Been out in a GT86 today!

[MisterK]

As it's my birthday today, thought I'd give myself a treat and had previously booked myself a test drive in the GT86.  Weather dry and warm but not too much sun & I arrived at Listers Nuneaton in the MR2 with the roof down.  There waiting was a gleaming black GT86.

Had a good look around & quite impressed with the shape, dimensions etc.  Boot was OK but entrance hole a bit small, access to engine was great, front seats fantastic, but rear seats only good for headless, legless dwarfs if front seats set back in a normal position.  Anyway took the car out on the test drive with a very young sales 'executive' who seemed quite happy to let me drive it as I wanted to.  I actually went onto the road I normally commute to work on, so I know exactly what I can do in the MR2 - time to see if the GT86 is better.  

To be perfectly honest, I don't think that there was too much difference.  I would probably have to work a lot harder in the MR2, as I think the roadholding in the GT86 is better, but overall a close thing.  On motorways and wide open 'A' roads then the GT86 would probably be better as it has a higher top speed and higher gearing in 6th.

GT86 Likes:   s:D s:D  
Looks - I do like the look of the car though some might not.
Interior - seats and dashboard are great.
Speedo - digital speedo in the rev counter is very easy to read.
Roadholding - sticks to the road like the preverbial s to a blanket.
Noise - induction noise directed into the drivers footwell sounded great.  Could make it tempting to always put your foot down.

Dislikes:   s:( s:(  
Suspension - really hard and you feel every bump in town when crawling at 30MPH (payback when giving it some thorugh the bends!)
Gearing - too big a ratio between 5th and 6th.  6th is more like an overdrive
Back seats - a bit of a waste of time
CO2 emissions - a road tax cost of £333 per annum is too much.
Exhaust noise - sounds like a wet f*** from outside.  It needs a decent exhaust sound.

Will I buy one - No not at £26,000.  Apparantly, the dealer is not aware of if and when a roadster version will be introduced so I'm happy to stay with my MR2.  The GT86 is good, but not that good.  Maybe a roadster version will make me change my mind.   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  
MarkK

[AckersMR2]

Happy Birthday  s:) s:)

[chris3boro]

Happy Birthday!

Personally I could never bring myself to buy a new car of anything when you consider how much you lose (very quickly!) Glad you enjoyed the trip out, we will probably start seeing quite a few GT68's and BRZ's around in the next year or so

[DannyN]

Stolen from a now very long thread on PH

So the M135i appears to be receiving rave reviews. The figures certainly all add up and journos are suggesting that BMW are back on form for driver appeal and getting all the essentials bang on.

I can't help but draw comparison to the GT86, which for me, seems dreadfully outdated even at launch.

Top Trumps to start:

GT86 £24,995
197 bhp, 151 lb ft, 62 in 7.7, 137 mph, 1239kg, 160 CO2s and 40.9 mpg

M135i £29,995
316 bhp, 332 lb ft, 62 in 4.9, 155 mph (limited), 1425kg, 175 CO2s and 37.7 mpg

Looks - Well neither is pretty, lets be honest. The 1 front end is particularly hard to love inspite of the M Bodykit, but then the GT86 looks like a late-nineties Hyundai Coupe.

Practicality - Beemer seats 4 adults, has a 5 door option and will shortly be available as a spacier 4 seat coupe...the GT86 doesn't.

Ownership - Toyota has a longer warranty, uncharted residual territory though. I'll bet the BM offers a better overall comfort and versatility proposition.

The 1 seems to be making an argument that even the most diehard 86 must find hard to ignore. I mean, come on, 4.9 seconds!!

And now I sit back and wait for the 'but its not a proper coupe' (1 coupe due 2013)'..'but it lacks a slippy diff (I think the 316 horses at your rear wheels will see you have more sideways fun)'... 'but its a fat, overweight, rep car for ppl who don't know any better (drive a 1M and tell me they don't know how to make proper driver's cars)'.. 'but it'll have massive turbo lag (none reported thus far and wall of torque from 1300-4500rpm)'

[stargazer30]

I read the PH thread but it was a bit dumbass comparing a heavier high torque BMW to a the GT86.  The GT86 is pitched more like the MR2.  Fun at sensible speeds, not a torque monster which requires license loosing speeds to be fun.

[Anonymous]

i drove the GT86... weren't that impressed. bit of a dog... think the MR2 is just as quick... however the looks were immense! absolutely stunning in black :O

[loadswine]

The more I see of the 86, the more familiar it looks. I tend to agree with that PH post , that it does look like an older Hyundai coupe. It really does look out of date on release to me.
There are much better looking cars out there. I wouldn't buy one, even if I had the wealth required!

