- Jon Reay
Toyota GT86 to start below £25,000
Toyota has released pricing and equipment details for their new front-engined rear-wheel-drive coupe - the GT86.
The 2.0 litre Boxer-engined '86, which shares the majority of its design and parts with Subaru's upcoming BRZ, develops around 200bhp and - according to Toyota - should hit 62mph in 7.6 seconds, going onto a top speed of 140.
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It's clear the focus has been on handling rather than outright performance, though, with Toyota anxious to inform about the GT86's limited slip diff, which comes as standard.
Thankfully, they don't appear to have gone all-out to produce a track-hungry, stripped out monster - a whole raft of (we imagine rather heavy, but much appreciated) equipment is included in the £24,995 price tag, including dual-zone air conditioning, 'Toyota Touch' (a touch-screen stereo with Bluetooth streaming and a USB port), 'Smart Entry System' (otherwise known as keyless go), and various other touches like bi-xenon headlights and cruise control.
You'll also get a raft of various safety equipment - VSC stability control with three different modes, and a whopping seven airbags including one for the driver's knees are all included. It certainly looks the part too, with 17 inch alloy wheels, dual chrome exhaust pipes and a rear spoiler all thrown in.
Refreshingly, 'keep it simple' seems to be the formula with regards to pricing - there's only one trim level, and a choice between a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic in the gearbox department; the latter a £1,500 premium over the former.
Colour choices are kept in check too, with just seven suitably no-nonsense sounding options available - 'Dark Blue', 'Dark Red', 'Dark Grey' and just plain 'Orange' to name a few.
As you'd expect, Toyota are happy to provide you with a sheet of additional-cost options to tick if you're still not satisfied, too.
£1,600 buys you a half-leather, half Alacantara interior with red or black detailing and heated front seats; various decals will releive you of between £180 and £380, depending on how many you'd like and where; and upgrading the included Toyota Touch to include sat nav and other trinkets means landing another £750 - which, cheekily, is £250 more than Toyota charge for the identical upgrade on a Yaris.
Order books for the Toyota GT86 are open for UK customers now, with the first deliveries commencing July 1st. Subaru are yet to unveil the prices for the near-identical BRZ, of course, but expect very similar if not identical price tags for this particular coupe.