Toyota unveils new sports car, due on sale in UK in June 2012
In a spirited bid to wrest the sports car agenda from rival Japanese marques, Toyota is pushing its new GT 86 hard as a true drivers’ car, built for emotion as well as locomotion.
The GT 86 was launched at the Tokyo Motor Show today (November 30) and will go on sale in the UK in June 2012. It’s a compact 2+2, pretty as a picture – although, you might think, bearing more than a passing resemblance to Nissan’s 370Z – and with some interesting engineering. Toyota quotes its inspiration as the Corolla GT (or Levin) AE86, which was produced from 1983 to 1987 and claimed two British Touring Car Championship titles and a series of rally victories.
Like this worthy ancestor, the GT 86 is front-engined and rear-wheel driven. Its engine is a revvy four-cylinder boxer unit generating 197bhp at 7,000rpm and maximum torque of 205Nm at 6,600rpm. It combines Toyota’s D-4S injection technology with Subaru’s new, horizontally opposed, naturally aspirated 1,998cc engine. There are separate twin injectors for both direct and port injection, and a high 12.5:1 compression ratio.
The 53:47 front-to-rear weight distribution sounds promising as does the low centre of gravity, at just 460mm, made possible by the flat-four engine format. Toyota also trumpets the GT 86’s low weight, and promises that this overall package gives a great drive with minimal intrusion from electronic systems. Can’t wait!
Driver joy is also enhanced by nifty touches like a three-meter instrument cluster arranged around a large tacho, carbon-effect trim, red stitching (which as we all know makes any car go considerably faster), aviation-style rocker switches and lightweight aluminium pedals.
