The first GT86 has gone down as one of the all-time greats. JACK EVANS has been to find out if the GR86 replacement is just as good.
The original GT86 proved to be somewhat of a hit for Toyota. Its lightweight ethos, relatively low-powered engine and more slippery, eco-focused tyres meant that it was beloved by enthusiasts who could appreciate the GT86’s driver-centric approach.
So how do you deliver the tricky second album? Well, for the newly-named GR86 – enabling it to fall under Toyota’s Gazoo Racing range of vehicles – that means more power, more grip and much broader use of lightweight materials to make it a little more focused than its predecessor. Does that make it any more fun? We’ve been out to Seville to find out.
Toyota has done a great deal with this car over the one it replaces. The engine is more powerful – but more on that later – while grippier Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres replace the Primacy rubber fitted to the GT86, which famously were the same ones you’d get on the hybrid Prius.