Photo: Stefan Baldauf
Yesterday’s report revealed Toyota’s intentions towards a possible BMW collaboration to make the next generation GT 86 and we also know a mid-life cycle for the sportscar is in the works, but the automaker said nothing about a special edition carbon fiber being planned.
Toyota GT 86 chief engineer Tetsuya Tada said they are now working on the 2016 model, due to arrive next year, coming with a more powerful engine and maybe a modified final drive ratio to make it feel nippier.
However, our spy photographers just caught a special GT 86 wearing some sporty parts and being tested on the Nurburgring. The white coupe has several carbon fiber parts, including a vented hood, rood and trunk lid, as well as a rear wing, lower suspension and lightweight rims.
All these goodies along with the fact it had red number plates while running the Nordschleife make us thing Toyota is indeed creating a special carbon package for the GT 86 - exactly as Lexus did for the RC F. Maybe to celebrate its recent victory at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring.
You might be tempted into saying this will probably be a TRD aftermarket pack, but this doesn’t explain the replacement carbon fiber roof part. TRD hasn’t offered parts that require you to cut out the car in order to fit them in so far, so this must be a factory special edition.
The possibility of an enthusiast simply testing out his new tuned GT 86 can also be discarded. Those two racing equipped guys in the cockpit appear to look they know what they’re doing. And that red masked license plate is another sign this is one of Toyota’s test cars. If you recall, the Lexus GS F mule spotted on the same track was wearing similar ones.
But don’t get overexcited yet, because those panels will save only around 30 kg (66 lb) or so. Real racing dry carbon fiber parts are way too expensive to be sold by Toyota for a profit to its customers. What concerns us is that vented hood, which hints at a intercooled supercharger system placed under it, just like those Subaru Impreza WRX had.
However, our spy photographers just caught a special GT 86 wearing some sporty parts and being tested on the Nurburgring. The white coupe has several carbon fiber parts, including a vented hood, rood and trunk lid, as well as a rear wing, lower suspension and lightweight rims.
All these goodies along with the fact it had red number plates while running the Nordschleife make us thing Toyota is indeed creating a special carbon package for the GT 86 - exactly as Lexus did for the RC F. Maybe to celebrate its recent victory at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring.
You might be tempted into saying this will probably be a TRD aftermarket pack, but this doesn’t explain the replacement carbon fiber roof part. TRD hasn’t offered parts that require you to cut out the car in order to fit them in so far, so this must be a factory special edition.
The possibility of an enthusiast simply testing out his new tuned GT 86 can also be discarded. Those two racing equipped guys in the cockpit appear to look they know what they’re doing. And that red masked license plate is another sign this is one of Toyota’s test cars. If you recall, the Lexus GS F mule spotted on the same track was wearing similar ones.
But don’t get overexcited yet, because those panels will save only around 30 kg (66 lb) or so. Real racing dry carbon fiber parts are way too expensive to be sold by Toyota for a profit to its customers. What concerns us is that vented hood, which hints at a intercooled supercharger system placed under it, just like those Subaru Impreza WRX had.
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