The Boxer engine, rear-wheel drive, and Z, which stands for Zenith, are the three components that give the BRZ its name. [70] [71] The Subaru BRZ’s front fascia is different from the design of the 86 since it has a different grille, headlamp assembly, and front fender vent. The Toyota’s grill is shaped like a trapezoid, while the BRZ’s is hexagonal. The headlight assembly of the BRZ has a wraparound set of LED parking lights, and the bumper has daytime running lights built in. The Subaru’s suspension system is different from the Toyota’s. [72] Similar to the Japanese Toyota 86, Subaru offers a base RA model that is devoid of the majority of interior comforts and rides on 16-inch steel wheels. The only thing that sets the BRZ RA from from the 86 RC is that the bumpers are painted the same shade as the body. There are two primary trim levels available: R trim, also known as Premium in North America, and S trim, also known as Limited. The S trim (Limited) gained heated leather seats with Alcantara inserts in place of the R trim’s cloth seats, which is one of the most noticeable variances between the trims (Premium). While Subaru stereos are used in Japanese and North American vehicles, Toyota stereos are available in BRZs in Europe and Australia. Initially, Australian BRZs could only be purchased online.
Subaru unveiled a BRZ tS model in 2013 that had been tweaked by STI for the Japanese market. The tS variant comes with upgraded Brembo brakes, a bigger drive shaft, 18-inch silver BBS wheels, a STI bodykit, and a front spoiler. Interior improvements include a revised steering wheel, front seat, instruments, and Alcantara accents. [73] Recaro seats, black BBS wheels, and an adjustable carbon fiber rear wing are part of another tS GT Package. There can be no more than 250 GT packages in the total 500 units of the tS. [74] A similar release of 300 copies was again released solely in Japan in 2015. [75]
In 2014, the Subaru BRZ gained a new key fob, two new colors, and a metallic finish called “WR Blue Pearl” as part of running revisions that were in line with those of the MY15 Toyota 86 GTS.
[76] Subaru also introduced special editions for the markets in Australia and the United States. 1000 BRZ Series are required for the former. Half of the blue versions were painted in Blue Pearl and the other half in Crystal Pearl White, and they were sold separately. This particular model had red brake calipers, 17-inch STI black alloy wheels, and STI body package components. Subaru introduced a comparable model, the Special Edition, for Australia, which was likewise more expensive. It had a rear diffuser, 17-inch STI black alloy wheels, STI boot spoiler, front, side, and rear-side under spoilers, as well as stripes across the bonnet, boot, and roof. It also had a push-button starter switch. Every BRZ paint color that was currently in stock was offered. [77]
Subaru announced the limited-edition Hyper Blue range for the WRX, WRX STI, and BRZ vehicles in 2015 for the 2016 model year. The BRZ’s production in Australia was capped at 50 cars, all with manual transmissions. The aforementioned blue paint and a number of additional visual enhancements define this special edition. [78]
Subaru unveiled a brand-new special edition for the completely revamped BRZ for the 2017 model year. The Series is the name of this edition. Yellow, which had a 500 unit maximum in America, was known as the Inazuma Edition in Canada and had a 200250 car limit. Based on the BRZ’s Limited trim level, this special edition comes equipped with Sachs dampers, 4 piston Brembo brakes up front, 2 piston Brembo brakes up back, a special yellow paint called Charlesite Yellow with black trim, an embroidered yellow BRZ logo on the seats, and yellow accents and stitching throughout the interior. [79]
A limited-edition SOA 50th Anniversary edition BRZ with Heritage Blue exterior paint, satin chrome exterior trim and badging, and SOA 50th anniversary logo was launched by Subaru of America in February 2018. It was based on the Limited trim level. The 50th Anniversary emblem is embroidered on the front seats and carpeted floor mats, and silver seatbelts contrast with the black upholstery in the inside. 250 were produced only. [80]
Subaru stopped taking new orders for the first-generation BRZ at the end of July 2020.
[69]
In This Article...
Is the Toyota 86 no longer being produced?
After selling around 7,500 units in the UK over the course of the last eight years, Toyota has stopped producing the first-generation GT86. It won numerous accolades throughout its tenure on the market, including our Performance Car of the Year award from back in 2012, and it developed a devoted following as a result of its inclusion in video games.
The GT86 will shortly be replaced by a second-generation Toyota vehicle built on a brand-new rear-wheel drive architecture. After the two businesses decided to keep working together on their collaborative sports car project last year, its twin, the Subaru BRZ, has already started to be sold in the US.
How many different Toyota 86 Hakone variations exist?
A recognizable red automobile drew up as I crept across the parking lot of a nearby construction project that had been abandoned before the windows had even been installed, camera in one hand and attempting to avoid ants with the other. Old friends had seen me driving by and pulled into the lot to check out my quirky green rental automobile. Undoubtedly, that was a difficult automobile to overlook.
