We’re rather big fans of the Toyota GR86 at Car Throttle, which is why we’re keeping our fingers firmly crossed that rumours of a next-generation version being in the works are true
Said rumours have been gathering pace over the last year or so, and last autumn we heard that the next-gen car could get a version of the GR Yaris’ 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder, working as part of a mild hybrid system.
Toyota GR86 – side
Now, though, the same outlet that came out with that report – Japan’s Best Car – has revised its rumours on the car, and now reckons it could wind up with a naturally aspirated version of Toyota’s shiny new turbocharged 2.0-litre inline-four.
The fitment of a free-breathing four-cylinder would be more in keeping with the current GR86 and its predecessor, the GT86, both of which featured Subaru-built four-cylinder boxer engines. Best Car reckons the new inline-four’s compact dimensions will allow the new car to keep a similarly low centre of gravity.
Toyota GR86 – interior
The rumours go on to say that, while Subaru led development on the first two generations, this time it’ll be Toyota doing the bulk of the work. Whether this means there’ll be a third generation of the 86’s near-identical twin, the Subaru BRZ, we don’t know.
Finally, the report suggests that the next generation car will be based on a version of the rear-wheel drive underpinnings used by the Lexus IS. This would mark a change from the first two gens, which sat on their own bespoke platform.
Toyota GR86 – rear
Of course, all of this must be taken with a fairly large pinch of salt. While Toyota’s rumoured to have multiple different sports car projects in the works, the closest thing we’ve had to any official confirmation of a third-gen GR86 is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene in the company’s anime series, Grip.
There’s also, sadly, the very real possibility that any new GR86 will be denied to us in Europe. The second-generation car was only very briefly on sale here in extremely limited numbers due to it falling foul of new safety regulations, and it’s only getting harder and harder to sell small, combustion-powered sports cars on these shores.
