Thursday 28th January 2016

Toyota GT86: PH Fleet

Matt relinquishes the key for Nik to get his first taste of the GT86

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As you read this, GY15 VFZ will soon be returning to Toyota and I'm asking for compassionate leave to deal with the loss. I've become hugely attached to the little '86, to the extent that I think people are sick of me talking about it. There will be a full and emotional farewell soon but, to check my praise wasn't misplaced, I let Nik have a go over Christmas. Just to be sure, you see. Here's what he had to say...

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Nik writes:
Stepping out of the Civic Type R (the Christmas loan car) and slotting into the low GT86 came as quite a shock. Initially it wasn't a change I enjoyed; it felt like a car from the 90s. The first commute home had me questioning why Matt loved it so much. An engine that barely had any power at low revs, the barren interior, the irritating noise... First impressions weren't inspiring to say the least.

Nik sees the light. Eventually

With fewer drivers on the road, the festive period really allowed me to explore the true nature of the GT86: fun on a budget. After a week of constant use, the '86 started to feel like my favourite old jumper. I was getting up before my alarm to go for long drives. Living in London, heading out to Surrey was my best bet to find anything remotely resembling a driving road.

With all the gadgets and insulation on board other cars, you lose out on the raw sensations of driving. The GT86 keeps you informed with excellent feedback through the seat and the steering, fuelling confidence. With no distractions, I was free to concentrate and enjoy the road ahead.

The chassis is absolutely brilliant on country roads, the gear changes are sublime - the only reason I stopped was to replenish the car and myself with fuel. Now I know why Matt and others who drove the GT86 sing its praises so highly.

Powertrain swap?

Hitting the 8,000-mile mark, the ignition barrel is badly scratched and the fake induction noise pumped into the footwell got quite tiresome over a long drive. The seat also left me and my passenger with a backache after a mundane trip on the motorway. Initially I thought the lack of parking sensors would be an issue, but thanks to the excellent visibility parking was a doddle.

I agree with Matt's sentiment that adding a supercharger would give it that much needed extra oomph, whilst hopefully improving the rather bland noise also. A Rocket Bunny duck tail spoiler would be something I'd like to add, as well as lowering it to fill out the arches...

After a rocky start to my stint in the '86, the car had left me wanting more and my final drive was a sombre one knowing I had to return the key to its rightful custodian (see, told you so - MB).

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FACT SHEET
Car: 2015 Toyota GT86 Primo
Run by: Matt 
On fleet since: July 2015
Mileage: 8,254
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 18/12/2015 and 31/03/2016 and registered by 30/06/2016)
Last month at a glance: Another driver behind the wheel and another fan too

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!
Fun in the sun with the GT86
Track day hooning to motorway eco driving
The '86 is great as standard, so what about a tuned one?

 

[krismccloy]

Every article I read about these really makes me consider owning one,

Although the reviews are never 100% praise I think this a car is a grower from what I've gathered.

Although it's 1s slower to 60 than my current bog standard Civic Type R. The prospect a FR drivetraina and the steering/feel & driving position praise I think I best test drive one. I would like to not like it due other commitments at the moment, But I'll give one a shot I think. I think a version of Honda's F20C from the S2000 would match this car nicely.

[LordGrover]

I was due to hand mine back after three years last September.
Couldn't do it - I still have it.

[delta0]

I do wonder whether this idea that you are supposed to mod is a way of reducing emissions as modded cars don't have the same requirements. This is probably why it doesn't have a supercharger as every review says it needs.

[LankyLegoHead]

I know the feeling. All friends, family and internet forums are sick of me bleating on about how much I love mine. Just 3 days without it and I felt a tremendous sense of loss, it reminded me when commuting was like in a normal car. Boring, dull, stressful.

I don't plan on adding power yet, but a tyre change is a must!

[k-ink]

"Surrey" for driving roads. Maybe compared to London, but really!!

[k-ink]

Cosworth have an even beefier 380bhp package coming out shortly. Yes yes, I know it's all about the balance etc.

[Nik Attard]

k-ink said:

"Surrey" for driving roads. Maybe compared to London, but really!!

It is the best I could do over the festive period - needed to take it for a blast.

Nik

[CABC]

k-ink said:

"Surrey" for driving roads. Maybe compared to London, but really!!

some great driving roads in surrey. at christmas they might even be empty to enjoy!

