[Closed] Toyota GT86 - Anyone got one/driven one?

The GT86 is the new AE86, great car for drifting! Looks like a baby LF-A.

This review tells you about it all.. 5+ mins for the rear leg room, or lack of it. 😉

I had the Toyota AE86 about 15 years ago; RWD, LSD, lightweight. Brilliant car. That probably doesn't help 🙂

I can't understand why Toyota has made a car "lively" to drive. It has narrower than usual tyres making it "fun" Considering the majority of buyers probably can't drive on the edge will the GT86 be a common site upside down in a ditch when the drivers loose control?

Not been a killjoy but there's a time and a place for spirited driving. I've had a selection of sports cars in the past and have done a fair few track days. Maybe most owners will take it to a track but doubt it.

I was watching this youtube review last week and was surprised how much the it seems to move around on the road.

I haven't driven one, but our local dealer has one in black and it looks fantastic in the flesh.

I have been thinking about one of those to replace my Focus. The wife has a C Max now so I can get something a bit fun. I want RWD and the ability to put a bike in the boot, at the moment its between a GT86, a 1 series coupe and a 3 series coupe. The 1 series is edging it this week.

They've made it lively so it's fun.
On paper a 3 series BMW should be fun, front engine, rear drive etc...in reality (M3 excepted) they are dull, dead, leaden, turgid etc etc....if Toyota can take the same formula but do it right then I'll happily buy one.
The typical BMW driver seems to be my friend who has owned a succession of them. I remember him arriving at mine with a shiny new 330 and taking me for a drive, fast car but something was lacking in the bends....I said he should turn the traction control off, he refused and the drive ended up being a very dull affair, I'd suggest most drivers are like my mate rather than sliding, drifting hooligans....I don't think you need to worry too much.

I had one for a few days, they’re great fun and can be used every day (ave 40 mpg), just go for a test drive you won't regret it!!

The rear seats are near useless for adults, not a clue about the space for Jrn's however with the seat down I got a road bike in the back, 2 mtb would be a squeeze.

If I had the cash, it would be the only car on my list.

I think there's an issue with them arriving with less bhp than claimed. But this can be fixed...... 😉

Drove one recently. It's a nice car and hats off to Toyota for making it. The tyres are off a Prius by the way, not a car known for excitement. Not entirely convinced it's any good for more than two people though, even if one of them is very, very small. Should imagine a child being in the back for any length of time would result in lots of vomit?

Current std Subaru / Toyota cars are underpowered to have any real fun, according to most reviews I've read.

Anyone see the 'shooting brake' rendering doing the rounds this week?

http://www.carthrottle.com/toyota-gt86-shooting-brake-the-86-youll-never-admit-to-wanting/

Looks pretty good, even better if the rear seats actually would fit people with legs.

[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

3 series dull? Have you ever driven one? If you have and you think they're dull handling you must be a driving god.

I reckon that tourer version looks nicer the the coupe.

Must be getting old!!!

Where's surfmatt when you need him? He was AWESOME in his BMW.

I don't know why but it just leaves me stone cold. I've not driven one but its looks, space inside, where it sits?

Weirdly the thought of a Nissan GT-R makes me as hard as a ships mast.

I think they look great, and its a brilliant idea to restrict the width of the rear tyres to make them a bit more lively

Power output isn't massive though. My Leon FR is quicker in a straight line and its not exactly a rocketship.

If you are going to release a coupe into a market place crowded with pretty powerful hatches and one or two coupes then you should be able to compete in terms speed as well as boasting good looks and interesting handling

richmtb - Member

I think they look great, and its a brilliant idea to restrict the width of the rear tyres to make them a bit more lively

From Autocar:
[i]"That [b]215/45 R17 Michelin Primacys[/b] leave the GT86 looking under-tyred is a sign of the times. Yet at the track, the GT86 was still capable of holding [b]0.99g[/b] through corners on the dry handling circuit, on a steady throttle"[/i]

Maybe many other cars are [b]OVER[/b]-tyred these days?

I would suggest that it is not too slow for anything in particular.

A lot of cars now have an excess of straight-line performance, and most people don't drive cars quickly -Most people people tootle about (and many of the others confuse "erratically"/"Furiously" with "quick"). Image is all.

