Words Marco Rallo / Photos Toyota

Like everything in this world, it’s all a matter of evolution. In the realm of sports cars, those with a few gray hairs will surely remember the pleasant shiver of fear you could feel when attacking a corner a little too enthusiastically at the wheel of an ’80s performance car. The following decade brought profound changes that refined on-road behavior, dramatically raising the limit and paving the way for what came next. Turbocharged engines became far more effective, free of lag in power delivery, while new systems enhanced traction without compromising driving enjoyment. An essential factor when dealing with cars designed with that very purpose in mind.

Then electronics increased, overall weight grew, and we found ourselves distracted by touchscreens and useless gadgets. Everyone started chasing absurd power figures, heavily filtered, and very few were willing to build cars for those who still needed to dream.

In 2012, Toyota and Subaru decided to join forces and create a coupe that would restore the true concept of a sports car. The Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ was an exceptional car, albeit marked by the very limitation imposed by its mission: to reintroduce a different idea of performance to a market that had grown accustomed to something else. Naturally aspirated engine, torque high up in the rev range, and a chassis that would only indulge your need for speed if you were willing to push beyond the comfort zone modern sposts cars had taught us to rely on.

In 2022, the partnership gave birth to the natural evolution of a model that had rightfully earned great success. The Toyota GR86 was once again the result of a joint effort with Subaru, staying faithful to a philosophy of pure driving — one we are still not entirely used to. The work of the Gazoo Racing team was remarkable. The GR86 doesn’t simply freshen up its looks with softer and rounder lines; it has been thoroughly revised at chassis level, boasting 50% greater torsional rigidity than the GT86. There are also minute adjustments to the center of gravity and dimensions, all made possible by the continued use of a Subaru-supplied boxer engine, which allows for particularly low placement in the engine bay.

Speaking of which, displacement has grown from 2.0 liters to 2,384 cc, while output rises from 200 to 234 horsepower. Power delivery remains high — very high — in the rev range, peaking at 7,000 rpm. The crucial improvement of this new ToyoBaru heart, however, is undoubtedly the torque peak of 234 Nm, now available as early as 3,700 rpm, whereas before it didn’t arrive until 6,400 rpm. Fortunately, weight remains low as well: just 1,351 kg for a strictly analog coupe, yet still equipped with everything truly necessary to enhance the driving experience. A 6-speed manual gearbox? Of course. A rear limited-slip differential? Sure. A low driving position and a rich exhaust note that filters into the cabin, amplifying the pleasure of gripping the steering wheel and pressing hard on the throttle? Absolutely.

But be careful, don’t think the GR86 has lost the character that made us love it, flaws and all. While the increase in power — and especially displacement — improves the numbers, dropping 0–100 kph from 7.6 to 6.3 seconds, the 86 remains a car for real driving, not traffic-light drag races. To get the best out of this Japanese coupe, you have to be ready to truly floor the throttle. The steering communicates perfectly and becomes the ideal tool for attacking a winding road that seems to teach us everything we had forgotten while driving cars that assist our gear changes or catapult us out of corners with avalanches of torque and ever-present traction.

No, with the GR86 every well-executed maneuver is your own achievement, and there’s no more satisfying feeling than knowing you are truly the architect of spectacular driving.

The GR86 — like the new BRZ — has not forgotten the reason it was built, though it smooths out a few rough edges that, in the first generation, ultimately divided customers. Some enthusiasts were not yet ready to give up the ease offered by high-performance sports cars and hot hatches. Of course, perfection hasn’t been achieved this time either, but then again, who is perfect? The brakes, despite the low mass, are slightly undersized; the gearbox can still feel notchy on some downshifts and peak power remains modest, at least by today’s standards. Yet none of this prevents it from once again being the kind of car that wins everyone over the very moment you talk about driver involvement.

Much like the Mazda MX-5, it manages to combine everyday usability with the ability to lighten the rear end and play with weight distribution, to feel load transfers making the tires gnash against the asphalt, and to relearn what truly makes a driving enthusiast happy. The real kind. Genuine sensations that twenty or thirty years ago we took for granted, and which today feel like an oasis in the desert of sterile, copy-paste sports cars that prioritize displays and artificial sound over our need to be moved.

TOYOTA GR86

Engine 4 cylinder, 2.384 cc Power 234 hp @ 7.000 rpm Torque 250 Nm @ 3.700 rpm

Traction Rear Wheel Drive Transmission 6-Speed Manual Gearbox Weight 1.351 kg

0-100 kph 6,3 sec Top Speed 229 kph