Tail-happy, more powerful new Toyota GR86 priced

Ahead of its highly awaited market reveal later this month, Toyota has divulged complete price and specification details of the all-new GR86 on its website.

The replacement for the much loved 86/GT86, the GR86 also completes Toyota’s line-up of full-bore Gazoo Racing models available in South Africa after the GR Yaris and GR Supra with the GR Corolla currently being investigated for market release.

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It’s international arrival in April last year, preceding that of its twin, the Subaru BRZ, which incidentally has not been confirmed for South Africa, the GR86 has had its model-count simplified to two models differentiated only by the choice of transmission and certain specification items.

What’s on offer?

Dimensionally, the GR86 measures 4 265 mm in overall length and 2 575 mm on the wheelbase front, with its width spanning 1 480 mm and height 1 310 mm. Claimed boot space is 237-litres.

On the mentioned specification front, Toyota has left very little to chance by equipping the GR86 as standard with matte black 18-inch alloy wheels, push-button start and keyless entry, a new seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as:

• leather/suede heated seats
• six-speaker sound system
• dual-zone climate control
• reverse camera
• silver interior inserts
• folding electric mirrors
• cruise control
• Hill Start Assist
• Adaptive LED headlights
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Blind Spot Monitoring

Reserved for automatic models though is an extended array of safety and driver assistance technologies mirroring the EyeSight system Subaru employs on the BRZ.

This means the inclusion of Auto High Beam Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Brake Assist, rear parking sensors and Lane Departure Warning.

As for the drivetrain itself, the GR86 drops the 86/GT86’s 2.0-litre flat-four Boxer engine for the bigger 2.4-litre FA mill, again without turbocharging as the case is in certain North American models fitted with said unit.

Performance

The greater displacement means outputs of 174kW/250Nm versus 147kW/206Nm delivered to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox with a limited slip differential being included as well.

Performance-wise, the 1 280 kg GR86 manual has the edge over the 1 300 kg automatic with a top speed of 226 km/h and 0-100 km/h in 6.4 seconds versus 216 km/h and 6.8 seconds.

Price

Available in seven colours; white, silver, Night Shadow, Magnetite Grey, Storm Blue, Phoenix Red and Bright Blue, the Toyota GR86 carries a sticker price of R698 100 for the manual and R773 700 for the automatic with a three-year/100 000 km warranty and four-service/60 000 km service plan being included.