I was invited (yes really) to test drive one when the first demonstrator was in the network. I own a Celica and MR2 so Toyota must consider me a fanboii. I really liked it, comparing it against a hot hatch is way off the mark yes there may be plenty of hatches on paper quicker in a line but that rather misses the point, RWD, boxer. There will be more powerful variations coming but worldwide demand has been high enough to keep things as they are. I drove another one a few weeks ago (mate works at Toyota) and the engine was really nice with its burble and delivered power when you asked it too. It will no doubt suffer the fate of its original owners being in a mid-life crisis to becoming a chav car park warrior in a decade or so. But it's a really nice bit if kit.

Not even seen a BRZ on the roads.

Failedengineer, I've been lucky enough to drive loads of cars. Fortunate to have owned a few and in our younger days my group of friends all enjoyed 'fun' cars...more recently my sisters boyfriend worked as an instructor at Thruxton and I had some access to some very nice cars on days out with him.

Fun cars tend to have more power than grip, a fun car should take you to the edge of grip in a predictable manner and at low enough speeds that you won't die if you cock things up....in my experience the BMWs I've driven don't do this, they are competent cars loaded with electronic aids that have to be pushed into 3 figure speeds before they feel alive...M3 excepted as it has enough power to overwhelm the tyres at modest speeds.

To this day a mk1 MX5 will feel better to drive than most BMWs, it won't be faster (sub 100bhp 1.6 litre engine) but the chassis is sublime, there is no electronic interference between the wheels and the driver and the skinny (by modern standards) tyres will allow much hilarity at sane speeds.

Think Caterham/Westfield '7' type vehicles as for what the ideal should be for having fun....the further a manufacturer moves away from this ideal then generally the more dull a car becomes....modest engines, electronic aids and wide tyres ruin the experience.

I'm being deliberately extreme with my examples but nothing grates like some Dullard with a 318 BMW who proclaims it a great drive....no, this person has no idea.

Which brings me back to why I like the Aygo/C1 to drive soo much. Very light, modest power yet a very rev-eager engine, skinny tyres and boy does it make you smile.

I always said I learned to drive 2yrs after my test pass...when I bought a MX5.

Indeed, the car I still hanker after is a 205 gti for similar reasons, it's not RWD but at 900kgs with that gloriously rough 1.9 engine it was as much fun as I've had in a car...owned 2 and moved on thinking I would always be able to get another....how wrong I was, they now fetch properly daft money!

Maybe many other cars are OVER-tyred these days?

I wouldn't disagree with that, my warm hatch wears 225 section tyres.

And I'm sure the Toyota has a lot to recommend it to serious drivers like the boxer burble and RWD. But in a market place dominated by 0-60 and BHP one-upmanship it might not get the recognition it maybe deserves. (How else can Vauxhall manage to sell so many Astra VXR's?)

I think it will be a slow burner in the UK until they release more powerful versions

I was looking at them as well. Not going to go for it because it is underpowered. Much rather spend the same money on a used P*****E cayman, 370z or a BMW e46 M3.

No idea if its better or worse experience to drive. It has more presence..

[img] [/img]

And I'm sure the Toyota has a lot to recommend it to serious drivers like the boxer burble and RWD. But in a market place dominated by 0-60 and BHP one-upmanship it might not get the recognition it maybe deserves.

Indeed.

0-60 and bhp do not tell the whole story, but can be easily quantified. Reeling off stats requires no skill or understanding.

In the old days people would talk about these things in the pub, but nowadays www forums (like this) are the "pub" discussions, with everybody an expert.

The www view of the GT86 is:
It rides on Prius tyres (whether they are adequate and fit for purpose doesn't seem to matter), needs a turbocharger, has a funny clock and needs to cost less.

looks like a great choice for the more descerning driver who appreciates handling finesse over huge power. And as such I expect it'll be a flop, because most people like to feel that kick up the backside that turbo diesels deliver so well.

I'd have one, if I was in the market for something cheap to run , decent handling.

I'm eyeing one as a replacement for the wifes civic type R in a couple of years when they've depreciated a bit.

No idea if its better or worse experience to drive. It has more presence..

And a much bigger price tag/power output/running costs. Surely a 370 is a better comparison?

Fantombiker - Member

I was looking at them as well. Not going to go for it because it is underpowered.

Do you need/use more power or is it just a case of "because I can"?

I used to be in the "more power!" camp for cars and motorbikes, but I've seen the light and realise that ride, handling (and tyre & suspension setup) are more important.

For me its always:
Steering
then..
Handling
then..
Power

Which also means me considering a Saab 95 Aero is probably a dumb idea.

