Toyota GR86 has landed in SA

It’s been described as an “analogue car for a digital age” because of its purist driving characteristics. The Toyota GR86 has finally hit African soil and was launched locally this week in Port Elizabeth’s Aldo Scribante Racetrack. The key ingredients that make it what it is are the front engine/rear-wheel drive combination. With a Subaru partnership firmly in place, the GR86 uses a naturally aspirated boxer engine.

In the previous GT86, Toyota made use of the same boxer engine configuration but with a 2.0-litre displacement. That has changed in the new GR86, displacement has increased to 2.4-litres for more power and torque. The four-cylinder boxer is naturally aspirated and produces 174 kW from the previous 147 kW. Peak torque is 250 Nm from 205 Nm. We doubt that the reshuffling of numbers here is a coincidence. The result is a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.4 seconds. It isn't the quickest sports car in town but it's quick enough. This sort of car is built for purist driving pleasure and not straight-line speed.

Speaking of speed, the Toyota GR86 has a top speed of 226 km/h when paired with a manual gearbox, and 216 km/h in the automatic. These are the two transmission options on offer in the new GR86, but of course, you would want the manual because that's the sensible choice here. “The shift lever has been redesigned for a short, precise stroke and snug fit in the driver’s hand, while using low-viscosity oil and strut bearings in the mechanism reduces operation force by around 30% in low temperatures.” Says Toyota.

Your average fuel consumption in the auto is 8.8 litres per 100km, while the manual tips the scale at 9.5 litres per 100km. They weren't exactly gunning for the Fuel-Efficient car of the year here.

Toyota has introduced what it calls Active Sound Control (ASC) in the GR86, which essentially funnels engine noise into the cabin through a speaker for a more satisfying “growl” according to the brand. The playback volume changes depending on the selected drive mode. Sport will produce the loudest noise, compared to Normal or Snow.

For improved handling, the Toyota GR86’s overall body rigidity has been increased by 50%. The Torsen limited-slip differential from the GT86 has been carried over to the GR86 for more traction when cornering.

Toyota’s Gazoo Racing (GR) line-up now consists of 3 models - the GR Supra, GR Yaris, and the new GR86.

If you like what you've read so far, read on. This is how much it will cost to have one of these in your garage.

Toyota GR86 6MT R698 100

Toyota GR86 6AT R733 700

Words: Gugu Masuku