RE: Toyota GT86 TRD - official
Friday 8th February 2013
A little while back we drove two visions of officially upgraded GT86 as a taster of the factory upgrade packages Toyota is working on. And the first fruits of that have been announced today in the shape of the GT86 TRD, a limited edition '86 due on sale next month. 250 will be offered in the UK in a choice of white or black, both showing off a selection of goodies from the TRD catalogue.
'Make it cheaper and faster!' came the cry...Both cars PH drove had significant - and significantly different - chassis set-ups and demonstrated a variety of TRD packages with upgraded brakes, dampers, strut braces and other bits and bobs. Read the full story here but they're the kinds of things you might feasibly want to add to a base GT86 if you wanted it to cope better with a regular pasting on track. No more power - yet - but a sharpening up of the driver focus and proof of the potential in the base package. Potential given an extra boost (if you'll pardon the pun) earlier in the week with news that the GT86 is being prepared for GT4 competitionwith a proper aero package and c. 400hp turbo upgrade.
More grip, fancy trimmings and a price hikeFor the record we have bigger 18-inch wheels, skirts, spoilers, a quad-exit exhaust and 'TRD-branded details' for £31,495 for the manual and £32,995 for the auto. So it's grippier, fancier and more expensive. Quite a lot more expensive, given the starting price for the base car is £24,995.
Toyota GT86 TRD - official
Toyota Racing Developments GT86 to launch as an official UK model - full details here
Good news, right? Well......
'Make it cheaper and faster!' came the cry...
But for this first TRD model Toyota has seemingly ignored the two major criticisms levelled at the GT86 - price and lack of power - and limited upgrades to a bodykit and styling trinkets while boosting the price to north of £30K.
Which is your cue to start digging out the facepalm image of your choosing for the thread to follow...
More grip, fancy trimmings and a price hike
Meanwhile in Japan GT86 and BRZ buyers looking for something more about go than show can have pared back versions with or without cages and actually prepared for track hoonage rather than just looking like they are.
Ho hum, let's just hope the promise of an expanded range of TRD accessories for the UK bears fruit and we get the chance to create our own vision of an upgraded '86.
Discussion
t wheels Toyota keep releasing! I haven't seen one GT86 on a set of OEM wheels that suits the car. 
Looks great, and look forward to hearing how it drives, and whether it moves the game on to where it arguably should have been from day one.
Price? Hmmmm? Goes without saying that the whole project of the twin cars is more expensive than would have been ideal, however perhaps forgivable given the exchange rate to european currencies.
I think that somewhere between all the domestic derivatives there is an ideal spec for me .... tone down the styling, have the cage, tweek the ride height asthetically, and deliver on some arch filling yet light and modest in width rims .... With a manual box, LSD, and an aftermarket 250bhp forced induction engine.
...... just the price to stop me buying one then!
All joking aside, £30k is what you'd need to plonk yourself into a "normal" specced hot hatch these days, and the price keeps rising if you want a german brand to supply a coupe that won't give half the driving enjoyment of this car. Not so bad value afterall.
Price? Hmmmm? Goes without saying that the whole project of the twin cars is more expensive than would have been ideal, however perhaps forgivable given the exchange rate to european currencies.
I think that somewhere between all the domestic derivatives there is an ideal spec for me .... tone down the styling, have the cage, tweek the ride height asthetically, and deliver on some arch filling yet light and modest in width rims .... With a manual box, LSD, and an aftermarket 250bhp forced induction engine.
...... just the price to stop me buying one then!
All joking aside, £30k is what you'd need to plonk yourself into a "normal" specced hot hatch these days, and the price keeps rising if you want a german brand to supply a coupe that won't give half the driving enjoyment of this car. Not so bad value afterall.
So what we're saying is this is a golden opportunity for Subaru to take charge in the UK market and release the car we all want? I mean, after all, it's a particular type of driver who buys a rwd car like this - it's not an accidental purchase, so we tend, as a market, to know what we'd like. Will they listen? No. Who does the Toyota/Subaru market research? Did they ever stray off Radio 1's Stupid Street?
Maybe it would be a better idea for someone wanting a little more performance to simply use a std car and fit sticky tyres and more aggressive pads ?
I read an US article somewhere where grippier tyres worked very well on a sdt GT86, but obviously I will be insulted by people who have never driven one for daring suggest to ditch the Primacy as it will upset the balance etc...
