Been out in a GT86 today!

[MisterK]

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???

I wish the Toyata dealer had let me loose on my own, but the sales guy was only a youngster who was happy enough for me to give it the beens & it was up to the red line in each gear, so can't complain!!!  You're probably right, there isn't too much in it on a like of like basis.  I just can't get my head around the price though!  You might be right about a future rarity - not many people will buy it at £26K+, though I might be proved wrong!

[K T M Rider]

Will be very interesting to see how well it sells, but I do think that whether they become a fairly common sight or not I really can't see them holding their value too well long term.

Image, styling and BRAND appears to be ever more important to so many car buyers (Yawn !), never mind how good the car actually is   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:   - of course these would be reasons not to buy the car new as well, but the hype and novelty factor may see it sell ok at first - whereas a few years down the line it may be destined to be seen as just another forgettable looking jap coupe.

I would think that Subaru's strong performance image will give their version the edge there also !

[mrzwei]

Maths was never my strong subject but it will sell for around $21200 in the US which @ 1.5 is £16600 (I think   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  ).
Obviously this is their target market.

[Richard41]

If they were selling for that in rip off brit.. Sorry UK I would be tempted but fully loaded here is crazy money & Subaru's version is rumoured to be even more   s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  

Will be interesting to see how the 2nd hand market is in a few years.

[Anonymous]

If they were selling for that in rip off brit.. Sorry UK I would be tempted but fully loaded here is crazy money & Subaru's version is rumoured to be even more   s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  

Will be interesting to see how the 2nd hand market is in a few years.

Celica should give a rough idea. They are doing their best to disconnect the two, but surely its the mk5.

[AckersMR2]

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 ?

I just thought that apart from it being RWD it has more in common with a Celica than an MR2?
And as a major appealing factor of the 2 is that the roof folds down doesn't that alone discount the GT86 as a car we would chop our 2's in for? After all isn't that what attracted most of us to them in the first place, the fact that they are so great to drive is an added bonus we didn't know about until we got behind the wheel.

I'm not too sure how it will do in the uk, it is a brave move by Toyota, Hyundai didn't bother with their new coupe. I think the problem is the target market they are selling to worry about running costs but if you make a car that is clean, good on fuel and not an animal to insure then people start comparing performance figures and moan that it's a bit flat, exactly as said here and what the reviews will say.
Make it a 350bhp animal and the tax will be £600, the insurance will be £1000 and it'll do 18mpg and people will be put off by the high running costs!

[AckersMR2]

surely its the mk5.

Mk8!

[K T M Rider]

as a major appealing factor of the 2 is that the roof folds down doesn't that alone discount the GT86 as a car we would chop our 2's in for? After all isn't that what attracted most of us to them in the first place, the fact that they are so great to drive is an added bonus we didn't know about until we got behind the wheel.

Well, there have been strong rumours about a convertible version, so for those with an open top preference the current GT86 ought to whet the appetite a bit.

Personally, I had wanted an MR2 ever since I read road tests on the Mk1 in the mid eighties, the fact that the Mk3 was a convertible was of little interest to me when I bought it and much though I like that feature now, it's the handling that makes me grin like an idiot   s:D s:D

[Anonymous]

surely its the mk5.

Mk8!

 Oops! I had a mk2, have there been 6 body shapes since then?

as a major appealing factor of the 2 is that the roof folds down doesn't that alone discount the GT86 as a car we would chop our 2's in for?

I like the idea of the car being designed from the drawing board as an open top. Not a coupe with the top chopped off, then a load of steel welded on to try and stiffen it up.

[dcod]

Saw my first one on the motorway this morning. Tyres were way way too skinny, looked terrible from behind.

As it came up behind me I first thought it was a Hyudai Coupe but something didn't look right.

[Wabbitkilla]

If I wanted a car like this, I think I'd prefer the 370Z ... far better looking and a nice lump of an engine.

[AckersMR2]

Oops! I had a mk2, have there been 6 body shapes since then?

I like the idea of the car being designed from the drawing board as an open top. Not a coupe with the top chopped off, then a load of steel welded on to try and stiffen it up.

The Celica ran from 70-06, I read it on Wiki so it must be true  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
I agree, a chopped up coupe usually means performance is hampered by the extra weight, either that or there's not enough bracing and the thing flexes like a flip-flop.

I also read the US car is to be produced with cheaper components to a lower spec to keep the price down?

[AckersMR2]

If I wanted a car like this, I think I'd prefer the 370Z ... far better looking and a nice lump of an engine.

+1, my local Toyota dealer also owns a Nissan dealership next door, I don't envy the Toyota reps trying to sell the GT86 when potential buyers can look across the fore court and see a pre registered delivery miles top spec 370Z for the same money?

[Anonymous]

If I wanted a car like this, I think I'd prefer the 370Z ... far better looking and a nice lump of an engine.

+1, my local Toyota dealer also owns a Nissan dealership next door, I don't envy the Toyota reps trying to sell the GT86 when potential buyers can look across the fore court and see a pre registered delivery miles top spec 370Z for the same money?

Just booked a driving experience in a GTR! Now there is a car. Under £75? Bargain.

