Text: Hidemitsu Hoshiga. Photos: Hidenori Hanamura. Article from the February 2012 issue of Car Magazine.
The Toyota GT 86 is even more enjoyable than we had hoped.
A turn of the steering wheel, a quick lift off the accelerator mid-corner and then a slide from the tail, caught and then held with a flick of the wrists and a touch more power. Oh, and then a big grin. A very, very big grin. When British motoring magazines first tested an FT-86 prototype toward the end of last year, they speculated it might be the best Toyota in a decade; with every kilometre behind the wheel, that suspicion is growing into a deep-rooted belief.
The GT 86 underwent a long gestation from concept to production. Launched at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show as the spiritual successor to the iconic, early-1980s AE86 generation of the Corolla, it was commissioned by then company chairman Katsuaki Watanabe to lure young, fun-loving drivers back to a Toyota brand that had become dominated by big-selling but ultimately bland models. The rear-drive, front-engined coupe was refined and adapted to suit both styling tastes and crash regulations in the ensuing two years but has not lost any of its original purpose.
That journey also included a close collaboration with Subaru, in which Toyota owns a 16,5 per cent share. With all of Toyota’s own research and development engineers working flat out on alternative powertrain projects, Subaru was asked to handle development, testing and production of the car. Toyota took the lead on project planning and design, and the collaboration will spawn three mechanically identical but differently styled cars: the GT 86, Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S, the latter destined for the American market only.
All three will be powered by the same 147 kW, 205 N.m flat-four engine whose resin cover under the bonnet is etched with the names of both Subaru and Toyota. Based on the Subaru FB20 block but fitted with Toyota-designed heads, the 2,0-litre engine has been reworked to allow it to rev high while delivering peak torque lower down the range. It has also allowed Toyota to follow its tradition of giving its sportiest cars a square ratio of bore to stroke; in the GT 86 it is, appropriately and in no way coincidentally, 86,0×86,0 mm.
Its aim is to lure young, fun-loving drivers back to Toyota
The platform is also new and already speculation is rife as to how many variants will be spun off it in order to make the investment pay off – a convertible is likely, as are harder, faster models and even other related vehicles. Tuners, both those officially linked to the manufacturers involved and unofficial, are also said to be lining up to offer every imaginable type of modification.
In total, a massive 91 per cent of parts are bespoke to the GT 86 and its siblings, which makes it remarkable that the targeted starting price will be around £28 000 (about R350 000). Toyota says that this is because it has concentrated on keeping manufacturing costs down (the absence of sharp creases on the car’s bodywork are reported to be just one upshot of this wish, as they are expensive to develop and continually press to the correct tolerances), but there’s also no doubting that the GT 86 has been conceived, set up and aggressively priced to pull in new customers and bring some much-needed sparkle to the entire Toyota range.
Tuners are lining up to offer every type of modification
That it will achieve this is not in doubt after our test drive, although it’s worth noting that it was conducted at a test track in Japan where the silky smooth surface made any conclusions about the ride quality impossible to accurately gauge. Those impressions will have to wait until early next year, when we get to drive the car in Europe and the UK ahead of full production models going on sale in the summer of 2012. So too will final comments on the car’s interior; this is a pre-production car, set up almost to launch spec save for the fitment of details such as the audio system.
Fast Facts
Engine – flat-four, longitudinal
Fuel supply – direct petrol injection
Capacity – 1 998 cm3
Power/Torque – 147 kW/205 N.m
Transmission – six-speed manual/auto
0-100 km/h – ±7,0 secs
Top speed – 220 km/h
Stepping into its bucket seats, which are snug, grippy and set at a low-slung height, sets the tone. Toyota says they were positioned so that any driver could open the door and stub a cigarette out on the road without having to move from the seat – it’s an odd theory on which to base a driving position, but there’s no doubting that the end product works, giving a sportscarfeel. With all the controls falling neatly to hand, the cockpit is as cosseting as a Porsche’s, if not imbued with as many classy materials.
The tyres’ grip can easily be overcome if the mood takes you
At idle, the engine note is fairly subdued, but take it up to the 7 500 r/min red line and it soon sounds suitably growly. In truth, there’s no need to take it that far up the rev band, as peak power and torque arrive far earlier (at 6 500 and 4 500 r/min respectively), but it does sound good and delivers a complementary aural soundtrack to the driving thrills if you’re pushing on through a sequence of corners.
And, in truth, this car is all about the corners. Its relatively low power means it’s no sprint champion, and the 0-100 km/h time is estimated at a modest 7,0 seconds. But the key facets of a 1 280 kg kerb weight, rear- wheel drive, ESP that can be fully turned off, quick steering and a limited-slip differential make it a riot in the twisty stuff. The tyres are also a critical part of its makeup, although they look a bit weedy; it is the same 17-inch low-energy rubber as can be found on a Prius, all the better to make sure their grip can be overcome if the mood takes you.
More power on the way
No sooner had the new model broken cover and already there was talk of a hotter version to be released. GT 86’s chief engineer, Tetsu Tada, has confirmed a more powerful model is well past the consideration stage. Tada even revealed that test cars are already undergoing evaluations by Toyota Racing Developments (TRD). The existing Subaru-sourced, 2,0-litre naturally aspirated boxer engine develops 147 kW. The uprated car, possibly badged TRD, will benefit from a supercharger which should add at least 40 kW. Reports generated by those fortunate to drive the car at Fuji Raceway in Japan claim that the existing platform can easily cope with the added grunt. Toyota will not be leaving anything to chance and will suitably upgrade the newcomer’s suspension; expect a lower ride height, stiffer springs and dampers to match.
Turn into a comer and there is some roll, but it’s well contained. On a constant throttle and steady steering, it understeers slightly, but lift mid-corner or trail the brakes – or just throw it in – and it’ll either straighten its line or flick to oversteer as you choose. There’s fun to be had in either state, as the car steers delicately on the throttle or swings the tail willingly. Long drifts require a delicate use of momentum, though, as there simply isn’t enough power to maintain a massive slide.
And, although the GT 86 is oh-so willing to slide if you provoke it, it never catches you out when it does start to slide because the steering is perfectly weighted and the chassis so responsive that they telegraph exactly what’s happening at all times. At 2,5 turns lock to lock, the steering is quick without being hyperactive, and although it feels a touch light in everyday use, that has the benefit of making it easy to live with when you go on the attack.
There are disappointments, but they are minor. The six-speed manual is a touch notchy and not quite as precise as an MX-5 shift, while the six-speed auto that is on offer changes smoothly and quickly but lacks the sharpness of its dual-clutch rivals. When it’s on, the ESP also intervenes too harshly – the sound of it at work is so loud that you initially feel as if something has broken and it scrubs out power delivery at an overly dramatic rate.
The driving experience is a match for the likes of the Cayman
Despite this, at its best, the driving experience is a match for the likes of a Porsche Cayman, and accolades don’t come much higher than that. That it can’t reach those heights across as broad a range of conditions as the German-built car shouldn’t detract from its overall success, because the fact it can even get close is a minor miracle given the price differential. It may not be a true sportscar in every sense, but it is thrilling not only for what it is, but also because it is likely to start a trend that every eco-conscious manufacturer with an eye on driving fun will have to follow. The GT 86 arrives in South Africa before mid-year.
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