and even revered.
According to the silhouette, the GR86 is front-engine and rear-wheel-drive, with 2+2 seats. The 1998cc flat-four from its GT86 predecessor was carried over, but only after major surgery. Because the architecture of the car does not allow for increased stroke, the bore has increased significantly instead, so this unit is now oversquare and sits at 2387cc.The extra capacity along with stronger connecting rods, thicker crankshaft journals, a redesigned intake manifold, larger intake valves, new valve springs and a larger throttle body all play their part in the engine. increase from 197 hp to 231 hp and from 151 lb-ft to 184 lb-ft. Still nowhere to be found, and while that may mean outings remain at the tame end of the spectrum, the manual GR86’s curb weight also remains well down, at 1276kg – only 37kg more than the GT86, although Toyota claims that if you took two cars with identical specifications, GR would be 10 kg lighter than GT.
Except for the tires, the engine is probably the biggest change in the package, and everything else is either unchanged or subtly evolved. The GR86’s brakes and electro-hydraulic steering are carried over directly from the GT86, as are the Torsen rear differential (albeit with added cooling fins) and final drive ratio, although the gears are new for the manual car and automatic due to the modified nature of the delivery of 2.4.
Inside the comfortable but not claustrophobic cabin, the firm but decently supportive and now 5mm suspended seats are very familiar, as is the GT-style view. It still works well, the riding position and the street-fighter vibe. But likewise, although the hardware finishes have improved somewhat and the upper part of the dash has a rubberized feel, the place still feels built at a cost. I suspect most owners (rumored to be 430 lucky souls in the UK) will happily accept the compromises – plastic-coated rockers, scraping plastics, aftermarket-looking Alcantara – and in all honesty, the touchscreen can be loaded with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, so it’s a big improvement over before. Yet a Mazda MX-5, while narrow compared to the larger GR86, is more sophisticated in both looks and feel.
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Source: www.autocar.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-05-26 15:50:59