Deviant - so sliding the back end around on public roads is your idea of fun? You know, I drive many many miles on the roads of this country (and ride motorbikes) and I very rarely see anyone using their powerful (or 'fun', ie MX5) car to anywhere near it's potential. On the Yorkshire Dales and Cumbria twisties my Mondeo is qick enough and fun enough for 99% of drivers. I've come across the odd Elise or Caterham being driven properly quickly, meaning so quickly a bike will struggle to keep up because they are cornering somewhere close to the edge.

I like driving cars and riding motorbikes enthusiastically, but there are limits on the roads -visibility, legality ...and discretion. Fast bikes, fast cars (and posh mtbs) won't make up for a poor operator.

One of the joys of mountain biking is that you often can ride "on the edge" quietly and without running the risk of prosecution or injuring others.

I like the idea of the GT86.

by a second hand celica gt4 or supra TT and enjoy ... buy a modded GT86 in about 10 years.

so sliding the back end around on public roads is your idea of fun? You know, I drive many many miles on the roads of this country (and ride motorbikes) and I very rarely see anyone using their powerful (or 'fun', ie MX5) car to anywhere near it's potential. On the Yorkshire Dales and Cumbria twisties my Mondeo is qick enough and fun enough for 99% of drivers. I've come across the odd Elise or Caterham being driven properly quickly, meaning so quickly a bike will struggle to keep up because they are cornering somewhere close to the edge.

That sounds like my idea of fun, I'll regularly poke the back end out on a roundabout or other similar lowish speed corners, if I assess it to be safe enough to do so. I did it last night on my way home from work.

I've got a caterham 7 , and you cant get anywhere near close to their limit (in terms of high average speed) on the public road without being exceptionally dangerous ,primarily because their corner speed can be so high that if you went round a corner and found you had to stop suddenly, you wouldnt be able to stop in time - ie the principle of only driving at a speed that you can stop from if something appeared at the furthest point you can see.

Most drivers equate fun with fast, as others have said we have become obsessed with 0-60 times, BHP figures etc....my other half has a Mitsubishi L200 pick-up, not a performance vehicle but it has so little weight over the rear axle and rear wheel drive that it can be provoked into sliding the rear on wet roads at little more than walking speeds, that is fun and will teach a driver far more about car control than simply pinning the throttle on something laden with electronic traction aids.
At the risk of sounding like an irresponsible nob, yes I can and sometimes do drive like this on the road. I dont do it when there are other vehicles around, if it goes wrong then it's only me that has to suffer.
Before my employer came over all sensible we had American ambulances by Chevrolet, they were about 4 tons and had a 5.7 litre V8 engine and no traction control....they could (and often were) drifted around the roundabouts of Surrey...great times, now we have diesel Mercs with half the power and TC...boo, hiss.

I think you probably know that I didn't mean roundabouts and low speed corners. You could hang the back end of a Cortina out on a roundabout and have fun.

That principle of being able to stop in the distance you can see always makes me smile, especially when applied to bikes in fast blind corners.

Not driven one, but I would rather have more power from the off.

Not sure I agree with this

On paper a 3 series BMW should be fun, front engine, rear drive etc...in reality (M3 excepted) they are dull, dead, leaden, turgid etc etc

They can be lulled into a bit of fun oversteer in relative safety IME, and are otherwise very balanced and predictable when making progress along a moorland A road (for example) Not that I would have the traction control off until the summer though.

A white Mazda Miyata named "Dave" (after my wife's gay hairdresser friend) is my guilty secret of fun driving.

I'd love a "Dave" with room in the back to bung to a bike... could the GT86 be the answer?

failedengineer - Member

That principle of being able to stop in the distance you can see always makes me smile, especially when applied to bikes in fast blind corners.

It's certainly something I think about, especially whilst I'm riding a motorbike (I [i]may[/i] have been a bit too exuberant on 4 wheels in the past), although some people do seem quite, er, "relaxed" about it.

Hitting a stationary van in the middle of the road around a blind bend wouldn't be much fun.

Feel and feedback for maintaining momentum across country are more important than overwhelming acceleration and a rock hard ride. In most cars, overtaking the typical columns of traffic is hindered by its size/width. A few more horses don't make *that* much difference.

They look great, a future classic i reckon. My old Celica GT was great, underpowered and overbuilt, which is exactly why was such a good 2nd hand car, especially compared to the maintenance intensive Impreza.

