Toyota’s modern marvel
There haven’t been many occasions when I’ve had more fun behind the wheel of a car. Sitting in Toyota’s Gr86 sports coupe really is back to basics motoring, but with a modern twist. This is a well-tuned and balanced car that embraces the latest road-handling and safety technology without it being overbearing.
It is seen as the spiritual successor to the classic Toyota 2000GT, a one-off topless version of which appeared in the 1967 Bond movie You Only Live Twice. It even has a slick six- speed manual gearbox, remember those days when you actually had to shift a gear-lever?
With a dual exhaust and a great sound, the Gr86 is powered by a 231bhp 2,387cc four- cylinder ‘boxer’ petrol engine that propels it from rest to 62 mph in 6.3 seconds up to a top speed — where legal such as on a track or a de- restricted German Autobahn — of 140 mph. I was sitting in the sparse cockpit with minimal controls staring down the low bonnet to the road. The weather did me no favours, mind.
The heavens opened up to a downpour.
Yet the Gr86’s sure-footedness persevered in the wet as I left the three-lane A3 out of London to the elevated hog’s Back near Farnham, and then onto the tightly turning country roads of rural Surrey. With aerodynamic front air intakes, air outlets and horizontal side spoilers, this is a gorgeously styled, energetic car built to be driven hard. And it rewards you when you do.
The suspension is quite firm, especially on Britain’s potholed roads. But the overall package is sensational — and with a starting price a fraction under £30,000 (£29,995) it’s a bargain.
As a two-plus-two, it’s tight in the two rear bucket seats, but it has a good boot which can expand. Fuel consumption is a relatively frugal 32.1 mpg with CO2 emissions of 200 g/km. An alternative six-speed automatic Gr86 costs from £32,085.
But here’s the bad news. The entire UK allocation of more than 400 Gr86s sold out in just 90 minutes when they went on sale, pre-launch, in April.
So as first customer deliveries begin now, if you’re still keen you’ll have to source a second hand or ‘grey-market’ example.