OLD-SCHOOL SPORTS CAR IS JUST GR8

Frequently I’m asked which cars I would buy with my own money. Not a family runaround, but motors that would really light my fire, but that are also affordable. The answer is there are four. First is the Alpine A110, second the Toyota GR Yaris, third the Mazda MX-5 and the last motor, but not least, is another car made by Toyota – the one we’re testing this week, the GR86.

In 2013 Toyota launched the GT86 that it had developed in conjunction with Subaru. The premise was it would be a simple old-school sports car, light, low to the ground, with modest horsepower but great handling. The GT86 engine was a flat-four, naturally aspirated, and supplied by Subaru. It produced a modest 196bhp at a time when hot hatches had almost 300bhp.

The GT86 also catered for those who don’t like too much road grip. Toyota gave it tyres no wider than those on a Prius.

I loved the car, and also Subaru’s version called the BRZ, but there were many who thought Toyota had underdone it. They considered it not quick enough with too little torque.

For those people, tuners had a solution – and many a GT86 ended up modified with superchargers and turbochargers. But now Toyota has taken matters into its own hands, renamed the GT86 the GR86 (GR as in Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s racing arm) and dramatically revised the car.

The engine has been enlarged from its original 2.0 litres to 2.4 litres; an increase that has brought with it 231bhp and, more importantly, 184lb ft of torque which is now produced at 3,700rpm rather than the headier 6,700rpm of the previous engine.

It makes the car easier to drive and quicker. The bodyshell has been stiffened – it is 10kg lighter with more aluminium.

Ride height has been reduced by 10mm (and the seat height by 5mm) and the suspension revised to suit.

There are many other changes too. None of them have spoilt this front-engined rear-wheel-drive sports coupe. Not surprisingly the GR86 has a couple of driving modes. Usually I try these out then settle on Normal – especially on SUVs which aren’t exciting to drive whatever mode you’re in.

But this Toyota is different, and after switching I left it in Track for the whole wonderful test drive over damp country roads in Surrey and Sussex.

Not only is the throttle response perfect, but the extra noise from the exhaust is welcome. Even in Normal the car sounds much fruitier than the GT86 did. This Toyota comes with a six-speed manual gearbox even better to use than before.

The ride is more comfortable than it used to be, too, and that’s good news for handling on bumpy roads.

The GR86 also has more grip than the GT86 did and for me that’s a good thing.

Many critics got a bit overexcited by the fact that car was easy to drift (or skid as we used to say) but in the real world on public roads that’s not such a good thing.

You can turn the traction control off in the GR86 but the balance now between grip and feel is almost perfect.

Toyota does make an automatic version of the GR86 which costs £32,085 but I’d have the £29,995 manual any day. In this Electric Blue, too, rather than the red or black also available, or rather not available.

That’s because Toyota sold the 430 cars allocated within minutes. Word is some more might be available later.

Subaru, by the way, finished building the BRZ two years ago and isn’t involved any longer.

Toyota will finish building the GR86 in a couple of years’ time when it will no longer comply with European safety legislation.

It is going to be a much-missed car. Certainly by me. But never mind, it will be a great secondhand performance car in the future.