[Wabbitkilla]

Didn't the 1ZZ start life as a cheap American built unit?

I like your thinking about chopped coupe -vs- roadster designed from the ground up ... it rings truer everytime I think of the concept.
It's a sign of the times that roadsters are now designed and built with greater safety margins, greater refinement, and therefore less involving and boring   s:cry: :cry: s:cry:  

By the way, while I was on holiday in Scotland I didn't see a single other MR2 of any flavour, I shared the hotel carpark for a day with a couple in and old 911 Carerra softop and they always had the roof down like me. Saw several MX5's of varying ages, all with their roofs up or hardtops on. A Ford KA softop with its roof up. Oh I forgot I saw an old MK1 MX5 in town parked up with roof down.

It was sunny nearly all thee time, it makes me wonder why people buy roadsters and don't let their hair down.

I did see one other roadster driving around with its roof down every time I saw it....
it actually looked ok in a GM sort of way

[dcod]

Just booked a driving experience in a GTR! Now there is a car. Under £75? Bargain.

+1

Awesome car. Lucky bugger.   s:D s:D

[Anonymous]

Just booked a driving experience in a GTR! Now there is a car. Under £75? Bargain.

+1

Awesome car. Lucky bugger.   s:D s:D

Its even cheaper about once an hour. I clicked the link to buyagift via fleabay, but noticed the price drops randomly. Dont forget the promo code on the left.
15Aug, Staffs for me. Cant wait. Ill try not to repeat that trackday mortality of last week!  s:| :| s:|

[StephenBennett]

I took one out on Tuesday (Mr T valeted my MR-2 while I did!  s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:  )

I liked the drive. Not sure about the engine note in the car, but the boot was useful with the seats down (I have to buy keyboards that fit in the '2!)

Handling was superb and felt a bit more pokey than the '2 - but a sluggard compared to my ole BMW 328i (which was just as much fun to drive.)

Nice to see Toyota making a proper driver's car though. But at £25Kish - too expensive for what it is.

I just wish the styling inspiration had been from slightly older Toyotas - as it is, the Hyundi (and most of the competition) are nicer looking. Compared to the pretty, understated lines of the '2, it's a dog.



PS I see Porsche are nicking even more styling flourishes from the '2.



Stephen

[stargazer30]

If I wanted a car like this, I think I'd prefer the 370Z ... far better looking and a nice lump of an engine.

+1, my local Toyota dealer also owns a Nissan dealership next door, I don't envy the Toyota reps trying to sell the GT86 when potential buyers can look across the fore court and see a pre registered delivery miles top spec 370Z for the same money?

You guys are comparing apples with pears again.  The 370z has bloody big powerful engine and weighs a heck of a lot more.  The driving experience will be totally different between the two.  The 370z will be heavier on fuel, tax, maintenance costs etc...

[AckersMR2]

The driving experience will be totally different between the two.  The 370z will be heavier on fuel, tax, maintenance costs etc...

I think that's the point I was trying to make, kind of? Are the sorts of people who care about the environment, tax and running costs the same sorts of people looking to buy a new 2 seater sports coupe (let's face it the rears seats are only really for putting the shopping on?)
What they want is big noise, big wheels, big engine and a big p3nis  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  and they'll have the money and pay the premium to get it?

[Anonymous]

That looks good!

For me the Sirocco is a better car than the 86. I had one of the first in the country, wasnt impressed, but still better.

[K T M Rider]

If I wanted a car like this, I think I'd prefer the 370Z ... far better looking and a nice lump of an engine.

suppose it depends how you define 'a car like this'.

To my mind, the GT86 follows the less is more philosophy of MR2s ( especially Mk1 & Mk3) whereas one and a half tonnes of 370Z definitely doesn't, so it isn't 'a car like this' in the first place.

The driving experience will be totally different between the two.  The 370z will be heavier on fuel, tax, maintenance costs etc...

I think that's the point I was trying to make, kind of? Are the sorts of people who care about the environment, tax and running costs the same sorts of people looking to buy a new 2 seater sports coupe (let's face it the rears seats are only really for putting the shopping on?)
What they want is big noise, big wheels, big engine and a big p3nis  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  and they'll have the money and pay the premium to get it?

so presumably you think there would be next to no market for a modern take on the Mr2 Mk1??    s:( s:(

For me the Sirocco is a better car than the 86. I had one of the first in the country, wasnt impressed, but still better.

you prefer FWD then ?   s:? :? s:?

[Anonymous]

I prefer 4WD, but stupid VeeDub only put it on the Golf R.

[AckersMR2]

presumably you think there would be next to no market for a modern take on the Mr2 Mk1??    s:( s:(

To be honest no I don't, and clearly nor do the manufacturers, otherwise they'd be making them?

[K T M Rider]

presumably you think there would be next to no market for a modern take on the Mr2 Mk1??    s:( s:(

To be honest no I don't, and clearly nor do the manufacturers, otherwise they'd be making them?

Of course it depends again how you define it   s:) s:)  I did actually mean one made by Toyota, though arguably there is one out there  - which happens to come with a Toyota engine, the Lotus Elise 1.6.

The Lotus is hardly a bargain at £28.5k, but surely lends weight to the argument that the 86 is overpriced