Kentish Express Ashford & District
Lasting legacy of lightweights
It hasn’t been just Toyota’s new sports car that has taken a featherweight approach to motoring. Jack Evans looks over the lightweight predecessors to the GR86.
The new Toyota GR86 is due to arrive in the UK shortly, continuing a series of cars focused on driver interaction and – more importantly – low weight. With many new sports cars bringing a heavier, more technology-laden approach to driving, cars like the new GR86 – and its GT86 predecessor – feel like a breath of fresh air.
But the GR86 isn’t exactly following a groundbreaking formula, with many cars before it also taking a lightweight approach that really struck a chord with drivers.
Let’s take a look at some of the key models…
LOTUS ELISE
It’s hard to discuss lightweight cars without talking about the Elise. Synonymous with low weight but huge fun, the little Elise has proved to be a hit with drivers throughout the decades. Though sadly discontinued now, it has left a lasting impression. First introduced in the late-1990s, the Elise might’ve changed in look but it never alted that lightweight ethos. It makes for a great used buy today too.
ALPINE A110
OK, so the Alpine A110 is a more recent addition to the car market, but its impact has to be acknowledged. It takes a very similar line to the GR86, in fact, with its immensely light weight and stripped-back interior. But thanks to well-judged suspension the A110 is remarkably comfortable, while its Renault-sourced 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine can be frugal too.
MAZDA MX-5
The MX-5 is one of those cars that is referred to time after time as one of the best options for lightweight and frugal-yet-fun motoring. Throughout its many generations, it has kept this ethos to heart, though the original – called NA – is the car that kicked off the whole thing and is often seen as one of the best. These days, the MX-5 is still super light and great to drive, but is also relatively inexpensive to run.
TOYOTA MR2
The MR2 took a similar approach to the MX-5, albeit on a slightly more compact scale. It could be seen as one of the true predecessors to the GR86, though the two differ considerably when it comes to outright size and performance. They do, however, both share a rear-wheel-drive layout, which is often seen as crucial when it comes to enthusiast cars.
MGB
The MGB is often seen as the quintessential British sports car. Having been produced from the early1960s right the way up until 1980, the MGB was a car familiar to all manner of people up and down the UK, with its quirky styling helping it to stand out on the road. Plus, with a lightweight approach and nimble handling, the MGB proved a hit when it came to tackling British B-roads too.
CATERHAM SEVEN
The Caterham Seven rivals the MGB for British-ness. Based on a car designed by Colin Chapman in 1957, the Caterham Seven – as it was known following Caterham’s purchase of the rights to build the car from Chapman in 1973 – went on to evolve very little over the coming decades. Today, the Seven still follows that featherweight ethos, though power outputs have been hiked considerably compared with those original models.