New Toyota GR86 is an instant hit

General Guides  New Launches 

Toyota and Gazoo Racing: a combination that just works.

Take a regular Toyota, hand it to the race engineers to fiddle around with, and the end result is pretty much guaranteed brilliance.

The current crop of Gazoo Racing-engineered models – GR Supra and GR Yaris – have generated rave reviews with their competition-tuned performance and handling, all of which helped to raise expectations of what the new Toyota GR86 will deliver.

This classic front engine/rear-wheel drive arrangement packs a 2.4-litre punch in a lightweight chassis that promises to make the Toyota GR86 a true “driver's car”.

The standard six-speed manual version includes 18-inch alloy wheels, 8-inch touchscreen multimedia system with smartphone connectivity, LED headlights, heated front seats, cruise control, automatic dual-zone air conditioning, keyless entry, and push-button start, and reversing camera.

Opting for the automatic version of the GR86 automatically adds additional active safety and driver assistance systems, including Pre-Collision System with autonomous emergency braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic High Beam and Lane Keep Assist.




The new GR86 is offered in a single model grade, with the only real option being between the six-speed manual or automatic transmission, and costing around the £30k mark - £29,995 for the manual model and £32,085 for the automatic version. Not a lot of money for a whole lot of car.

All of which also helps explain why you can't have one.

The exclusively online ordering process for the new Toyota GR86 opened at 9am on Wednesday 20 April…..and was closed again by 10:30am. The entire UK allocation sold out within 90 minutes.

That incredible response reflects the desire not to miss out on what will be a comparatively rare car. The production run for Europe is limited to just two years and, as Toyota made clear from the outset, “when it's gone, it's gone”.

And now you're probably wondering why we even bothered to tell you about a car you can't have.

Unless you're already on the waiting list it's unlikely you'll be getting behind the wheel of the GR86, but there are other opportunities to obtain GR performance.

The first of the current crop of GR cars – the truly brilliant GR Supra – will see the addition of an all-new, tailor-made manual transmission later this year. The GR Supra Manual Transmission has been engineered to offer enthusiasts something that is closer to the Gazoo Racing DNA and will enhance the driving experience, giving you the choice of the current automatic transmission or the upcoming manual for true driver involvement.

Add to that the phenomenally good Toyota GR Yaris that has largely redefined the concept of a small hot-hatch and it's clear that Toyota are aiming to blow the competition clean off the road.

You may have missed out on the GR86, but that doesn't mean you can't still get a taste of what the combination of Toyota and Gazoo Racing can achieve.

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