The new Toyota GR86 is scheduled to go on sale in November 2022, Toyota South Africa confirmed to TopAuto.
Initially, it was to make its South African debut in the first quarter of 2022, which came and went with no sign of the GR to speak of.
Thereafter, the athletic coupe was planned to launch at the 2022 Festival of Motoring that took place this past weekend, but much to the disappointment of festival goers it was nowhere to be seen.
We reached out to Toyota to find out what has been keeping the new 86 out of local showrooms.
“[The GR86 was] set for their public debut at Festival of Motoring this past weekend, however this has been postponed,” said the company.
“As an all-new model, the GR86 is currently undergoing homologation and related activities. The GR86 will be released upon completion thereof.”
The automaker said prospective customers can already “register their interest” at their nearest Toyota dealer to be among the first to find out about all the new developments regarding the sporty next-generation two-door.
What to expect
The new 86 forms part of the Gazoo Racing family, which explains the name change from GT to GR.
As a result, handling across all speed ranges has been improved and the 0-100km/h sprint time lowered by 1.1 seconds.
Under the hood, the GR sees a 2.4-litre, naturally-aspirated Boxer engine putting out 173kW and 250Nm in the Japanese models, connected to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.
In manual guise this Toyota sprints to 100km/h in 6.3 seconds, down from the previous 7.4 seconds, while top speed is pegged at 225km/h.
The overhauled coupe further sees more liberal use of high-tensile steel to keep kerb weight down, the chassis’ torsional rigidity has been enhanced by 50%, and additional aerodynamic components serve to make the GR both look cooler as well as cut through air more efficiently than the GT.
Together with a new duck-tail spoiler and 18-inch alloys, the next-gen 86 boasts “superb front-end road-holding and rear-end stability,” said Toyota.
In terms of amenities, the GR 86 in South Africa is expected to come with a 7-inch infotainment display, digital instrument cluster, climate control, smartphone mirroring features, and lightweight seats covered in “extremely grippy material.”
Toyota GR 86
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