Toyota GR86 Does Sub-8min Nurburgring Lap After Tyre Swap

We all know that the new Toyota GR86 is going to prove a great platform for modification, but for anyone not willing to go too far down that rabbit hole, there’s good news. As proved here in a new video from One Lap Heroes, the sports car doesn’t need anything too drastic to unlock impressive performance.

Well, it does need some particularly committed driving, which was provided here by Andrea. As far as the modifications go, the GR86 sports new 17-inch wheels shod in 255mm-wide Yokohama Advan A052 semi-slick tyres, a baffled sump to prevent oil starvation, and an oil cooler. The latter is already been known as a ‘must-have’ item for anyone taking the GR86’s predecessor, the GT86, on track.

With the new rubber and the ability to be driven hard without fear of oil-related issues, the Toyota becomes a formidable Nurburgring Nordschleife weapon, with Andrea managing a 7:59.1 lap - 0.7sec faster than he’s previously lapped in a modified Honda S2000. Sport Auto meanwhile clocked an 8min 27.27sec lap in a GR86 a little while ago, although that was over the full course, rather than the shorter ‘bridge to gantry’ measurement taken when on a regular Touristenfahrten session.

Helping the GR86 along the way during Andrea’s lap is its new 2.4-litre boxer engine, which is 0.4 litres larger than its predecessor and significantly more powerful, developing 231bhp compared to 197bhp. The chassis has been overhauled, too, but there are still further improvements that can be made, and Andrea has plans in the works for suspension upgrades to this one. We can’t wait to see what’s next.