Chris Harris video: Toyota GT86
What's the likely outcome of our man Harris and the rear-drive GT86? Go on, guess...
Be in no doubt that whether you like the styling or not, the GT86 marks an important shift in ethos for the rapid horseless carriage. If, in five years time, other sectors of the enthusiast market are no longer allowing themselves to be judged in terms of ever-greater performance, and have chosen more subjective criteria, then we will owe the GT 86 a great deal.
PH has already published not one but two first drives on the car, because we wanted to get one live promptly. Time with the car was tight, and there was nothing on the public road, but you can still glean a lot from these brief encounters.
We've heaped praise on so much of the car it's probably useful to discuss the areas that could prove problematic in the showroom.
It takes effort but it's well worth it
Is it fast enough? I think so. If you buy into the 86 ethos, you don't much care if a Focus RS scoots away from the lights. Pulling out of second gear turns, on a dry circuit, the car had enough power and torque to overcome the mechanical grip of those 215 section tyres. That tells me all I need to know.
Is the £25,000 price reasonable? Absolutely.
Toyota or Subaru? If you'd asked me that an hour before driving the GT86, I'd have trenchantly answered 'Scooby' for all the obvious, 555-derived, reasons. Once I was looking out of the side window and revving the Bristols off the thing, the thought didn't even enter my mind. In fact, I'm enjoying the AE 86 heritage link more and more, and liked the GT86's supple suspension. I'm hearing that the Subaru might be a touch firmer, but can't pass judgment until that information is confirmed and we get to drive it.
Given that I suspect you will be exposed to heaps more sideways-driven GT86 footage, one last note on the car's behaviour when driven in true Hachi Roku manner. The GT86 creates slip-angle through power, not torque. Clever engineers will find fault with that statement but, from behind the wheel, you have to use all the engine revs to make it jiggle about. With the engine buzzing above 5,500rpm, and the Torsen differential forcing power to both rear wheels, the car has a quite a narrow window of stability. Too much throttle and you quickly need to use all the lock to correct the slide, too little and the car will straighten itself, and deliver those unprepared a sharp little tank slapper.
This isn't an M3. It asks much more of the driver to execute gratuitous slides. You need to unsettle the car more subtly, use momentum to help create yaw, then pounce on the opportunity, and extract the most from it by throwing just the right amount of gas at the suggestion of a slide, nurture it and ride it out. It's quite tricky to start with, but once you find a rhythm, it's a blast. Pointless info, I know, but then this isn't What Car?
If you bought a new 911 carrera you are stupid because you could have bought a used Gallardo
If you bought a new RS3 you are stupid because you could have bought a used gt-r
if you bought a new focus rs you are stupid cause you could have bought a used e92 M3
bunch of bloody spoons
thanks for the review CH decent job considering i am not paying a tv licence for it
edit for PC
As a private purchaser, there are few cars I could justify buying new, I am forced to take residuals into consideration. I think the 86 will be a fail on that front and even it's Scooby counterpart will have the edge on it.
It doesn't immediately strike me as an obvious sole car/company car choice as C02s/economy are nothing to talk about and unproven residuals will leave contract hire prices quite high. Your missus will ridicule you for the way it looks like a 10 year old Hyundai and how the rear seats are useless...and you will secretly be gutted everytime you get burried by something like a 370Z or God forbid....a 123d
Neither does it make much sense as a second car/trackday tool. Why wouldn't you just go and buy something that did everything better even it was more compromising, like an Elise?
Many of us like this kind of car but we want to buy them used as new prices don't make any sense to most enthusiasts.
My £25k that would buy this car is currently in:
210bhp MX5 £4500
380bhp Monaro £8000
340bhp RX7 £4500
150bhp Transporter £5000
150bhp Crewcab pickup £3000
And it would take a damn site more than a 200bhp Toyota for me to sell them.
GT86 197bhp @ 1180kg = 167bhp / ton
S2000 239bhp @ 1250kg = 191bhp / ton
350z 306bhp @ 1600kg = 191bhp / ton
370z 331bhp @ 1,466kg = 226bhp / ton
and the S2000 isn't what you'd call quick.
MX-5 124bhp @1155KG = 108bhp / ton
VW Golf GTTDI 140 138bhp @ 1451kg = 97bhp / ton
Renaultsport Clio 197 187bhp @ 1240Kg = 161bhp / ton
Mazda RX-8 228 bhp @ 1394kg = 166bhp / ton
Porsche 944 S2 211bhp @ 1312Kg = 163bhp / ton.
Honda Integra Type-R (DC2) 187bhp @ 1101 Kg = 187bhp / ton
Lotus Elise S 134 bhp @ 860KG = 158 bhp / ton.
..if you really MUST have a brand new car that weighs less than 1200kg and you REALLY like putting your shopping bags on back seats...then this is definitely the car for you...just don't plan on eating too many pies or all those good intentions will go to waste
A VAG with a GT badge is a performance car to a lot of people, especially if they are considering the impact of emissions on thier tax bill. Now that might not be the PH ethos but it's certainly is a catergory where Toyota need to take sales from.
The issue you like to duck is that if you have 25K for a new car, want a coupe, RWD, low running costs there aren't many realistic alternatives. There are a number of hot hatches, if you give up on rear seats and roof there's the MX-5, pay 20% more and accept higher running costs you can have a 370Z.
The only rival that I can really compare the GT 86 with is a BMW 1 series 120D M Sport.
If you really must compare against 1 series coupe, company tax is a damn sight higher on 160g 86 than 124g/134g (120d/123d)...These cars are based on a 2004 model, the new shape due Q4 2012...will blitz it further. And strictly speaking, you've already 'given up on rear seats' when opting for the Toyota in the first place.
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