The GR86 is a firecracker of a car.

In the 1970s, Nissan, or Datsun as they were known at the time, brought out a car called the Violet. One of the models was the sporty version called the SSS. Presumably, one 's' wasn’t enough. It handled like a softly sprung mattress, the interior stank of plastic, and, well, it had a questionable name.

Datsun even made cars called Laurel, Cherry, Fairlady, Sunny, and Silvia. Having said all of that, they also made the 280Z which, even now, still looks fantastic and is highly desirable. I digress.

The Datsun Violet SSS was known by every Violet aficionado as The Celica Eater. The Toyota Celica looked good and arguably handled better than the Datsun. It might not have had the same sort of pace, but it was a superior car to drive. Mind you, these days, one of the current bog basic Ford Fiestas would knock the socks off both of them.  

Fast forward to the 21st Century, and we arrive at Toyota’s latest incarnation of the Celica idea: the Toyota GR86, which takes over from the GT86. The difference is the subtle alteration to the name. The GR initials are significant because this means the car has been sorted by Gazoo Racing. Gazoo Racing is the brains and engineers behind the GR Supra and the stunning pocket rocket GR Yaris. GR is the sporting arm of Toyota and they’re hugely successful in the World Rally Championship as reigning champions.

It’s also interesting that Toyota wants to maintain some serious fun factors in these GR cars, which explains why you will find a manual gearbox. An automatic is available, but you’d be strongly recommended to stick with a stick. Don’t be fooled; this isn’t a screaming boy racer. This is a car that’s aimed at drivers who want some fun. There are faster and quicker cars out there, but a lot of them are overweight and over-priced. It’s not all about 0-60 times; it’s about understanding how good a car can feel. As my dad used to say, "Anyone can make a car go quickly in a straight line, but going quickly around corners and getting it stopped is the clever bit".

Toyota has gone down the route of building what could easily be called a simple, old-school, front-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car. There’s even a manual handbrake which is great for locking the rear wheels on a snowy road and letting you do a handbrake turn into your driveway. That’ll impress the neighbours. The designer wants you to be able to sense the car performing, just you, the controls, and the road. It’s good old fashioned 'Seat of the pants' motoring. The only equivalent I can think of is the Mazda MX5.

When I compare it to the Toyota GT86, the GR86 has seen more power teased from the engine, which climbs from 2.0 litres to 2.4 litres and shaves a second off the 0-60 time, which now sits at 6.3 seconds. Peak power arrives some 3000rpm sooner, which means you don’t need to work the engine so hard. It’s much more relaxing to drive than its predecessor. The economy will be in the region of mid-30s mpg, and the sound that the engine makes is one of the great characteristics of this car because it’s a Subaru boxer engine. It’s very distinctive.

The GR86 looks better than the GT86. The problem with the GT version was that the tyres looked skinny. Well, thankfully, Toyota has fixed that and now provides 18-inch boots. They fill the wheel arches, which makes the car look more purposeful. The driving thrill is spot on. The steering is perfectly weighted. The 6-speed gearbox has a lovely action (which is handy because you’ll be using it a lot); you have a low-slung centre of gravity which makes the car feel rock-solid on the road, and while the ride is typically sporty, it’s not harsh and soaks up lumps and bumps.

The interior is a typical sports car 2x2 layout. The front seats are supportive and comfy, while the rear seats are really only handy for coats or some soft overnight bags. In terms of kit, it provides loads of safety gadgets plus useful stuff like satnav, climate control, reversing camera, and parking sensors.

The one problem you may be faced with is actually buying one. With prices in the region of £30k, the Toyota GR86 is an absolute bargain. When the order book opened, Toyota UK‘s allocation of just under 500 sold out in 90 minutes. However, it’s still worth checking with dealers because some buyers will drop out.

There’s no doubt that the Toyota GR86 is one of the finest driving cars ever built. It’s wonderful. This could be the car that makes you want to get up on a Sunday morning and just go out for a drive for the hell of it. The Toyota GR86 truly is that good. It’s a future classic.  

Words: Graham Courtney
Pictures: Toyota UK