The Toyota GRMN 86 Concept shown last year at the Tokyo Auto Salon has morphed into a production version, called the 86 GRMN.
Before getting your hopes too high, don’t expect to see it in North America, or even in Europe, for that matter, because, for the time being, it’s limited to the Japanese market. The impressive-looking model comes with a number of improvements that will make its cousins, the Scion FR-S and the Subaru BRZ, jealous.
First of all, the brand new Toyota 86 GRMN has received a bunch of aerodynamic upgrades, which include the front splitter, a carbon fiber hood, plexiglass windows and a large rear wing. The suspension was tweaked too, and the car now rides on 17-inch wheels, covering the six-pot front and four-pot rear calipers and the ventilated brake discs.
Second, the rear-wheel drive model underwent a diet, which helped it lose 100 lbs (45kg), and last, but not least, it has also gained more oomph. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit is still naturally aspirated but the total output has increased from 200PS (197hp) and 205Nm (151lb-ft) of torque to 216PS (213hp) and 217Nm (160lb-ft) of torque. Power is sent to the wheels through a closer-ratio six-speed manual transmission.
Toyota says that the model was developed on the Nurburgring and, in order to back up its statement, it released a video with the vehicle unleashed on the “green hell”.
The Toyota 86 GRMN will be offered in just 100 examples in its home market and each one has been priced from 6,580,000 yen or the equivalent of $54,595, at the current exchange rates. It will be on display at the Tokyo Auto Salon, on January 15, 2016.
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