I read an US article somewhere where grippier tyres worked very well on a sdt GT86, but obviously I will be insulted by people who have never driven one for daring suggest to ditch the Primacy as it will upset the balance etc...
Does anyone have a full spec? This is what I can find:
Based on this, TRD have missed a trick and should have called this the GT86 M sport.
carsuk said:
The TRD package on the GT86 adds 18″ cast TF6 alloys (others are available), front and side skirts, a spoiler at the back, new exhaust system with quad pipes, a rear diffuser and ‘TRD’ stamped on the fuel filler cover and gear shift.
Bodykit, fancy exhaust and wheels which are too big (and go against all their other marketing). No sign of any additional power, weight saving, suspension changes, rollcages, differentials or changed gear ratios which their Racing division sure excels at?!Based on this, TRD have missed a trick and should have called this the GT86 M sport.
mat205125 said:
Looks great, and look forward to hearing how it drives, and whether it moves the game on to where it arguably should have been from day one.
eh? Not sure I follow. The article states that these changes are mostly body kit and branded trinkets. How on earth do you think that'll change how it drives?? 
mat205125 said:
Looks great, and look forward to hearing how it drives, and whether it moves the game on to where it arguably should have been from day one.
Price? Hmmmm? Goes without saying that the whole project of the twin cars is more expensive than would have been ideal, however perhaps forgivable given the exchange rate to european currencies.
I think that somewhere between all the domestic derivatives there is an ideal spec for me .... tone down the styling, have the cage, tweek the ride height asthetically, and deliver on some arch filling yet light and modest in width rims .... With a manual box, LSD, and an aftermarket 250bhp forced induction engine.
...... just the price to stop me buying one then!
All joking aside, £30k is what you'd need to plonk yourself into a "normal" specced hot hatch these days, and the price keeps rising if you want a german brand to supply a coupe that won't give half the driving enjoyment of this car. Not so bad value afterall.
Except perhaps the M135i. Don't think it'll quite match it for the drive but it's the same price! Price? Hmmmm? Goes without saying that the whole project of the twin cars is more expensive than would have been ideal, however perhaps forgivable given the exchange rate to european currencies.
I think that somewhere between all the domestic derivatives there is an ideal spec for me .... tone down the styling, have the cage, tweek the ride height asthetically, and deliver on some arch filling yet light and modest in width rims .... With a manual box, LSD, and an aftermarket 250bhp forced induction engine.
...... just the price to stop me buying one then!
All joking aside, £30k is what you'd need to plonk yourself into a "normal" specced hot hatch these days, and the price keeps rising if you want a german brand to supply a coupe that won't give half the driving enjoyment of this car. Not so bad value afterall.
300bhp/ton said:
mat205125 said:
Looks great, and look forward to hearing how it drives, and whether it moves the game on to where it arguably should have been from day one.
eh? Not sure I follow. The article states that these changes are mostly body kit and branded trinkets. How on earth do you think that'll change how it drives?? I've driven a standard GT86 and liked it - it just wasn't good enough for me to change. I've written about it a couple of times before.
This TRD GT86 is no better. The extra grip could be got from a set of performance tyres and as others have said, new pads and you have the same car but with less plastic on it for a lot cheaper.
If / when a 'performance' tuned GT86 / BRZ is released it will make me take another look, but bodykits and wheels don't make this car anymore attractive to me, certainly for the price hike.
ETA: I realise there are dampers etc, but for the cost of the car I'm not sure many people looking for a track orientated car would overlook a modified GT86.
This TRD GT86 is no better. The extra grip could be got from a set of performance tyres and as others have said, new pads and you have the same car but with less plastic on it for a lot cheaper.
If / when a 'performance' tuned GT86 / BRZ is released it will make me take another look, but bodykits and wheels don't make this car anymore attractive to me, certainly for the price hike.
ETA: I realise there are dampers etc, but for the cost of the car I'm not sure many people looking for a track orientated car would overlook a modified GT86.
E38Ross said:
300bhp/ton said:
eh? Not sure I follow. The article states that these changes are mostly body kit and branded trinkets. How on earth do you think that'll change how it drives??
Did you read the article? It mentions brakes, dampers, struts etcAs the article then says:
"But for this first TRD model Toyota has seemingly ignored the two major criticisms levelled at the GT86 - price and lack of power - and limited upgrades to a bodykit and styling trinkets while boosting the price to north of £30K."
Which doesn't mention dampers or suspension parts.
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