by Peter Kottwitz
Amidst Toyota’s successful lines of economical family cars, there have been a few times that we have had to do a double take, and wonder “who glued a Toyota badge to that Ferrari”. This phenomenon has happened before in the 1990’s with the introduction of the forever iconic star of the famed “Fast and Furious” movie. The Toyota Supra, a twin turbocharged in-line 6 cyl engine, producing a stock 326hp at the wheels, that could easily be adjusted to produce in the low 600’s, weighing just 3,450lbs and having a near 50/50 weight distribution this car was nicknamed “The Ferrari Killer”. It was not only fast in a straight line, having a top speed of 160 mph, but was also terrific at the new sport of drifting. Being rear wheel drive and having that 50/50 weight distribution it was a perfect tool for the job.
Now a day, there are a lot of cars made for drifting, such as the Nissan 350z, the Mazda RX8, and the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. Well boys, there’s a new bully on the playground fresh from Japan, and the combined minds of Toyota, Subaru, and Scion, the Toyota GT 86 is ready to play. After almost 3 years of design the car was released in December at the Tokyo Motor Show in Tokyo, Japan. Boasting a 4 cyl (Subaru Boxer) engine that produces 197 BHP and a 47/53 weight distribution, to boot, the GT 86 weighs in at just 2,475 lbs, 800 pounds less than its nearest competitor the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. And with a price that’s expected to be in the mid $20,000 range, it’s a clear head and shoulders above the nearest competition.
Expected to be for sale in the United States in early 2013, The GT 86 is one worth waiting for.
GT-86