Mount Panorama debut set for Toyota GR86

TOYOTA will officially reveal its GR86 sports coupe to the Australian public at The Great Race Festival, part of next month’s Bathurst 1000.

A single pre-production example will be on display at the iconic event from December 3-5 ahead of its official Australian debut in the second half of 2022.

Though full details and pricing of the new ‘86’ will be reserved for its local launch, Toyota Australia says the lightweight body with aluminium roof skin and front guards will provide the low-slung two-door coupe with a very low centre of gravity and superb balance, making it “an outstanding driver's car”.

The affordable sports coupe will ride on a MacPherson strut front and double wishbone suspension rear suspension combination complemented by functional aerodynamic components that include front air outlets, side skirts and rear ducktail spoiler.

The GR86 is powered by a new 2.4-litre horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine co-developed with Subaru that drives the rear wheels via a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. 

It develops 173kW and 250Nm – 21kW and 38Nm more than the outgoing model – which Toyota says is sufficient for the GR86 to cover the 0-100km/h sprint in just 6.3 seconds

Accompanying the final round of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia 86 Series, the unveiling of the GR86 is tipped to make a big impression on fans of the affordable 2+2 coupe – the first all-new model replacing Toyota’s successful ‘FT-86’ that premiered in production form at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011.

"Bathurst is the spiritual home of Australian motorsport and as the third model in our growing GR brand performance car line-up, the GR86 is right at home on the racetrack," said Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley.

"Far more than simply an evolution of the 86, the new GR86 takes the lessons from our motorsport activities and uses them to deliver a thrilling and exciting drive experience – whether that's competing on the track or enjoying a weekend away.

"With the Gazoo Racing DNA built in, the GR86 is a car for drivers who enjoy the journey as much as the destination."

Drawing inspiration from Toyota’s iconic Gazoo Racing formula, the GR nomenclature of the new 86 brings the model into line with the GR Yaris and GR Supra. Local pricing for the 2022 Toyota GR86 is yet to be announced, though it is expected the model will adhere closely to the entry point of the current range, which begins from $32,180 plus on-road costs. 

The GR86’s twin-under-the-skin Subaru BRZ will launch locally in January 2022 priced from $38,990 plus ORCS – $3720 more than the current entry-level model.

According to Mr Hanley, the new Toyota GR86 will build on the “game-changing” qualities of its predecessor.

“The new GR86 has been specially designed for sports performance with precise and playful handling, delivering pure driving pleasure and a strong emotional connection between driver and car,” he said.

“It is a stylish, compact four-seater that draws on Toyota’s impressive sportscar heritage including the legendary 2000GT, Celica GT-Four, MR2 and original Supra, as well as its more recent GR siblings.”

To the end of October this year, Toyota sold 206 examples of the current-gen 86, twenty-one more than Subaru’s BRZ. The Sports Under $80K segment in which the 86 competes continues to be dominated by the Ford Mustang (with YTD sales of 2463), ahead of the Mazda MX-5 (621), BMW 2 Series (436), and Nissan 370Z (219).