My first car was (and still is, in the back of the garrage) an MG Midget.

I can confirm that narrow tyres imparting the ability to slide arround roundabouts without setting off speed cameras using a modest engine is very grin induceing.

Having been on emergency driving courses for both bikes and cars the position of the bike on a bend is crucial. As others said trying to stop a bike in the distance you can see on a tight bend would involve braking hard while leaned over or taking the corner at walking pace, neither being practical.
I was taught to take a left hander on the right side of the lane which gives the best visibility and allows space round anything parked on the nearside, reverse the position for right hand bends but due to us driving on the left, visibility is much improved.

(I may have reported engineers post by mistake while tapping to zoom on my phone, apologies!)

The GT86 is like a modern interpretation of one of these:

[img] [/img]

...no bad thing.

Oooo, you've got me longing for some motorcycling weather .....

hora - Member
Weirdly the thought of a Nissan GT-R makes me as hard as a ships mast.

If your list includes GT86 and a BMW 1-series, I'd have to say go for the 1-series. The consensus appears to be (as noted above) that the GT86 is overpriced for what it gives you, and if you still have a nipper it may not be that practical.

The 1-series, on t'other hand, has a bit more space in the back (relatively), and apparently in 135 or similar guise is pretty good.

If your list includes GT86 and a BMW 1-series, I'd have to say go for the 1-series. The consensus appears to be (as noted above) that the GT86 is overpriced for what it gives you,

The GT-86 is more of a lower spec/power/price 370, Cayman. It's a GT really. If your considering it against a 1 series then the 1 series is certainly for you. I think the Toyota is great value.

I sat in one while waiting for the dealer to do a recall for my tedious family runabout.

It looks ace from outside but, when inside, I couldn't really see the point.

The back seats are unusable (for anyone over the age of 2). Taking these out of the equation it's basically a 2-seater, the rest of the inside wasn't as nice as my mother-in-law's MX5, I can't imagine it driving as well as her MX5 and it cost nearly £10k more.

Aristotle - Member

Fantombiker - Member

I was looking at them as well. Not going to go for it because it is underpowered.

Do you need/use more power or is it just a case of "because I can"?

I used to be in the "more power!" camp for cars and motorbikes, but I've seen the light and realise that ride, handling (and tyre & suspension setup) are more important

Agree ride and handling are important but you do need power and correct torque delivery. But I don't agree with using such cars for fun on the road, pointless and dangerous, so personally I need a practical, comfortable car that's a beast on track days. 200bhp in that weight will not cut it on a track day.

I just don't see the point for example of buying a Nissan GTR and never either tracking or racing it. It won't get you from Manchester to London any quicker...not in rush hour anyway....

I've got a BRZ, the better looking and faster equivalent:-)

As for space then it really depends on how tall you/the misses are?

I have 2 kids and we can get all four of us in it but it's a squeeze and i have to drive with my knees round my ears.

The main problem with smaller kids with it is that the back seat squab is actually too long for their little legs and they end up sticking straight out in to the back of the front seats.

My 4 or 7 yr old can fit behind the misses at 5'6 no problems and its actually more comfortable in the ride department than most hot hatches. But its not really family friendly and you ideally need a hatchback to go with it if you can.

As for performance, its not slow but its not going to rip your arms off. Its very similar to a clio 200/golf gti sort of performance. Most Yank car mags got 0-60 in 6.5 ish and 0-100 in the 16s which isn't bad.

nicko74 - Member
How do these things ALWAYS get onto the subject of Hora and his manhood?!

Because Hora always seizes the opportunity to mention his manhood?

beardo - Member
As for performance, its not slow but its not going to rip your arms off.

I should hope not, if the seat stays in place under acceleration 😉

I had the "mis-fortune" to be taken for a quick blast in a GT86 with my mate driving... frightened the sh*t out of me on country lanes, feels quicker than the paper statistics suggest and stuck well to the road (fortunately).

Would I buy one? For 20 to 25K I'd rather sink my money into a used Boxster, Caymen or even 911.

The benefit of the Toyota is that the running costs are likely to be low and reliability excellent.

I simply said the GTR excites me more.

Lower running costs? Toyota wont be cheap.

However I would rather own a Cayman etc. It just has no presence. No sense of drama/adventure. Its just a two door car.

Toyota's influence is spreading into Subaru and I dont like it.

