Devil’s in the detail
FOR Just as sweet to drive but with a proper engine this time
AGAINST Arguably it feels too familiar. Arguably
‘WakuDoki ’ Not a new In The Night Garden character about to muscle in on the Tombliboos’ turf rather the Japanese philosophy of ‘heartpumping excitement’ We’re promised the Toyota GR is chockablock with it
You’re looking at a production ready prototype of the replacement to the GT its subtle switch from ‘GT’ to ‘GR’ representing a change in mindset Where the first iteration of Toyobaru coupe was largely all pieced together by Subaru with a few bespoke dynamic flourishes applied to separate BRZ and GT in the final stages the two teams split much earlier this time around allowing Gazoo Racing ID to bubble close to the surface
Power still comes without the assistance of a single turbocharger the old litre flatfour engine swelling to litres with the cylinders bored out for extra capacity so it’s no bigger or heavier Peak outputs are now bhp at rpm and lb ft at rpm The latter is most vital torque has risen per cent while peaking revs earlier It means the mph time has freefallen secs
It’s described as “the accessible entry ticket to GR” so while prices are yet to be revealed “cheaper than the GR Yaris” appears to be the headline The coupe’s purer than the hot hatch too Rear rather than allwheel drive with your only driving mode selection being how tightly you want the stability control to grip you Otherwise it’s a simple case of nestling into the hugging fabric seat eagerly pressing the starter button then going merrily about your business
The whole thing feels unburstably engineered and invites a real flogging on track its scant weight ensuring the brakes take a long time to even think about going soft And yes it’ll drift Even more keenly than before with such potent torque low down its rev range The GT needed really throwing into a corner to unstick its back axle at least in the dry The GR will start to move under mild load and power
That’s on the Michelin Pilot Sport s of top spec mind Toyota plans to offer the GR in two trims with the base car wearing ecotastic base Primacys like its forebear It’s likely the only choice that you’ll really have to make as Europe won’t get the Subaru BRZ this time around So if it’s WakuDoki you want the Toyota is the place to find it And if the GR Yaris waiting list is getting you down Gazoo’s cheaper alternative has the potential to put an even bigger smile on your face