Toyota GT86 to receive major revisions
POPULAR sports coupé gets facelift, plus improvements under the skin.
Toyota has announced that it is to revise its popular GT86 sports car for 2017
Toyota has announced that it is to revise its popular GT86 sports car for 2017, with changes to the exterior design and cabin, plus mechanical changes that aim to make it even more dynamic.
Changes to the look of the car include new LED headlights and rear lights; new 17-inch alloy wheels; new ‘teeth’ along the bottom edge of the lower grille in the redesigned nose section, designed to help smooth the airflow; plus a new, deeper rear bumper design and aero-stabilising fins on the side of the car.
The last two of these changes are not just cosmetic, but are also designed to improve the aerodynamics.
The focus of the cabin revisions has been to make it more driver-friendly, with a smaller steering wheel, complete with buttons for controlling the audio system and display.
A new 4.2-inch TFT multi-information display is also now included in the instrument binnacle, with a switchable menu that provides information on journey distance and fuel economy, plus more performance-focused data, such as power and torque curves, stopwatch and a G-force monitor.
But the success of the GT86 has been down to the way it drives, with the car finding many fans among keen drivers.
The focus of the cabin revisions has been to make it more driver-friendly
The dynamic character of the car has also be overhauled, therefore, with Tetsuya Tada, the car’s chief designer, saying: “We’ve remade everything.”
The biggest point I wanted to improve was the car’s responsiveness
Changes include a tuning the electronic control systems, with the addition of a new selectable ‘track’ mode that aims to let the driver tap into the GT86’s full potential by adjusting the level of stability and traction control, including a ‘fully off’ option.
The ‘track’ setting justifies its name having been fine-tuned with the benefit of data gathered from the GT86’s performance at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring race.
The car is available in two trim levels, GT86 and GT86 Pro
The chassis quality has also revised, according to Tada: “The biggest point I wanted to improve was the car’s responsiveness – on and off acceleration, turning in and turning out, and the speed and naturalness of its reactions.
“This has partly come from modifying the dampers and springs, but the biggest point of influence has been in aerodynamics and the way this affects the suspension.”
The car is available in two trim levels, GT86 and GT86 Pro, both of which are powered by the 197bhp 2.0-litre engine with six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
Revised version go on sale at the beginning of October, with prices starting at £25,945.