Tuesday 27th October 2015

Toyota GT86: PH Fleet

Matt's still enjoying life with the GT86, when he's actually driving it...

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So following a rather dull month of day-to-day drudgery last time, the GT86 has had a far more entertaining few weeks. Which means there's even more praise to heap upon it...

Here's your no filter Instagram post

Back home in Suffolk for a few days at the end of September, the little red Toyota was brilliant company. On tight and twisty B-roads it feels great; light, nimble and easily fast enough because second and third gear are often all you need. Again the visibility is a real boon, combining with the direct steering to make the 86 really precise. In the slower corners the diff can be felt tightening the line, even if there isn't the power to do a lot more. With a little more confidence in the car I'm now starting to notice the undamped movement Dan mentioned when we were up in Scotland, where it doesn't quite settle through higher speed compressions. But for 90 per cent of the time on those country roads, it was great. Until the tractors turned out...

Then it was on track at our Silverstone Sunday Service. It was my first time on track in this 86 and sadly not very long, but it was huge fun. Because you're flat out all the time the weak mid-range isn't noticeable, the brakes are strong and the gearbox is ace. It still isn't a wild drift machine but the track really allows the superb balance to be explored. Go in with a bit too much speed and it understeers, bleeding away to oversteer quite quickly but entirely predictably. There's plenty of lock to catch it and the messages through the seat tell you plenty about grip levels. I need another go on track soon. As for tyres, the Yokohama decibel E70s seemed alright; it's hard to make a comparison having not driven a standard 86 for a while but they didn't stand out as especially weak. One to investigate on another track day, right?

More on the white car to follow

Then from Silverstone I've not driven the car. At all. Those who have returned full of praise (mostly), with James especially keen and even Ollie giving a few compliments. With the latter an Audi TT owner, that's saying quite a lot... Dan was pestering for a go but with his own distraction now hopefully that will subside.

In its place the Shelby Heritage GT86 was in. A full road test will follow but the new car did show just how far improved the Toyota can be visually with a suspension drop and some new wheels. Look at it! When I'm finally back to driving it I'm really keen to attend a few owners' meets and, on the heritage theme, it would be good to compare this car to the original AE86. Can you tell I like it?

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FACT SHEET
Car: 2015 Toyota GT86 Primo
Run by: Matt 
On fleet since: July 2015
Mileage: 5,595
List price new: £22,495 (and £22,495 as tested! List price £22,700, GT86 Primo currently available with £205 dealer discount 'when ordered and proposed for finance between 01/10/15 and 17/12/2015)
Last month at a glance: Fun in the sun as the miles rack up in the 86

Previous reports:
Press car without a single option? Welcome the GT86 Primo!
Three thousand miles in a month gets the 86 run in...
A less exciting month for the GT86 but it's still great!

Silverstone pic: Andy Liu

 

[redroadster]

As an every day car which would be best this or a vw roc ?

[Black S2K]

If you really need to ask, then the Scirocco. With a Diseasel engine, probably.

[Happyjap]

This car is not offensive and I enjoy it greatly and would feel proud to own.

[RacingBlue]

Black S2K said:

If you really need to ask, then the Scirocco. With a Diseasel engine, probably.

No.

[LankyLegoHead]

Well my '86 is great as a daily, a Sirocco is just a Golf with terrible visibility.

[redroadster]

Black S2K said:

If you really need to ask, then the Scirocco. With a Diseasel engine, probably.

I have to really ask what is a Diseasel engine ?😃

[Black S2K]

LankyLegoHead said:

Well my '86 is great as a daily, a Scirocco is just a Golf with terrible visibility.

AND a truly horrible driving position; like someone had taken the front seats out of a Golf and you are sitting on the floor. cynical platform-sharing at its very worst, just like the CR-Z.

Yet they get away with it...

[Frimley111R]

VW I'd say as if its just a daily its interior is a 100 times nicer place to spend time. The Toyota is nice but the interior is very 'budget'.

[Gorbyrev]

Great report Matt and I am not surprised you like the 86. My son is interested in one of these as a replacement for his Fiesta ST. I have said to him that it will be slower but he doesn't care so we booked a test drive in both the 86 and the BRZ. Great respect goes to the sales rep at Nobles for letting us out unattended in BRZ. For the first couple of miles I was grumbling at how gutless the engine was. That was until I figured out that this is a car that needs you grab it by the scruff of the neck and give it some revs. Ironically, unlike the hooligan ST which is always poking you in the chest and looking for a fight, the BRZ / 86 is a superbly balanced, brilliantly conceived driving machine and the harder you push it the better it gets. The fact that all of the 200 horses can be applied on the public highway without risking license loss (though it is rock steady at high speed) just adds to the joy of the thing. This is a car to build your skills in. It doesn't flatter you with the horsepower to drag you out of a corner after too much braking, it may not win at the lights with a Cooper S or an ST. But in my humble opinion, it is by far the better driving machine.

[RobGT81]

Black S2K said:

AND a truly horrible driving position; like someone had taken the front seats out of a Golf and you are sitting on the floor.

I really like the lower driving position. In comparison, the Golf feels like you are driving a HGV because you are so high up.

Might be time to swap the Roc for a GT86 though.

[RoverP6B]

Rear-drive front-mid-engined sports car vs squashed half-melted Golf... you really have to ask?!