2022 Toyota 86 embraces the development of fresh-looking sports cars, more power

2022-Toyota-86

The new Toyota 86 sports car looks great.

Toyota

We saw the 2022 Subaru BRZ last year and Sunday, Toyota launched its version. Welcome to the second generation Toyota 86 sports car in the world, which bends with more power, sharper appearance and the same mission as its predecessor: offering affordable fun for the masses.

Toyota has unveiled the new 86 in Japan with partner Subaru showcasing the BRZ locally for the first time. While the two carry different casings, the 86 is once again largely an identical car to the BRZ. Behind the Toyota Gazoo Racing grille sits a 2.4-liter flat-engine, turbocharged engine that delivers 230 horsepower and 184-pound torque. We’ll have to wait for US specification units to see if the 86 actually produces some more horsepower than the 228 hp of the BRZ, or if the conversion of kilowatt-per-horsepower is generous. Toyota told Roadshow that US information will come in the coming weeks. Like the BRZ, the 2.4-liter engine replaces the 2.0-liter unit with more than 20 hp more and nearly 30 extra lb-ft.

Drivers again have the option of a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, and both send power exclusively to rear tires, which measure 215/40, just like on the BRZ. A set of 18-inch wheels is standard. With the manual transmission, a sprint of 0 to 62 mph should take 6.3 seconds – more than 1 second faster than the outgoing 86 – and the weight only increases by 23 pounds when the new and old cars are compared.

2022 Subaru BRZ

Here are the Subaru BRZ twins of 86.

Michael Shaffer / Subaru

Roadshow understands that the 86 was indeed slowed down under Toyota’s leadership to distinguish the new coupe more from the Subaru BRZ, and from its sound, engineers’ goal was to create an even sportier car. The company said Toyota and Subaru had ‘friendly competition’ when both teams developed the cars, and the former worked to build something more raw. It’s not entirely different from how the current 86 and BRZ position themselves, with the Subaru version the ‘more luxurious’ of the two, but it sounds like Toyota has worked to increase the feel, at least on paper. The carmaker promises a ‘clear’ driving feel from its cousin to meet the goal of achievable performance.

Body stiffness is 50% higher than the old 86, while the use of aluminum for the roof panels helps keep the low center of gravity a focal point. Aluminum also makes its way to fenders to limit weight. New seats and a revised damper also contribute to the minimal weight gain. Meanwhile, functional aerodynamic pieces drip down Gazoo Racing motorsport campaigns. The extra weight is probably due to the fact that the new 86 bundles are composed of Subaru’s EyeSight range driver technology. The whole kit and caboodle come together this time.

Speaking of equipment, the cabin remains a driver-focused area, and like the BRZ gets a new 7-inch screen. When drivers get in, Toyota says that a handy animation series starts with inspiration from the car’s boxer engine. Material in the outgoing 86 is pretty good for the price, and hopefully the 2022 86 will keep it up.

The current 86 absolutely embodies the joy of a “slow-car-fast” driving experience, and we’m pretty excited to get behind the wheel of this new one. So far, evolutionary changes seem to carry the 2022 86, but you know what they say, do not fix what is not broken. The new car will be on sale in Japan this fall, and an American launch should not be too far behind.

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