2022 Toyota 86 is now called the GR 86 and much faster

2022 Toyota 86 is now called the GR 86 and much faster

When the 2022 Subaru BRZ came around late last year, it was an answer to the persistent prayers of the petrolhead lot for a faster model, even though they chose not to strap on a turbo. Toyota hinted that the months-ago delay to reveal their sister-model was because it was going to be very different. The 2022 Toyota GR 86 has now broken cover, almost exactly the same as the BRZ except for a different bumper and an abbreviation of Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division stuck on to its name.

The previous-gen Toyota 86 was a rare yet captivating combination of a proper sports car with a lightweight body, rear-wheel-drive and a manual gearbox. The slightly underpowered 2.0-litre engine was a chink in the otherwise shining knight’s armour. With the new update, Subaru and Toyota try to buff it out a little with a larger 2.4-litre engine churning out 223 hp, 23 hp more than before. The torque figures rise to 250 Nm, a substantial 45 Nm increase over its predecessor. Of course, this will not put an end to the constant appeals for a turbocharged model. The omission of forced induction may have been an intentional move to leave room at the top for the four-cylinder Supra. Yet, with the bigger engine, the new Toyota GR 86 shaves off an impressive 1.1 seconds from the 0 to 100 kph time, which now gets taken care of in 6.3 seconds. The transmission choices remain the same, with the 6-speed manual living on for another generation, accompanied by a 6-speed automatic.

The Toyota GR 86 is engineered to better the fun drive experience of the old Toyota 86, hence the sweet spot of the outgoing model gets more attention. The chassis is worked on to improve torsional rigidity by approximately 50 percent, making sure that turning around a corner will be even sharper. The engineers use aluminium for the roof and fenders, hoping to keep the weight in check. The 2022 Toyota GR 86 weighs just 1,270 kg. Combine that with the increase in power, this little monster should be a hoot to drive. The new, lightweight roof also helps in lowering the centre of gravity, which should have a profound effect on the handling. They have also focused on improving aerodynamics and revising the suspension.

The 2022 Toyota GR 86 looks largely like the BRZ, no surprises there. But, there are some changes. The Toyota sports a more aggressive grill design. There are some changes in the LED headlamps too. The interior of the GR 86 shows off the same design as the Scooby, down to the design of the air vents and pedals.

The 2022 Toyota GR 86 will go on sale in its home market in a few months while we await more details on its arrival on our shores.

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