Toyota GR 86 and GR Supra: two sports cars to dream about

Not long ago, the CEO of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, demanding yet motivating for his engineers, announced that Toyota would stop making boring cars. Something along the lines of fewer Prius… and more GR 86 and Supra. The CEO understood the importance of stirring the customer’s emotions through his cars. Toyota’s new sports cars come close to nostalgia and the pure emotion of the automobile for the pleasure of driving.

Two cars to dream about and to drive: the Toyota GR86 and the Toyota Supra, two genuine, very special coupés, one lightened and more powerful, designed with the track, track days and extreme use in mind, and the other even more so, the manual-gearbox version, genuine and nostalgic, which not even its original manufacturer offers in its range. Curiously, neither is purely Toyota: the GR 86 is the fruit of a joint venture with Subaru and the Supra is somewhat similar but with BMW.

But what is important is what Toyota has achieved in record time: having two spectacular sports cars in its range, two cars of excellent dynamic performance with a concept that almost borders on exclusive sportiness in these times, when everything revolves around electric or electrified vehicles.

Toyota is at the top of motorsport through GR TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and its various sports programmes, such as the World Rally Championship or the WEC, the World Endurance Championship, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which it has just won for the fifth consecutive time. In that legendary race Toyota is already the most successful Japanese manufacturer and is on its way to becoming one of the brands with the most victories to its name.

All these activities show the Japanese manufacturer’s passion for motorsport, which it in turn passes on to its customers through the GR range, its most sporty line, which already has three models in the family: the GR Yaris alongside the GR 86 and the GR Supra. All of this has also given rise to a range of sport-image models, the GR Sport trim levels, sporty finishes that set their cars apart from the standard versions with a bit of spice, which applies to the Corolla, Yaris, C-HR and even the Hilux pick-up, the original base of the Dakar winner.

The perfect recipe for driving enjoyment

The Toyota GR 86 is the perfect archetype of the light and fun coupé, with front engine and rear-wheel drive. But now, in its GR 86 specification, it has a stiffer body, a lower centre of gravity and a reworked, more powerful engine, so Toyota has touched on every element needed to make it much more special, much more sporty and agile to enjoy behind the wheel.

The body height has been lowered by 10 mm and the weight distribution has been moved slightly rearward, closer to the rear drive axle. To achieve an optimal result, Toyota’s engineers have greatly reinforced the body, which is now much stiffer and lighter. The technicians note that structural rigidity has increased by as much as 50 percent compared with the GT 86, which is a very large gain.

Different types of steel and other light materials have been used, along with extensive use of seams and panels with more adhesive to guarantee the best result. Thanks to the application of many aluminium parts, the roof and wings are aluminium, which lowers weight and the centre of gravity. The front suspension knuckles are new, longer and stiffer, allowing more extreme settings and improving steering feel, which is quicker and more direct.

The suspension, shock absorbers and anti-roll bars have also been completely revised. Alongside all this, the engine has been completely renewed, including the electronic management, which is much more sporty. It is still the four-cylinder boxer of Subaru origin, but now with 2.4 litres (previously two litres), naturally aspirated, delivering a power of 234 CV at 7,000 rpm and torque of 250 Nm at 3,700 rpm. A very full, powerful and flexible engine that works well from low revs up to the fuel cut-off, a delight to drive on track and to enjoy to the fullest at the wheel.

In addition, the engine is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox with precise operation and rather short ratios, ideal for getting the most out of it, with 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in 6.3 seconds and a capacity to be driven at the limit that seems more like a competition car than a comfortable road car.

Certainly, the GR 86 is a car worth considering, and even more so after driving it thoroughly, whether you are looking for a car of this type or want something very special. Because for the time being Toyota has announced that 200 units will be built and it will be sold only in Europe and for two years, with a price starting at 32,900 euros. The car is sold very well equipped; in fact, only the RZ trim exists, with manual gearbox only, 17-inch wheels and no conventional options. But Toyota Spain will make two truly special packs available to its customers, two packs for fans and lovers of the extreme use of a really special car.

Option 1 is the “Touring Pack”, which includes high-performance GR brake pads, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres in 225/40 R18 and spectacular 18-inch wheels. This is an optional and additional equipment package, which means that by purchasing it directly we will have two sets of wheels and tyres…

And then there is Option 2, known as “Circuit Pack”, which includes high-performance brake discs and calipers signed by GR and developed for this car by renowned specialists, the 18-inch wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tyres in 225/40 R18, a special tyre for track days, almost a grooved semi-slick to squeeze the car’s potential to the maximum.

The prices:

Toyota GR SUPRA, with manual gearbox

The GR 86 almost leaves you speechless, and you look at Toyota’s engineers and marketing experts with a smile on your face and a gesture of gratitude for what they do, while you clearly see that they are crazier about their cars than the best enthusiasts. A blessed madness that becomes even more evident with the GR Supra with manual gearbox, because here the goal was #SaveTheManual… to save the manual gearbox, undoubtedly a wonderful thing when we think of the use this type of car is meant for: track or track days, or winding, fun roads. It is somewhat like a cry of freedom from an oppressed resistance that refuses to fall under the yoke of the automatic gearbox.

In this case, Toyota’s engineers had to make this rather unusual request to their colleagues at BMW, who developed this car for Toyota and its customers. They had to adapt the intelligent iMT six-speed manual gearbox and everything that entails, including redesigning the centre console where the manual shift lever now sits. The fifth generation of the Supra arrived three years ago but with an automatic gearbox, and now, after listening to its customers, the Japanese brand has decided to include the six-speed manual transmission.

The transformation is no small thing: besides the gearbox there is a new clutch that must handle the power of the 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine with 340 CV. The new GR Supra must stand on its own merits beyond the manual gearbox, and to that end it has been developed along the lines that every good GR demands. To begin with, the car has been lightened as much as possible, no less than 40 kg lighter, which is no small achievement. To achieve this, everything unnecessary has been removed, lighter materials have been used, and even part of the sound insulation has been left out.

The lever and its necessary movements did not fit in the original console. Once the gearbox was chosen, a great deal of work went into determining the gear sets and ratios. In addition, the iMT transmission incorporates the intelligent control system with software developed for extreme use to optimise engine torque during acceleration and in the clutch engagement and disengagement operations, and to favour a behaviour between neutral and oversteer. With all these changes made, it is truly fair to speak of a different car.

The suspension has been heavily reworked with new bushings and stiffer anti-roll bars on both axles, harder dampers and quicker steering. The new GR Supra has a lower centre of gravity, a clearly stiffer body with an optimised weight distribution of 50 percent on each axle, and overall a setup that makes it especially agile and fun, allowing you to slide with everything under control through the traction and stability control with a very sporty calibration, or to enjoy the limit with everything switched off. Without doubt, a car to enjoy.

For the Spanish market the GR Supra M/T will keep the dual offering: on one side the 2.0 with 258 CV and the eight-speed automatic gearbox, and on the other the top of the range, the 3.0-litre with 340 CV. The automatic two-litre has the “Touring Pack” option, which includes active rear differential lock, adaptive variable-damping suspension and high-performance four-piston front brake calipers. For the top of the range, the three-litre with manual transmission, the “Performance” trim is offered, which includes 19-inch wheels, leather upholstery and carbon-fibre inserts in the cabin.

And above this sits the LIMITED EDITION, a limited edition paired with the 3.0 engine of 340 CV and manual gearbox, distinguished by its exclusive matt white bodywork and camel-coloured leather interior. What is the same for all is guaranteed fun behind the wheel.

The prices:

Image gallery Toyota GR 86 and GR Supra