Everything You Need To Know About The New Toyota GR 86

Everything You Need To Know About The New Toyota GR 86

The new Toyota GR 86 is powered by a 2.4-liter FA24 flat four-cylinder boxer engine that produces 235HP at 7,000RPM and a maximum torque of 250Nm at 3700RPM. Compared to the previous model, the 2.0-liter FA20 engine produces 200HP and a maximum torque of 205Nm only. The Toyota GR 86 is offered in either a classic six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted shift paddles.

The 2022 Toyota GR 86 brings performance to the people

It is not the fastest car or one with the largest horsepower but a car like the Toyota GR 86 isn’t supposed to happen in this age of SUVs and electrification. Small and affordable coupes like the rear-drive GR 86 are pretty much dead. And yet Toyota has just refreshed its almost one-of-a-kind sports car, and it isn’t just good, it’s great. What you will is a sensation of speed that runs through the car’s chassis and controls.

It rides on an independent suspension with MacPherson-type struts at the front and multilink setup in the rear. Depending on the trim level, the GR 86 is saddled with 17- or 18-inch wheels. The GR 86 comes in two flavors: base and premium, with the latter bringing a handful of upgrades such as the aforementioned 18-inch wheels, a duckbill rear spoiler, adaptive front LED headlamps, a smattering of visual accents, plus an upgrade to eight stereo speakers from the standard six.

All trims come with an 8-inch touchscreen display for entertainment and connectivity purposes, as well as a host of standard safety equipment that includes seven airbags and the Toyota Star safety system that’s made up of the stability control, anti-lock braking systems we’ve come to expect, plus brake assist and brake-force distribution.

GR 86s fitted with the automatic gearbox have the added benefit of an active safety system that handles pre-collision braking, lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control.

A small and affordable car like the GR 86 lacks the luxury luster of a tech-laden such as the Lamborghini Countach. Stability can be switched off and drive modes “Sport” and “Track” will increase input response on the brakes and throttle. These modes will also make the automatic gearbox punchier in kind to the more aggressive engine mapping.

According Automotive Writer Alex Kalogianni “Heading onto the track with the GR 86 feels like returning a captive creature back to its native environment.” Toyota brought the GR 86 and its predecessor for testing and back-to-back comparison to Monticello Motor Club, a 4.1-mile course with 20 turns to pit against the car’s performance. Though the GR 86 is very much a street car, it’s on the track where it can run wild and fully express its capabilities.

The additional horsepower from the new FA24 engine gain a meaningful improvement in a 1270-kg car. The extra power should be good for a 5.8-seconds run to 100 km/h and the engine is livelier, more responsive, and happier as it spins to the redline. 

Automatic buyers, which Toyota predicts will be the majority, will find six speeds and paddles on the steering wheel. Revisions include additional clutch plates and a new torque converter to cope with the newfound, well, torque. With the automatic-specific Sport mode engaged, the shift strategy smartens by holding on to gears and wisely downshifting during hard braking. 

All versions of the GR 86 come with the identical brake package as the previous car. Sliding two-piston calipers clamp 11.6-inch rotors in the front, and 11.4-inch rotors are pinched by sliding single-piston units in the rear. oyota promises a track pad will be sold as an accessory. Other bolt-on options include a cold-air intake, short-throw shifter, and cat-back exhaust system.

At its price point, the GR 86 doesn’t have many other sports cars to compete with, apart from the obvious Mazda MX-5. They are similar in their accessibility, affordability and dynamic behavior, but they differ in mission and in attitude.

The Miata is a plucky roadster that endears itself to drivers with its playful drop-top energy. The GR 86 is just as playful, but it’s slightly more serious, without being comically so or intimidating.

The GR 86 is an important vehicle to Toyota’s commitment to its current motorsport endeavors as well as its sports car heritage, which in turn carries a substantial cultural significance. Anyone questioning this need only look to the very top of the company’s structure. Toyota’s president Akio Toyoda is not only enthusiastic about sports cars, he’s an experienced driver and had a personal hand in the development of the GR 86 similiarly to the previously launched Toyota GR Yaris. In short, the car wouldn’t move forward unless he himself was happy with it, and that degree of personal investment isn’t spent on things that are unimportant.

At the end of the day, the Toyota GR 86 might not be the fastest or most powerful car on the road or on the track, but its accessibility in both learning curve and price point make it a winner.

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