Ready to thrill: the 2023 Toyota GR86
Toyota created a legendary sports car with its famed AE86 – and the 2023 Toyota GR 86 writes the next chapter of that legend with a chequered flag-winning combination of power, performance, agility, responsiveness, styling, comfort, and amenities. New for 2023, Toyota celebrates the unfettered performance of a pure sports coupe with a limited-edition GR 86, featuring an exclusive colour and other upgrades.
“Canadians who seek the thrill of track-proven driving fun owe it to themselves to get behind the wheel of the GR 86 – designed and engineered from the wheels up by the same team that powers our Toyota Gazoo Racing success on the motorsports world stage,” said Cyril Dimitris, Vice President, Toyota Canada Inc.
The heart of the GR 86 is its 2.4L naturally aspirated horizontally opposed four-cylinder boxer engine – delivering impressive horsepower and torque for linear acceleration across a wide band of RPMs. To squeeze the most fun out of every drive, Toyota Gazoo Racing engineers ensured this power and torque was matched with equally spirited yet confident handling plus impressive acceleration. The GR 86 benefits from a wide stance, low centre of gravity, rigid front and rear frames, air vents to support steering stability, and aluminum components that keep its curb weight down to just over 1,270 kilograms. Other performance-tuned features include a Torsen limited-slip rear differential, sport-tuned independent MacPherson strut front and double wishbone rear suspension engineering, and vented 295mm front and 290mm rear brakes.
Automatic transmission models feature paddle shifters, and employ adaptive controls that sense brake and accelerator operation to quickly shift into optimal gear. Meantime, the manual gearbox features strut bearings that enhance clutch capacity and gear strength, plus a low-catch design that delivers smooth, engaging control.
Curbside, the GR 86 expresses athletic driving fun, with GR-specific Functional MATRIX “G Mesh” Grille, angular LED headlights, aerodynamic front air dams and vents, and side sill spoilers. A low overall height and hip point plus fender tops that extend horizontally to the beltline combine to confer the stance distinctive of front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports cars. Meantime, the GR 86’s low, horizontal underbody and narrow rear cabin impart a “launch-ready” appearance. 2023 body colour choices include Halo White, Track bRed, Trueno Blue, Pavement Grey, Raven Black, Neptune Blue, and Steel Grey.
Inside, drivers will discover a cockpit designed to keep them squarely focussed on the pavement. Digital instrumentation features Normal, Sport, and Track modes and LCD toggle displays with silver trimmed dials. The leather trimmed steering wheel and leather wrapped parking brake handle and gearshift boot add refinement. All models features sport bucket front seats with side bolsters to firmly hold driver and navigator in place when cornering, while the 2+2 configuration offers additional versatility with fold-down rear seats.
Epic drives deserve epic soundtracks, which is why the GR 86 is equipped with a display audio system with 8-inch touchscreen, 2 USB plus 1 Auxiliary port, Bluetooth connectivity, integrated Sirius XM Satellite Radio, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
As a Toyota, every GR 86 also features a comprehensive safety package. This includes the Toyota Star Safety System, rear seat anchors for children’s car seats, a tire pressure monitoring system, and seven airbags.