Toyota 86: For the amateur of conduct that lies dormant in you

Photo courtesy, Toyota

Jacques Welcome

Sunday, 24 September 2017 19:16

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Sunday, 24 September 2017 19:16

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In a universe of road that is largely dominated by utilities, crossovers, and pickup trucks, the Toyota 86 seems to be part of an endangered species : the sports coupe classic that we offer to enjoy the essence of driving.

The Toyota 86 is a car that we offer for fun. This car at the racy character not overflow however, no horses. Its designers have injected the dose of power that he had, without more, to showcase its very rigid chassis and drive train perfectly tuned. Besides, you will never see a 86 in a ” show of smoke “. However, on a twisty circuit and tight as that of Mécaglisse, Notre-Dame-de-la-Thank you, it does wonders !

Twin of the Subaru BRZ, due to its design and technical aesthetics, the Toyota 86 began its existence under the name of Scion FR-S, in June 2012. When Toyota chose to eliminate the Scion brand, four years later, she adopted the name used in Japan : 86. This number recalls the Corolla Levin AE86, a model sold there from 1983 to 1987, which has enjoyed great success in motor sports (rally and on the track).

This coupe 2+2 has therefore been developed jointly by Subaru and Toyota. Subaru was responsible for most of the technical aspects (chassis, powertrain, suspension, steering, etc), while Toyota has largely dictated the nature of the silhouette. The two manufacturers have not sought to hide this partnership since it is necessary to focus on the details of the front fascia, badges, brand and model, or even to the shape of the rear spoiler to discern one and the other of these two cars. Even their alloy wheels of 17 inches may not be used to distinguish them, since both brands use the same !

Each car offers, however, a color picker separate. Toyota, for example, offers eight colors for the 86, including the new Orange solar, reserved to a special edition introduced this year. For its part, Subaru offers six for the BRZ, including a bright yellow reserved for his version of the Inazuma, the equivalent of the 86 special Edition.

Range simple

The range of the Toyota 86 is simple. It consists of an entry-level version is offered with a manual or automatic transmission, this new special Edition. This is not more complicated than that.

Photo courtesy, Toyota

The dashboard of this coupe 2+2 has been designed primarily to provide convenience to the driver.

The long hood of this coupe cached, moreover, a surprise, at least to those accustomed to the brand Toyota. Lifting it, it is a Subaru mechanical is discovered : an engine with 4 cylinders opposed to flat (or Boxer) is similar to that of the old Impreza. Only major difference : it uses a direct injection system of Toyota. It is recognized, moreover, the sound “rough” characteristic of the Boxer engines at startup ! For the 86 and the BRZ, 2.0 L engine delivers 205 hp and, sadly, it must be fed super.

The 86 is therefore provided with a manual transmission, Aisin 6-speed short that is appreciated for its precise handling. However, the buyer who wants to simplify life by eliminating the clutch pedal (which is, however, very flexible), may provide a box 6-speed automatic with sequential mode and paddle-shift report attached to the steering wheel. This option adds $ 1200 price of the base model, as the Toyota 86 special Edition, it is only available with the manual transmission. A box, whose first report is a bit short. So much so, that in certain circumstances, it is more convenient to use the second report to put the car in motion.

Make heads turn

With his orange robes, the 86 special Edition, naturally gives rise to much attention of motorists who see it. To tempt the buyer, he was also awarded an endowment more complete, including a rear spoiler, exclusive (there is an option for the 86 ordinary) fog lights to LED’s and an underbody aerodynamic exclusive. Inside, there are heated seats dressed in leather with stitching in orange. The same theme of contrasting black and orange is found on the leather-wrapped steering wheel, the bellows of the gear lever and the parking brake lever. His endowment also includes a Smart Key system with push button start system, a unlock touch door locks and air conditioning with control in two areas. Interestingly, the manufacturer has no more than 125 copies of this car for the canadian market.

Photo courtesy, Toyota

It recognizes the Toyota 86 special Edition, among others, to its rear spoiler, accented with touches of black paint.

