NEWS: Awesome Toyota GT86 TRD Unveiled

The much-anticipated Toyota GT86 from their official tuning arm, TRD (Toyota Racing Developments), is here – and looks stunning. See more images of the fine looking beast on our Facebook page.
It's the first official UK model grade to feature genuine TRD parts – including beautiful forged 18-inch alloys, front and side skirts, rear spoiler, fast-response quad exhaust and TRD-branded details. It will be available only in Pearl White and GT86 Black. Only 250 will be available in the UK when it goes on sale from 1 March, priced at £31,495 for GT 86 TRD manual, £32,995 for the automatic (OTR), so be quick if you want one!
Toyota say: "Since its launch last year, the Toyota GT86 has revitalised Toyota’s reputation for building cars that are all about the pure pleasure of driving. Now the hugely acclaimed sports coupe – shortlisted for both European and World Car of the Year awards – gains even more appeal with the introduction of the new GT86 TRD... one of the world’s most accomplished and successful after market engineering businesses.
"The focus is on sports styling, but not at the cost of GT86’s essential performance and handling character. The package includes 18-inch cast TF6 alloys, deep front and side skirts, a rear bumper spoiler and a fast-response quad-exhaust system with a rear diffuser to increase stability. The TRD touch also extended to a branded radiator cap and fuel filler cover, while inside the car there is a new TRD gear shift lever. These items are all in addition to GT86’s established equipment specification, which includes HID headlamps, front fog lamps, limited slip differential, Smart Entry and Start, dual-zone climate control, analogue dials and meters, drilled aluminium pedals, sports seats, scuff plates, cruise control and the Toyota Touch multimedia system."
Performance figures remain as standard at 7.7 seconds for 0-62mph and 140mph for the manual and 8.4 seconds and 130mph for the automatic. But there are slight changes in fuel consumption and emissions: 192g/km and 34.9mpg for the manual and 181g/km and 36.2mpg for the automatic (all figures official combined cycle).

Still no turbo unlike the GT4 race car also unveiled this week... but we're pretty sure that'll follow soon!  Meanwhile, what a stunning GT86 TRD have created eh? Usual class act. GT86 just keeps on getting bigger and better for Toyota. Bravo. 

We're also looking forward to seeing what STi can do with Subaru's BRZ... are you?

VIDEO: Toyota GT86: "The Real Deal" TV Advert Full Version

One of the best cars of the decade, and one of the coolest TV advertisements for cars for a decade too? Here's the full version of Toyota's "The Real Deal" TV ad. And you can read what we thought of the car in the latest FREE issue of Road Magazine, standard and tuned at: http://issuu.com/roadonlinemagazine/docs/road_30_small/1

VIDEO: Subaru BRZ vs Toyota GT86

Check out the amazing new Subaru BRZ up against Toyota's GT86 in this comparison test. And you can read all about the two cars in UK specification, and tuned versions FREE in the latest cool issue of Road Magazine at: http://issuu.com/roadonlinemagazine/docs/road_30_small/1

VIDEO: Tim Schrick Subaru BRZ Test

Here's our pal, Tim Schrick's verdict on the Subaru BRZ... from Turbo Automagazin. Will it drift nicely in his hands... what do you bloody reckon?

VIDEO: Toyota GT86 Drift Challenge with Keiichi Tsuchiya

Keiichi Tsuchiya shows off the fabulous new Toyota GT86's drifting capabilities in his 'barrel challenge' in this video. Sweet!

NEWS: New Damd Toyota GT86 Kit

Toyota's glorious new GT86 is already attracting media praise and rightly so. And that's even before the tuners really get hold if it. Here is the styling kit from Damd, available via www.sumpower.com. Check out more images here: www.facebook.com/SumoPower

NEWS: Sumo Power Open Day @ New HQ

Sumo Power – the UK's No.1 supplier of Japanese Performance Parts and sponsors of the UK Time Attack series – are holding an Open Day at their brand new HQ in Daventry, Northamptonshire on Saturday October 6th. Sumo have just re-located at great cost and investment to the new centrally-located venue, to develop their first-rate mail order parts supply business. The Open Day will see some incredible cars on display – including the Sumo Power/JRM-Group GT-R GT3 race cars, championship winning Evo X Group N rally cars, Exo X 360 & 400 RS demonstrators, Nissan Silvia drift car, brand new GT86 project car and a whole host of cars from the GTROC and MLR. Those attending this exciting event will also get a chance to see the new facilities and take advantage of an incredible discounted end of Summer Sale for top-notch parts from HKS, Do-Luck, Rays wheels, Damd styling, Cosworth and more. Get involved! Bag a bargain! It's going to be fabulous. We will be there too! And do follow Sumo on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/sumo_power and like them on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/SumoPower, for all the latest news and deals. And get all the news, special offers and details of the Open Day at the website: www.sumopower.com, where they have an excellent blog with up-to-date info on.

NEWS: Toyota GT86 Scores First Motorsport Victory

Toyota’s exciting new GT86 sport coupe has claimed its first UK motorsport victory – winning the third round of the Toyota Sprint Series at Barkston Heath on Sunday 12 August. Driven and prepared by Adrian Smith of Fensport (http://www.fensport.co.uk) in conjunction with Autocar magazine, the car was competing in the Toyota-sponsored event for the first time and duly won both its class and the event overall. It was also a first win for a rear wheel drive car with a normally aspirated engine since the series began in 2007. Fensport boss, Adrian Smith posted the quickest time of 54.55 seconds around the 0.75-mile Lincolnshire course, six hundredths of a second quicker than the second placed, heavily modified Celica GT-Four ST205 of Iain Gard. Third place went to Autocar’s Steve Sutcliffe who co-drove the GT86 with Smith.
The GT86 used a standard 2.0-litre “boxer” engine and unmodified six-speed gearbox. The only changes made to the road car specification were the suspension, wheels and track tyres.  To save weight the interior was stripped out and fitted with a racing seat.
The GT86 was lined up against a range of standard and modified Toyotas, and its winning time demonstrates the rewards drivers can enjoy from the car’s essential qualities of light weight, agility and strong grip – elements that Toyota made priorities in its development programme.
A great deal of preparation took place very quickly by Smith and his team at Fensport to prepare for the event as the GT86 only went on sale this month in the UK.
Smith said: "Driving the GT86 for the first time on track was an absolute joy, the car has responded so well to our modifications and has proved to be a very capable and extremely well handling package. I am really looking forward to further development of the car and hope to repeat our initial success."
With further development planned for the car, Smith hopes to maintain this winning streak at Croft on 16 September and Snetterton on 20 October.  The Toyota Sprint Series is open to all Toyota vehicles, from standard road-going models to highly modified cars, each competing in their own class against the clock on a series of timed runs. For more details visit www.toyotasprint.com.
This win celebrates the start of GT86 participation in motorsport with Toyota (GB) entering a car in this year’s Britcar 24 hour race at Silverstone from the 21 to the 23 September.  The GT86 is available to buy now from Toyota Centres and is priced from £24,995 on the road.
Find out more about the GT86 racer at: http://www.facebook.com/Fensport & look forward to our road test of the GT86 in www.roadmagazine.co.uk Toyota and Lexus special this Autumn.