[Nik Attard]

CABC said:

some great driving roads in surrey. at christmas they might even be empty to enjoy!

They were when I got out early enough... but after 9am cyclists were everywhere.

Nik

[Matt Bird]

krismccloy said:

Every article I read about these really makes me consider owning one,

Although the reviews are never 100% praise I think this a car is a grower from what I've gathered.

Although it's 1s slower to 60 than my current bog standard Civic Type R. The prospect a FR drivetraina and the steering/feel & driving position praise I think I best test drive one. I would like to not like it due other commitments at the moment, But I'll give one a shot I think. I think a version of Honda's F20C from the S2000 would match this car nicely.

Please have a go in one! It's really not a car to judge purely by the numbers. It feels faster and is way more fun that the stats suggest.


Matt

[CABC]

Matt Bird said:

Please have a go in one! It's really not a car to judge purely by the numbers. It feels faster and is way more fun that the stats suggest.

Matt

yep, and with the Audification of Porsche it's a better real world driver's car than anything from Germany right now imho.
It would lose out at Spa or the Ring, but real petrolheads appreciate it on country roads.

[LordGrover]

Hope you have your flame-proof armour ready.

[LankyLegoHead]

You need thick skin to drive on for sure.

There are a few threads about dismissing the 0-60. Considering I beat the quoted figure in the wet on my first try (okay, using an iPhone app), it's probably been made to look a bit slower for insurance or something. The Clio 172/182 was similar IIRC?

Either way, as Matt says. Feels faster than the figures suggest. Maybe thats just to being down low and the back end flailing about.

[CABC]

LordGrover said:

Hope you have your flame-proof armour ready.

i'm genuinely happy in my own choice of cars and quite immune to comments from others. i actually believe many are mindless badge followers or consumers of any type of progress to be cool. Age and wisdom i suspect.
It's good to see others driving the 86 and getting past the first impression hurdle. I'm optimistic that a good proportion of today's younger buyers will come to appreciate driver's cars and that the car industry will still produce niche vehicles for them. Good things come to those who wait... cue Guinness.

[Mr. Potato Head]

Used prices coming to the point that one of these is my next car.
Local dealer was free with the test drives for MX5 drivers and it's still burning a big hole in my brain.

[ECG1000]

I own one and love it.

I've driven plenty of more powerful and supposedly more exotic cars, but am always happy to get back into the 86. Every journey is an event and you don't have to doing silly speeds to make it interesting.

Definitely a car that doesn't reveal it's hand in a 10 minute test drive. After a couple weeks of ownership it really grows on you and starts to make sense.

Matt, when do you think you'll take the plunge and buy one for yourself? You know it's the right thing to do...

Edited by ECG1000 on Thursday 28th January 11:58

[isosonic]

krismccloy said:

Every article I read about these really makes me consider owning one,

Although the reviews are never 100% praise I think this a car is a grower from what I've gathered.

Although it's 1s slower to 60 than my current bog standard Civic Type R. The prospect a FR drivetraina and the steering/feel & driving position praise I think I best test drive one. I would like to not like it due other commitments at the moment, But I'll give one a shot I think. I think a version of Honda's F20C from the S2000 would match this car nicely.

Funny, I'm in exactly your position and it's the GT86's FR layout that gets my juices flowing too. I would definitely miss the CTR's engine, but there's so much else to the Toyota that excites. The cheapest used example with an acceptable mileage is knocking on the door of £14K now...

[LankyLegoHead]

To all those looking....

Back when I was looking to PCP one with Warranty, I found toyotas online calculator to give me hilariously expensive figures.

After speaking to the dealer, those figures easily halfed. And they allowed me to PCP mine, which is a 3yr old car (£16k).

Worth having a nose in the dealer and getting figures, if thats the route you wanna go anyway.

[elvismiggell]

Which roads in Surrey did you find? I'd love PH to do some features on good driving roads that aren't quite so far away from London. I'm quite sure they will never rival the best that Scotland has to offer, but it'd be nice to see what people recommend in areas such as Surrey.

[Roncee]

Have you considered a phantom supercharger (electric). Being run by a lot of folks in the states for not much cash. Next gen tech available now - will be standard on most cars in one form or another in 3-4 years. Ran one on my mx-5 and it was a great bang for buck mod.