My definition of cheap running costs is cheaper than Audi or BMW, plus the small tyres can't be too expensive either.

that 3dr brake sod how many bodys how many bikes in the boot,looks nice,nearly as nice as an aged Volvo

It has a lower COG than a Cayman.
It has an LSD.
It runs Prius tyres.
The driving position is perfect.
It has revy, normally aspirated Boxer 2.0 litlre.
It has a peach of a 6 speed manual.

The concept is exactly what the performance car market needed.

My GT86 now has 4000 miles on the clock, and after every drive I'm still smiling just as much now as I was when I first got the car. It's great FUN to drive - and with the traction/stability stuff turned on its as easy to drive as any other boring car. Turn the electronic aids down though and it is sublimely engaging at sensible (legal) road speeds. Agree that the rear seats are of limited value (I'm 6' 2" and a baby seat is all that would fit behind me when I'm sitting comfortably behind the wheel) but having said that I reckon that four 5' 6" people could fit in reasonably comfortably. Practicality ? - fold the seat back down, take the bike wheels off and a full suspension bike (XL size Stumpjumper 120) fits in through the boot opening quite easily, with lots of room left for other luggage. Surprisingly reasonable to insure, and getting 40 mpg on a run (but this dips to 35 or so if you're driving enthusiastically). Experience of local Toyota dealership has been good so far. Looking forward to driving many more miles . . . . . .

Nice to see some sensible grounded opinions appear on this thread. Tonyplym, how easy are getting bikes in? Could it take two? I won't be fortunate enough to buy one for a couple of years, but can't see anything else other than a BRZ/86 I would replace my celica with. Im not too fussed about rear seats as they rarely get used & have no intention of planning a family. Sounds like your enjoying it too!

Can't really see the place of the GT86/BRZ at its price point. If it was hovering around £20k it might make more sense, but for £25k the Megane 265 Cup looks a much better option. All the fun of the GT86, more power (for the all-important willy measuring contest down the pub) and useable back seats.

Can't really see the place of the GT86/BRZ at its price point. If it was hovering around £20k it might make more sense, but for £25k the Megane 265 Cup looks a much better option. All the fun of the GT86, more power (for the all-important willy measuring contest down the pub) and useable back seats.

But all that power is driving the wrong wheels...

Well, if Gran Turismo has provided the majority of your driving experiences, I suppose it is 😉

Seriously though, pretty much every road test comparison says the Megane is ace, the GT86/BRZ is balls. And anyway, FWD cars can provide some top-level fun.

It's academic for me either way. I've found the perfect blend of driven wheels, power, handling, seating arrangements, bike space, economy, etc.

bought mrs TLR a new MX5 roadster in July 2012 - most fun we've had in a car for years [ooh errr....]....

in fact, so good the VFR1200 is retired from touring duties.....

the BRZ / GT86 is a great car imo. back to basics, entertaining and an element more practicality than the mx5......no bad thing...

will a mountain bike fit in the boot easily ? also, what are the wheel PCD / offsets ? i have spare winter wheels in the shed on steelies - might buy one for fun :L)

Fun car that is practical enough to get 5 adults or Mtb inside. Easy.Golf R32 or whatever latest version is called. The best bit is it doesn't look like a knob's car either!

golf is a 4wd. feels numb in comparison, albeit faster with more outright grip and betterr materials. rather missing the point teamhurt.

King-ocelot - as the seat back folds in one piece to give a completely flat uninstructed boot floor you might be able to slide one frame in as far as it'll go, then the second . . . . If I get a minute later today I'll give it a try.

Shame that many seem to think that you can't have fun driving on UK public roads without having excessive amounts of power under you right foot, or without driving at excessive (illegal / license-threatening) speed. Me - I'm happy enough with 200 bhp going to the right pair of wheels, suspension which works well on the majority of road surfaces (so not rock-hard firm), and a nice selection of useful standard fit "goodies" (such as dual-zone climate control and HID headlights) to play with. Toyota/Subaru build quality is also pretty good, and their after-sales service has a good reputation - as my car purchases tend to be for the long term (last car kept for 11 years, 7 years for the one before that) factors such as reliability, warranty and service costs are all important to me too.

the BRZ / GT86 is a great car imo. back to basics, entertaining and an element more practicality than the mx5......no bad thing...

This^

Cheers Tony, I found the Toyota network to be fantastic too unlike Mazda which was another factor in replacing the MX5 with an MR2. The build quality is fantastic on both our celica and mr2, neither rattle inside despite age but plastics are cheap feeling, however that was never high up on my list of priorities.

