Toyota's New 205bhp, TRD-Tweaked GT86 Will Cut Your Lap Times
America has been gifted a new special edition Toyota 86 for the 2019 model year, and it comes with some speed-boosting upgrades.
The lightweight sports car has gained the TRD Special Edition model, described as the ‘Ultimate Performance’ 86. Brembo brakes all round, Sachs dampers, a TRD body styling kit and Michelin Pilot Sport tyres all give the divisive 2+2 a big advantage over the standard car, especially on track, where lap times should be faster and more consistent.
The standard, US-spec engine remains, so that’s a 205bhp output (since MY2017) versus the 197bhp we get in the European GT86. It’s backed in this car by a TRD exhaust and should sound a whisker fruitier.
Keen-eyed CTzens will note that the TRD’s spec is very similar to that of the Club Series Blue Edition GT86 that was confirmed for the UK market two months ago. Four-piston Brembo calipers at the front with matching two-piston items at the back haul the 86 up even more effectively, with greater resistance to fade.
Those Pilot Sport 4 tyres, in size 215/40R18, add a butt tonne more cornering grip and would be perfect for circuit days as well as your favourite winding mountain pass.
Only 1418 will be built, all in the same high spec but with a choice of colours including the new Neptune paint option and a red-on-black interior. Standard kit covers heated leather front seats, dual-zone air conditioning and keyless entry, while the options list still contains the sluggish six-speed automatic gearbox for some reason. We’re not against autos; it’s just that auto is a horrible choice for this car.
US buyers can order the 86 TRD Special Edition from August, with basic retail prices starting at $32,420.
Comments
*Adds 8bhp more. “More cash please”
It doesn’t add any power. The standard US-spec GT86 has 205hp.
I thought TRD was their off-road division.
Toyota Racing Development…doesnt say offroad in therr
Here in Indonesia even the cheapest car that Toyota make has TRD in it
Sorry, but I can’t not see this:
ITS DOING ITS FKING BEST ALRIGHT
IT STILL LOOKS HORRIBLE :((((
No turbo?
Toyota (off) Road Division maybe?
Toyota Racing Development
Enthusiats: Hey, Toyota, how about making more powerful GT86?
Toyota: Here you go, Toyota GT86 TRD, with some Brembo brakes all round, Sachs dampers, a TRD body styling kit and Michelin Pilot Sport tyres. No power increase though.
FOR $32K!!!!
Think about how much power comes in the WRX that you can get for that kind of cash.
Nooo, it’s 5 hp more. Big difference. XD
8 HP INCREASE HELL YEAH
NOW THAT’S A BEAST
(not.)
It is actually the same amount of power. It is just 205 (American)hp is the equivalent of 197 (British) bhp. The units are just slightly different
Why is everyone hating on this edition?
I think this is still a good car and the engineers that made the GT86 said that we believe in our 200-hp.
I mean this got a lot of upgrades where it doesn’t matter about power anymore
As Mike Flewitt from McLaren said. It’s no longer a power war, but a weight war!
Bc keyless entry is not a performance upgrade.
GT86 with only 200 hp from 0-100 in 7,5 ish is not exciting after owning one for a year, this car is nothing but “meh” to me. If they would release models with 300 hp and maybe also 400 that would be something else, but their team are stuck in 2. gear.
GT86 is slow, it doesent match its looks
“Slow cars are more fun to drive”
Hurr 86 is underpowered hurr it’s so bad hurr
ye thats exactly what I mean, Ive been saying 200 hp on this car is like nothing, its slow 7.5 0-100aint much to brag about, I suggested giving it maybe a 300 hp verision and ppl have downvoted my comment cuz they think its such a great car with 200 hp and its all about the driver. What point is it to put even better brakes on a car with the same hp?? hmm??!