Friday 2nd December 2011

PH Blog: world rocked ... by a Corolla

If the GT 86 is even half as good as its AE86 ancestor Toyota is on to a winner

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So, Garlick and I went on a bit of a charm offensive today, setting out the PH stall at a number of car manufacturers and generally fluttering eyelashes at anyone with a press fleet. And yes, that's as scary an image as you can imagine. Almost as scary as the critical mass of Mercedes geekery that ensues when gathering myself, Garlick and walking Benz encyclopaedia/PR man Rob Halloway in one room. Salvation/distraction came in the shape of the rather excellent canteen at the Mercedes HQ.

An HQ, like many others, situated in Milton Keynes. Not a place one would normally associate with thrills, it has to be said. And if the town has a vehicular equivalent in this respect you'd have to say Toyota would be it.

Indeed, a day circulating Milton Keynes in a Toyota doesn't sound like a recipe for fun. And normally it wouldn't be. Unless that Toyota is an AE86 Corolla, it would appear. Discretion is probably the better part of valour here but anyone who knows Milton Keynes and the key attributes of said Toyota can probably put two and two together here and figure out why the grin has yet to leave my face.

Going by John Simister's quick run in the GT 86 it sounds like the spirit of the AE86 has been successfully revived. After all the teaser info, rubbish press photos and showfloor tyre kicking it's a relief to finally hear what it's like from behind the wheel too. Can't wait to have a go myself. And I think I know where I'll be taking it.

Dan

 

 

[don logan]

Tofu delivery in Milton Keynes Initial D style Dan San!!!

Edited by don logan on Saturday 3rd December 00:33

[monty158]

Funny that...I've always enjoyed driving my Monaro around Milton Keynes, wonder why that could be?

[s m]

monty158 said:

Funny that...I've always enjoyed driving my Monaro around Milton Keynes, wonder why that could be?

Interesting roads...... in a roundabout way

[Dan Trent]

I'm wearing my innocent face...;)

[don logan]

I hope you watched Initial D before sightseeing in MK!

[Krikkit]

monty158 said:

Funny that...I've always enjoyed driving my Monaro around Milton Keynes, wonder why that could be?

Is there anywhere your Monaro *isn't* fun to drive?

[CDP]

Driving round MK which would run out first? Fuel tank or back tyres?

There was talk of closing public roads for racing, we could use MK as Britain's answer to Le Mans.

[Wadeski]

CDP said:

Driving round MK which would run out first? Fuel tank or back tyres?

There was talk of closing public roads for racing, we could use MK as Britain's answer to Le Mans.

Why not just level it and use it as Britains answer to Bonneville Salt Flats

[monty158]

Krikkit said:

Is there anywhere your Monaro *isn't* fun to drive?

Past schools, police, and people on horses isnt quite as fun

It's Got a Wortec exhaust with no centre silencers so going through drive-thru's is quite entertaining though

[cptsideways]

Has Mr T loaned one their "museum collection" cars then? They don't come out very often!


Can't beat an Ae86 & wet roundabouts

[s m]

cptsideways said:

Has Mr T loaned one their "museum collection" cars then? They don't come out very often!


Can't beat an Ae86 & wet roundabouts

To be fair, that particular one has been in a lot of mags recently

[cptsideways]

I was "involved" in this a couple of years back, was quite a fun day out if I remember. Muggins here had a 20v one on throttle bodies it sounded rather good & went quite well


Ahhhh sideways in a Corolla http://vimeo.com/groups/driftplusmore/videos/23514...

[Garlick]

The faces of car drivers joining the roundabouts was along the lines of 'are they having a crash?'

[cptsideways]

Garlick said:

The faces of car drivers joining the roundabouts was along the lines of 'are they having a crash?'

Your supposed to wave at them, that calms them down a bit :lol:

[Cerberus90]

cptsideways said:

Your supposed to wave at them, that calms them down a bit :lol:

But not the Team America secret signal,

[traffman]

Ah my mate smoked about in one of those back in the early nineties , ive loved them ever since .

[johnyt993]

Went out in this today (cheers Dan!) its a great piece of kit, and very easy to get sideways... great fun!

[s m]

johnyt993 said:

Went out in this today (cheers Dan!) its a great piece of kit, and very easy to get sideways... great fun!

Skinny tyres, LSD and rwd - all fun ingredients!

[DaveR]

I had an AE86. Brilliant car and a serious contender in those, "If you could buy back a car you once owned..." conversations.

Only downsides: 5,000rpm in 5th was only 92mph and the door panels were so thin that a nudge with the hip to close them if you had both hands full could dent them (don't ask).

Brilliant engine though and if you ever found yourself lost and it was raining, you could effect a 180deg change of direction in the width of the road.

[Cotty]

Garlick said:

The faces of car drivers joining the roundabouts was along the lines of 'are they having a crash?'

I suppose the answer to that is 'not yet'