Toyota Officially Unveils All-New GR 86

Following the launches of the GR Supra and GR Yaris, Toyota has officially unveiled the latest addition to its Gazoo Racing high-performance lineup, the all-new GR 86.

The GR 86 is the second generation of Toyota’s rear-wheel drive sports car which was known as the GT 86 or simply 86 depending on the market. It was also known as the Scion FR-S when the brand still existed. 

If it all looks familiar, that’s because the GR 86 is still co-developed with Subaru which unveiled its version, the BRZ, a couple of months ago. Even if the two vehicles share the same base, the two companies focused on imbuing their respective models with a distinct driving feel. While engaging in friendly rivalry with the BRZ development team, TGR sought to develop a vehicle that would provide happiness to 86 fans, and realize an evolution of the 86’s unique driving sensations. As a result, the new GR 86 is specially designed for sports performance, and provides direct and satisfying driving performance of the highest order.

Again, the all-new GR 86 shares a lot with the Subaru BRZ in the styling department. The front of the vehicle does feature a GR-specific Functional Matrix Grille and different air vents which should distinguish it from the BRZ. The rear also shares its overall design with the BRZ with only the Toyota badge as the visible difference.

Inside, the GR 86 as expected shares its interior with the BRZ. The overall design is a huge step-up from the first generations of both models. It does feature a new 7-inch digital instrument cluster for the driver and a new touchscreen infotainment system.

Under the hood, as expected again, the GR 86 shares the same engine with the BRZ. It is powered by a 2.4 L horizontally-opposed flat-four engine. Power is slightly higher than on the BRZ though at 233 hp while torque is the same at 250 Nm. It can be paired to either a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission. With the improvements done to the engine, expect 0-100 kph acceleration times to be at around 6.3 seconds, down from the 7.4 seconds acceleration time of the outgoing model.

In terms of safety, variants of the GR 86 that are equipped with automatic transmissions will feature Subaru’s EyeSight technology, a safety suite of driver-assist features that help avoid or reduce collision impacts, and provide emergency rescue support and secondary collision avoidance support in the event of an accident.

The all-new Toyota GR 86 is scheduled to be launched in the company’s home market of Japan in autumn of 2021. Expect other markets including the Philippines to follow next. There is no word yet however as to when and if that will happen.