[chris3boro]

Different cars to a point yes, but I have to agree that on comparison with an M135i the BMW looks far better value for money, particularly regarding performance!

[loadswine]

Yep, the BMW looks far better value, quite like those.

[Bekatee]

I read the PH thread but it was a bit dumbass comparing a heavier high torque BMW to a the GT86.  The GT86 is pitched more like the MR2.  Fun at sensible speeds, not a torque monster which requires license loosing speeds to be fun.

^^I agree^^

Beemer service costs and that additional 5K (which is quite a chunk of cash... and i suspect the BMW will be more likely to hold its value a year or 2 down the line!!   s:? :? s:?  ) to purchase the BMW would be enough to put me off... if i was able to even consider either car?!!  s:roll: :roll: s:roll:   s:P s:P   Also, the fact that i know 3 friends who have had their BMWs (a new shape Z4, new shape M3 and new shape 3 series) in and out of the garage with unresolved issues (one, being the weak alloys which crack really easily...?!!   s:scared: :scared: s:scared:  ) ...and all have suffered poor BMW customer service, in addition   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

Plus... the GT86 is the better looking car   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:    s:D s:D   s:D s:D    s:D s:D  

The GT86 looks a lot like a Beemer from the back... when Paul sent a pic of one he'd seen up close, i thought he was losing the plot... then i saw the front view and realised it was the Toyota    s:oops: :oops: s:oops:   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[Two's Company]

I'd have a used M3 over a GT86.  Saloon ones in particular are good value at the moment.  

Hoping that at some point a manufacturer will bring something out with the ethos of the MR2 that doesn't look like it was designed in 1997 and overpriced for the bhp per £.

[Dyn-Evo]

GT86 = a huge waste of time and money...!   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  

Anyone can see that...?

Wait till Subaru start bringing out "hot " versions of their car: it'll make the '86 seem pointless...

...and If (when?) Toyota start souping the '86 up, it'll beg the question "why didn't they just do it from day one!?"

To be relevant, the 86 should have at least 280hp out of the box AND be £25-28k.
OR be as it is, but £18k..?

Too much dosh for not enough, imho......  s:? :? s:?  

Oh well, its not my millions of investment, is it.....?  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[AckersMR2]

I'm struggling to understand what the excitement is all about with this car especially on an mr2 roadster forum? The car is a front engined 2+2 with a boot (which could easily have been a hatchback)
Correct me if I'm wrong but that's nothing like a mid engined 2 seater convertible with a cubby hole behind the seat? Hardly an mr2 replacement, more likely something a celica owners club will get excited about?

[stargazer30]

I'm struggling to understand what the excitement is all about with this car especially on an mr2 roadster forum? The car is a front engined 2+2 with a boot (which could easily have been a hatchback)
Correct me if I'm wrong but that's nothing like a mid engined 2 seater convertible with a cubby hole behind the seat? Hardly an mr2 replacement, more likely something a celica owners club will get excited about?

We are excited as its the first of its kind in a while and its a breath of fresh air when all the main manufacturers follow the pub figures brigade and keep making FWD hot hatches with more and more power that just keep getting heavier and heavier.  With the exception of the MX5 which too has become more watered down as time has gone on, the GT86 is the first of its kind in a long time.  Light, fun at every day speeds, cheap to run (okay the retail cost is a tad steep).

[Richard41]

Didn't do much for me either, agree about the ride, I don't mind hard suspension but it's jarring at times and basically  just hasn't got enough power under the bonnet, fully loaded car is 27k+ which would get something far more entertaining.

I really like the exterior but think the dash is a mess of different sytles, esp from the climate controls up which is just hideous.

[2 of the left]

Anything with a useless sofa in the back and I switch off!!  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Two's Company]

I'm struggling to understand what the excitement is all about with this car especially on an mr2 roadster forum? The car is a front engined 2+2 with a boot (which could easily have been a hatchback)
Correct me if I'm wrong but that's nothing like a mid engined 2 seater convertible with a cubby hole behind the seat? Hardly an mr2 replacement, more likely something a celica owners club will get excited about?

I was interested because mainstream car manufacturers have stopped making light cars that are good to drive. Most "sports" cars are now made by premium manufacturers such as boxster, z4, elise are mostly 40k+ now new.  As a new car I can only think of the mx5 which is similar to the 2 out at the moment. And that looks like a boat with the engine in the wrong place.