This special edition comes with a smaller display of 4.2 inches located behind the steering wheel, with an indicator of G-force and a stopwatch, and displays various other information relating to the driving : the power developed, torque curves, the level of coolant and the temperature of the oil. It is also used to display the fuel consumption, which is not the most stellar, I must admit, since the average of a 86 version with manual transmission is estimated at 9.9 L/100 km, depending on the manufacturer.

Great seats

The occupants of the front seats feature bucket seats, enveloping, that support your body perfectly. As for the rear seats, in the true tradition of a 2+2 they are symbolic ! In addition, with a useful volume of only 196 L, the trunk is barely larger than a Mazda MX-5 (130 L). On the other hand, the trunk of the Toyota has the advantage to be scalable, thanks to the foldable backrest of the rear seat, a benefit that may not offer the cute little roadster from Mazda.

Anyway, one quickly learns to travel “light” with this car that we prefer naturally to its dynamic qualities. Because the 86 is a car that is impressive to drive. Very predictable on the road, this propulsion has a power steering set wisely for sporty driving, a brake that module with precision and road-holding is impeccable. It claims to be very powerful. However, its humble 2.0 L air allows it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7 sec, and this in a linear way.

Their competition boils down to currently the VW Golf GTI (220 hp), as well as the new Civic coupe, which Honda is not offering anything less than three engines (one atmospheric and two supercharged) producing 158 to 205 hp. Moreover, some dealers Kia and Hyundai may have the Forte Koup, or Veloster in stock; two sports coupes look very different which shared a attractive 4-cylinder turbo, 201 hp, but who have taken their reverence for 2018. Because, admittedly, the compact sports coupe are definitely an endangered species.

The Toyota 86 dream ?

Photo courtesy, Toyota

Toyota GT86 Shooting Brake

On may 6, 2016, Toyota unveiled the world premiere of a variant spectacular sport coupe 86 in Sydney, Australia : the concept GT86 Shooting Brake. Designed by the australian subsidiary of Toyota, it had been hand-built in Japan.

Recalling the horse-drawn cars to be found in the rich hunting enthusiasts of the 19th century (hence the term Shooting Brake), it took the form of a sports coupe with four seats which they had increased the guard to the roof at the back by stretching it up to the end of the car to increase the useful volume and the accessibility of the trunk.

Brad Cramb, the director of Marketing of Toyota Australia, described it thus : “The Shooting Brake is a solution for chic active couples, or as a second car for families who are looking for something different. It is equally suited to weekend getaways as the circuitry. It would therefore be both a coup de coeur and a rational choice. “

During its unveiling, the engineer responsible for the development of the Toyota 86, Tetsuya Tada, had said that it was a study of internal style and that the production was not considered. “This being the case, it should never say ‘never'”, he added !

Toyota 86

Base price

• 29 580 $ (BVM6);
• 30 780 $ (BVA6);
• 32 555 $ (special Edition).

Transport and preparation

1715 $

Powertrain

L4 DOHC, 2.0 L, 205 hp at 7000 rpm, 156 lb-ft at 6400 rpm. Manual gearbox or 6-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive.

Features

Four-wheel independent Suspension. Disc brakes to all four wheels. Anti-lock braking system series. Tires : P215/45R17.

Ratings

Wheelbase : 2570 mm length : 4235 mm, width : 1775 mm; height : 1 285 mm. Weight : 1252-1 273 kg. Tank Volume : 50 litres. Trunk Volume : 196 L. average Consumption (manufacturer; BVM) : 9.9 L/100 km.

Competition

Chevrolet Camaro 4-cyl., Ford Mustang 4-cyl., Honda Civic coupe, Hyundai Veloster (withdrawn in 2018), Kia Forte Koup (withdrawn in 2018), Subaru BRZ, Volkswagen Golf GTI

Strengths

• On the road copy
• Linear acceleration
• Bucket seats bucket

Weak Points

• The first report is a bit short (BVM)
• Smallness of the trunk
• The rear seats symbolic