Toyota confirms additional GR86 stock for the UK
But you'll have to be invited to buy one
You'll probably know by now that the Toyota GR86 is even greater than we hoped it might be. Faster, better to drive and more stylish than the model it replaced. Which, despite some flaws, was a very good sports car in its own right. It was absolutely no surprise to find that a small UK allocation sold out very quickly, especially at such a tempting £29,995 asking price. The bigger shock was that no further cars were sent our way, given the enormous demand.
Now that’s all changed, appropriately enough on the eighth day of the sixth month, otherwise known as 86 day to those of us that do the calendar correctly. An email to those on the waiting list for a car (of course PH was on that; what’s Matt’s old Mini if not a deposit?) has been sent stating that Toyota has ‘recently received limited stock of GR86 in the UK’. However many that is - we're not quite sure - more GRs over here must be good news.
The bad news is that Toyota will choose who get one, as that’s the point we’ve reached in 2023 with vaguely attainable petrol-burning performance cars. ‘Orders can only be made online via personal email invitation’ reads the rest of the message, adding soon after (and rather amusingly): ‘contacting us will not impact your waitlist position’. So don’t go pleading, people.
Additionally, a note at the bottom of the email said the featured car, an Ignition Red manual, costs £33,460. As if those who got a £30k one weren’t smug enough.
Sadly, ours was not one of the golden ticket emails. ‘Based on your position on the waitlist we won't be inviting you to request a GR86 at this time, but within the next few months we'll let you know if there's a chance for you to make a purchase.’ Which is all the more galling because it means you’ll cling to the vague hope of an opportunity in a few months’ time.
A Toyota GB spokesperson added that "we're pushing for as many as we can", which is encouraging, and hopefully means that a decent chunk more can be added to the original batch of 430. We’ll endeavour to keep you updated once more is known. For now, check your inboxes people!
t. There will always be people who will just refuse to buy a Toyota after that stunt is pulled…well, at least one. I’m out. It's not as if it's an Alpina or Morgan (or GT86) with a long waiting list - it's a poxy Toyobaru.
I'm sure there'll be plenty of tidy RHD examples for sale in Japan un a few years' time. Goo.net beckons...
Brilliant fun, like an MX5 but sharper. A proper Japanese s
t box, like stepping back 20 years into the past. Keeping mine long term.
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and the 'like a MX5 but sharper' sounds promising, since those are mostly praised for what they are (price etc)
I don't know if it's to with the emissions quota, production issues or some other multitude of factors but in all honesty, the next car I get after my ST could well have been something like this but if it's selling for £15k over list, I simply can't afford it. It blows the notion of a 'cheap sports car for all' completely out of the water and just opens it up to the scalping dealers or resellers...did they take tips from Sony with the PS5 debacle I wonder?
The earlier post about a GT86 with full turbo conversion and some tasty mods for a similar price sounds like a more viable option, but it won't be making Toyota any money of course. That being said, the profits won't be rolling in from niche cars like the GRs, that'll be had in all those RAV4s and miscellaneous mobiles they churn out
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