[Anonymous]

I'm struggling to understand what the excitement is all about with this car especially on an mr2 roadster forum? The car is a front engined 2+2 with a boot (which could easily have been a hatchback)
Correct me if I'm wrong but that's nothing like a mid engined 2 seater convertible with a cubby hole behind the seat? Hardly an mr2 replacement, more likely something a celica owners club will get excited about?

Its history based it on the Celica and the Corolla apparently.

Oh and a bit of news for everyone - Toyota have 17 cars to be released over the next 2 years so watch this space!

[puma2]

bet you enjoyed that Mark for a birthday trip.  s:D s:D  
you said some far points about the car.
do not think any body here be happy till they bring a direct replacement for the 2 out, then it will be its to expensive,not quite what we wanted from Toyota.
so we will stick to our roadster 2s  s:D s:D

[MisterK]

do not think any body here be happy till they bring a direct replacement for the 2 out, then it will be its to expensive,not quite what we wanted from Toyota.
so we will stick to our roadster 2s  s:D s:D

Spot on there Paul.  I'm happy to stick with the MR2 for as long as it takes for someone (not necessarily Toyota!!) to come out with a Roadster that's affordable - though it might never happen!   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[Richard41]

Hadn't seen another GT86 on the road, blue car parked opposite my house today, colour didn't suit it at all but it was filthy so guess the owner had been enjoying it.

On the test drive I said I would sell for a few organs for a "new" MR2 then he mentioned something about a hybrid   s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  not really what i had in mind, 17 cars sounds promising if the person responsible for the GT86 interior has been reassigned.

[Dyn-Evo]

Dont get TOO excited about "17 new cars " from Toyota!   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  

Most of these will be Corolla / Yaris / Avensis upgrades, a few of them will be Hybrid's and the rest will be variants on these themes..!

...oh, if we're lucky and Toyota are on the ball, we MAY just get a couple of overpriced, overweight, underpowered MR2 Mk4's....!?   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

(oh..I forgot [silly me!]...there's bound to be something 4x4-related, as well, isn't there.....)   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[Anonymous]

I thought the iQ was overpriced, but the new Yaris Hybrid is about £16k! Nuts.

[K T M Rider]

I'm struggling to understand what the excitement is all about with this car especially on an mr2 roadster forum? The car is a front engined 2+2 with a boot (which could easily have been a hatchback)
Correct me if I'm wrong but that's nothing like a mid engined 2 seater convertible with a cubby hole behind the seat? Hardly an mr2 replacement, more likely something a celica owners club will get excited about?

Bit surprised by that comment, as someone whose 'other car is a kawasaki' I thought you would realise more than most that rear drive + an attempt at weight saving, is a good recipe for fun ?

If the new car market was flooded with affordable lightweight mid engined roadsters I would agree with you, but given Toyota's range of recent years, even a diesel estate would look quite interesting if it was circa 1200Kg and RWD   s:) s:)  

took the car out on the test drive with a very young sales 'executive' who seemed quite happy to let me drive it as I wanted to.  I actually went onto the road I normally commute to work on, so I know exactly what I can do in the MR2 - time to see if the GT86 is better.  

To be perfectly honest, I don't think that there was too much difference.  I would probably have to work a lot harder in the MR2, as I think the roadholding in the GT86 is better, but overall a close thing.

I know that if I take my (60Kg) wife out in the MR2, it noticeably dulls the performance, so IMO a much better test drive would be if you  could ditch the 70 /80Kg+ of sales executive???

Has anyone on here driven one solo?

Of course we live in an era where 1500Kg diesels putting out well over 200lbft of torque are common place,but the GT86 isn't playing that game, it's TORQUE to weight ratio is very very similar to that of the 2 and as the two cars are also relatively close in overall weight I would expect its performance edge to be similarly dulled by having a passenger on board.  

Not that surprising either that the two cars have similar 0 to 60 times -  the power advantage not really coming into play until higher speeds where aerodynamic drag is the main factor.

As a skint Petrolhead I think the GT86 is one of the most interesting cars for a long time, especially as the uninspired Hyundai coupeish styling and forever image free Toyota badge should mean they'll have very bad long term residuals compared to anything Porsche, Lotus or BMW ever put out. I think I smell a future bargain   s:D s:D

[chris3boro]

given Toyota's range of recent years, even a diesel estate would look quite interesting if it was circa 1200Kg and RWD   s:) s:)

No kidding, hugely depressing line up for years since axing the roadster!