For 2022 the Toyota 86 has been given the new name Toyota GR 86 along with a substantial and thorough makeover, arriving soon with a complete re-skin, a larger and more powerful engine, an updated interior and a lot of other important tweaks. GR you ask? That is the acronym for Toyota’s Gazoo Racing Team who we’re told brought a lot of the new car’s stank to the stage.
With styling that looks a lot more like the last generation Toyota Supra than the current Toyota Supra, the new 2022 Toyota GR 86 gets a fresh new face with a cleaner looking shape to its LED headlamps and front fascia that only comes off as more contemporary but more expensive than before.
New sculpting and line work along its side flanks tie into functional side vents in the new aluminum fenders. An inch longer and an inch lower, the greenhouse is largely carried over but when you get to the rear three-quarter view it’s got a new attitude.
With a wider planted stance, a new deck lid with an integral duck tail spoiler and a set of LED tail lamps that almost look lifted from an Aston Martin it’s definitely fresh and new. A set of dual exhaust tips round out the all-new look.
The interior gets a significant rework too. While the previous design wasn’t anything to complain about, there’s an all-new dash with modernized controls, displays, and infotainment options. Ahead of the driver is a 7-inch fully customizable digital instrument cluster that really looks like fun.
Thankfully, the aftermarket audio deck look is out and center stage is a more integrated 8-inch infotainment touch screen along with a redesigned center stack and center console. Offered will be the latest and expected connectivity, audio and navigation choices. It’s a fresh look around the perimeter but those great seats have also been improved we’re told.
As before you can choose either a standard six-speed manual or option a six-speed automatic. The latter comes with a with a new Sport mode program.
Big news comes under the hood with a larger and more powerful boxer engine now at 2.4-liters. Bore increases to 94mm with still an 86 mm stroke so now over-square it offers up 228 horsepower and more important a good bump in torque to 184 pound-feet.
And it shall sing with a 7,000 rpm redline. Toyota tells us that the manual transmission version gets faster from 0-60 mph by nearly a full second, now hitting it in a clean 6.1 seconds. The automatic now hits 60 mph in 6.6 seconds.
To chassis, Toyota says that body rigidity has been increased by 60-percent and that along with a number of subtle suspension and chassis tweaks offer better turn-in feel, more stability and overall better handling.
For track driving, you can choose up to five different settings for the stability control which has been re-calibrated to allow more sly and fly before shutting down the party like a micromanaging parent. And yes can also completely turn it off.
The 2022 Toyota GR 86 arrives later this year in colors Track bRED, Trueno Blue, Neptune Blue, Halo White, Steel Grey, Pavement Grey and Raven Black. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.
