Toyota's eagerly awaited, compact 2+2 sports car, the GT 86, makes its European debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.
On sale throughout Europe in the summer of 2012, the Toyota GT 86 is an entirely driver-oriented vehicle. It gives form to the pure, intrinsic joy of driving through precise, instantaneous response to even the smallest throttle or steering inputs, for those who regard driving as a passion rather than a necessity.
With a low, highly aerodynamic bodyshell stretched tight over the engineering hard points, the new GT 86 is based on an entirely new platform. Shunning a heavy, large displacement powertrain for its performance, the GT 86 returns to Toyota's sporting roots with the world's only combination of a compact, front-mounted, free-revving, horizontally opposed 'boxer' petrol engine and rear-wheel drive.
This unique powertrain format combines with the world's most compact four-seat design, light weight, low inertia and a low centre of gravity for the best possible power-to-weight ratio. These attributes award the GT 86 lively, accessible performance, highly engaging, readily exploitable dynamic abilities with minimal electronic intrusion, and maximum driving pleasure.
Conceived to focus specifically on the purity of the classic sports car experience, designed by a passionate team of engineers, honed through competition and fine-tuned to satisfy the most discerning enthusiast, The GT 86 inherits the spirit of former Toyota sports cars to reward drivers with pure driving involvement.
The GT-86’s interior is as sporty as its outside with a flat-bottomed steering wheel with its very own red stitching. It measures only 365 mm, the smallest yet fitted to a Toyota and has been finished in buckskin finish. In addition to that, the GT-86 also has aluminum pedals, a navigation system, gauges that light with red neon, digital readouts, and a gray instrument panel that seamlessly molds into the darker dash. The car’s cockpit is further reinforced by carbon effect trim, a sporting, all-black roof lining, red upholstery stitching, and aviation-style rocker switchgear. It comes with a large tachometer that offers at-a-glance visibility and readability during sports driving. The front seat has also been designed to offer great comfort, as well as to prevent elbows from interfering with gearshift operation.
The new Toyota GT 86 measures just 4,240 mm long and only 1,285 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,570 mm. It offers a near-perfect, 53:47 weight distribution and a center of gravity of only 475 mm.
The Toyota GT-86 is powered by a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated flat-four engine, the result of a joint development between Subaru and Toyota, combined with D-4S technology (direct injection combined with port injection). With separate twin injectors for both direct and port injection, and a high compression ratio of 12.5:1, D-4S increases power and torque over a wide range of engine speeds without sacrificing fuel efficiency and environmental performance.
In the Toyota model, this engine will only deliver 200 HP at 7000 rpm and maximum torque of 151 lb-ft at 6600 rpm, but Subaru has promised a total of 300 HP for their version. That being said, the base BRZ will come with the same 200 HP that the new GT-86 is sporting, bringing these two models closer than originally anticipated. Subaru’s promised 300 HP will be present in the STI version, leading us to believe that a G-Sports variant for the GT-86 will bring forth the same amount of power.
This engine will be mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. The manual will offer quick and precise shifts with a short-throw, while the automatic transmission will feature sporty shifts controlled by steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifts. Power will be distributed effectively to the rear wheels through a limited-slip differential.
Even now, its styling appears sophisticated, cool and fresh. During the development of the GT 86, a 2000GT was put next to the clay model of new sports car being developed by the designers. Without receiving any specific instructions, the designers continued their work, occasionally looking at the 2000GT. As a result, their work infused the Toyota GT 86 with the spirit of the 2000GT without imitating it.
From the AE86, the GT 86 inherits not its hardware, but its spirit. The AE86 was not an extreme sports car. It was moderately priced, with a mass-produced engine and a compact, front engine, rear-wheel drive body.
The Corolla Levin AE86's front engined, rear-wheel drive powertrain, compact dimensions, light weight, impeccable balance and superior power-to-weight ratio made it the must-have choice for rallying and circuit driving throughout its 1983-1987 production life.
A genuinely lightweight machine which offers the intimacy and involvement of a car that can be driven as if it were an extension of the driver's body, the Toyota GT 86 perfectly recaptures the exhilarating spirit of the last Corolla Levin AE86 and, with numerous customisable parts, shares its aim to be an affordable car that evolves with its owner.
source:netcarshow.com,topspeed.com
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