Toyota tweaks 86 suspension
BY TIM NICHOLSON | 23rd Jul 2014
The Japanese car-maker, led by the 86's global chief engineer, Tetsuya Tada, has modified the coupe's suspension for a more rigid set-up, which the company says makes for better handling response, ride quality and steering feel.
This was achieved by adjusting how the suspension components are attached to the vehicle's chassis, while body roll was reduced and handling stability improved through the use of new suspension mounts, lower-friction oil, oil seals and guide bushings.
Mr Tada also altered the shock absorbers, refining them for optimised performance at speed or on wet surfaces.
Aside form the mechanical tweaks, the cabin gains a few new extras, with the base GT now featuring the same instrument cluster as the top-spec GTS. This features a digital speed read-out and a rev indicator warning light, while the automatic GT now has a shift position indicator.
Further additions to the GTS include a reversing camera and carbon-look instrument panel surround, while both variants now feature a shark-fin antenna as well as the option of new silver and white exterior paint colours.
Pricing for the GT remains at $29,990, plus on-road costs for the manual and $32,790 with automatic transmission, but the extra specification has lifted the cost of a manual GTS by $500 to $36,490 and $800 for the auto which is now priced at $38,790.
Toyota Australia executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb said the mechanical updates to the 86 will give it even greater appeal in the local market.
“Toyota 86 is an affordable sports car that is all about driver involvement, and its chief engineer is passionate about constantly evolving and enhancing this aspect of its appeal,” he said.
“This clever fine-tuning of the universally acclaimed dynamics of the car will ensure its handling responsiveness is even more closely attuned to the driver's intentions.”The 86 made its local debut in June 2012 and it quickly became something of a hit for Toyota, going on to sell more than 10,000 units in Australia in that time.
On the local sales chart, the 86 is king, with 2159 units sold in the first six months of this year, easily eclipsing the runner-up Hyundai Veloster (1633), while the 86's identical twin – the Subaru BRZ – is in third place with 522 sales.
While the 86 is still selling strongly in Australia, its year to date sales are down by 37.6 per cent when compared with the same period last year, when Toyota had shifted 3460 examples of the coupe.
| 2014 Toyota 86 pricing* | |
| GT | $29,990 |
| GT (a) | $32,790 |
| GTS | $36,490 (+$500) |
| GTS (a) | $38,790 (+$800) |