4wd? Numb? Must be thinking of a different car! Anyway just trying to be helpful, if missing the point!

Some good interesting comments above!

I went and sat in a GT86 yesterday and liked the general cockpit etc. The back seats looked to be a bit of a joke though, im not sure you could even get a car seat for a 3yr old in there.

The sales man was crap, didn't even know how to open the boot! He couldn't tell me if the roof would take a bike rack either, does any one know if it can?

Also done more research about the Subaru. Apparently they handle quite differently so would have to drive both.

Re all the comments about the lack of speed. Its plenty for me, I prefer driving bends, rather than flying down a straight as fast as you can in a hot hatch which then disappoints in the corners. I've also driven some very fast Impreza's and a couple of 300 + BHP rwd cars and all great fun until you realise all you can do is drive them very fast in a straight line, but get no where near the edge of grip on the roads, which makes them dull IMO.

Having said that I had a Mk3 MX5. Technically it was flawless, but it had no soul or character, and I could never buy one again.

I'm going to give it another 6 months or so and see what 2nd hand values are like, see if it can actually takes roof rack and car seat etc,and then test drive the Toyota and Subaru versions.

Buy a turbo Forester

Roof rack - don't think so - no mounting points, and roof is aluminium (so suspect it could be vulnerable to damage). Also no towbar options (again, no fitting points). Might be possible to rig something like a Saris Bones, but the boot spoiler is almost bound to get in the way.

Boot opening - use the release button on the dash (next to interior lighting adjuster - above your right knee if you're in the driving seat; key/remote can also be used (button on key fob) - can also hold it close to the boot and the release button concealed above the number plate will work.

My experience of Toyota sales staff is that they've forgotten how to sell sports cars - their day-to-day customers buy Toyota solely for reliability - they struggle to cope with savvy customers.

Majority of cars destined for UK are Toyota GT86; Subaru BRZ has long delivery schedules and will be much rarer - probably would have bought one myself but didn't want to wait 4 months or more for it.

Try finding a Subaru dealer. My local official one operates out of a tiny industrial estate and charges BMW main dealer rates.

Insulting as he doesnt have a glossy showroom/reason to justify the pricing.

Tony what's under the rubber strips on the roof line? Didn't think it was wise to start pulling the car apart in the showroom.

I've seen pics of a rack in the states that apparently is GT specific, but it does not fit rails but uses in a sense the door frame as leaver to create pressure on the side of the roof. Would be much nicer just to use a Thule rack!

I doubt weight would be an issue as there must be some solid stuff under any thin ally body.

There's a Subaru dealer in Peterborough.

I've seen a rack somewhere on google that sounds as described above that goes horizontal over the roof from the door opening.

Subaru dealer in Chester too.

Asked mate Toyota Mechanic said the rubber strips protect the joining seem underneath its held in by 2 clips

wurzelcube - Member

I had the "mis-fortune" to be taken for a quick blast in a GT86 with my mate driving... frightened the sh*t out of me on country lanes, feels quicker than the paper statistics suggest and stuck well to the road (fortunately).

Other than www/pub bores, who cares which is theoretically "faster"?

To be honest, very few people these days are actually interested in cars -beyond image, gadgets, mpg and tax band.

I love the concept!

Regarding tyre size, 215/45 17" is only small compared to current marketing/styling led tyre choices. And more important is how large the contact patch is under hard cornering - a very low CoG and good suspension geometry means that you keep plenty of tyre on the road. And if the contact patch stays consistent then it's easier to drive close to the limit safely.

The classic Civic Type R wears 205/45 17" tyres, weighs ~80kg more than a GT86, had a higher CoG, similar power and I've never heard anyone bemoan its cornering ability. My car's on tyres another size smaller, and is a bit taller and heavier and is never short of grip on the road. Also, skinnier tyres make long motorway journeys in the wet a less scary prospect as they're less prone to aquaplaning.

chiefgrooveguru - Member

I love the concept!

Regarding tyre size, 215/45 17" is only small compared to current marketing/styling led tyre choices.

The classic Civic Type R wears 205/45 17" tyres, weighs ~80kg more than a GT86, had a higher CoG, similar power and I've never heard anyone bemoan its cornering ability.

Another plus point is that less huge tyres and wheels and low-ish weight (and thus smaller discs) means lower unsprung mass which is such a good thing on British roads!

Can I have a 5-door hatchback wife-approval-friendly version please? 😉