On the final day of my loan, it was “golden hour”that tense period when the sun is just right, not too high or low, and emits just the right amount of color to highlight a car with quality paint. joband I had little time to complete my photo collection. Although I didn’t actually have the extra time, I also didn’t have enough time to explain why I couldn’t give them a tour of the vehicle.
I handed the key back and made the decision to converse while taking detail pictures, hopefully giving me some time to shoot some last-minute exterior pictures when the tour was through. They climbed into the front seats and began telling me how they were looking for a new, sporty vehicle similar to this one. For pictures, I slipped down the back spoiler.
in fact. The 2020 Toyota 86 Hakone Edition, also known as the “Ha-what?” for those who don’t regularly follow the Cult of Green Cars and Gold Wheels (I keep telling my comrades we need a shorter name if we want to grow our membership), made its US debut as one of the final iterations of the Toyota 86 and the BRZ, the Subaru 86’s sibling that was produced in the first generation.
The vehicles have a 205-horsepower, four-cylinder Subaru boxer engine in common and come with either a manual or automated six-speed transmission. The base model of the special edition Hakone costs $29,870, while the normal 86 starts at $27,060.
My loaner for the week cost $32,778 after upgrades including a $1,100 exhaust system, a $550 sway bar, and a $75 air filter from Toyota’s TRD performance arm.
The jointly created Toyobaru Twins made their debut back in 2011, making them so old that when the 86 hit the market, it was marketed as the Scion FR-S. Toyota’s unsuccessful youth-targeting Scion brand has been dead for five years.
Even yet, Subaru’s second-generation BRZ for 2022, which goes on sale this fall and is based on the Toyobaru Twins, has aged nicely to the point where it barely differs from the outgoing model. There isn’t yet a second-generation Toyota 86 on the market.
My perplexed pals were correct, though. The 86 was beginning to show its agenot so much on the appearance as it was on the inside, which, among 2011 consumers who prized volume knobs and clock displays from this century, was probably already mediocre.
The red light of the buttons inside is less intended to provide a sporty aesthetic and more resembles an antique alarm clock. Without the nostalgia, the infotainment screen’s use brings back memories of when I frequently used an iPod shuffle. The internal switches and buttons lack a satisfying weighted clink and feel more like a Barbie cash register in comparison. The 86 has volume buttons rather than a volume knob.
When a real banger starts playing on the radio, have you ever sat in a car and jabbed your grubby index finger at a tiny plus symbol rather than turning up the volume? It is the complete opposite of cool, dear reader.
However, when my friends pointed out the same superficial problems I did, I felt compelled to defend both the 86 and them.
You see, the 86 is lovely in both literal and figurative senses. Its warm yellow reflection glows off the deep British Racing Green paint that was inspired by, you got it, British motor racing. Oh, were they not talking about colors there? Its bronze wheels have more hues than the color grey, and when the sun hits them in the golden hour, they shine.
When you first enter, the interior is so exquisitely designed that you nearly fail to see its dated characteristics. The black upholstery is pierced by tan material strips, and the contrast stitching stands out sharply: Tan appears on tan leather, while black appears on black leather. Along with the tan leather key holder with black contrast stitching and a “86” impression so deep an ant could swim in it, these details give the car the appearance of being carefully created rather than simply being pushed through a color configurator to appease auto nerds who adore green and gold.
A benefit for your neighbors is that the car’s exhaust sound will let everyone know that you are a Very Serious Driver without being overbearing. Its powerful, low growl makes you feel practically numb from within, as if you are in the jaws of a dinosaur whose limbs you are in control of.
These limbs are jittery as well. The 86 doesn’t have a particularly smooth feeling to it. Shifting is more notchy placement than buttery throw. The clutch’s catch point is small, so engaging first gear seems more like swiping at it in the hopes of catching something.
The 86 Hakone is stiff for a casual street car. Both the driving position and the seats are stiff. Biting throttle is used. The 86 feels like it would tear a piece out of you if it had teethperfect for a buyer who loves something a little raw than the sophisticated six-speed manuals that can be found elsewhere. Despite car aficionados grumbling about the car’s low power output for as long as it has had a power output.
The 86 is unique because Toyota doesn’t require it to be in its lineup, I told my friends as their dull expressions showed their disinterest. Only the 2021 Mirai, a brand-new hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that made its debut as a California-only product, prevented it from being the brand’s second-worst seller in the US that year. Toyota sold 499 Mirais in 2020, compared to 2,476 sales of the 86 and any remaining Scion FR-S vehicles. 6,437 units of the Yaris, which was discontinued in 2020, were sold.
the unstoppable Camry? In contrast to nearly 337,000 in 2019, Toyota sold more than 294,000 of them in 2018.
Subaru of America sold even fewer BRZ models in the US in 2020 (2,267 units) than Toyota did with the 86. The WRX sport compact car finished in second-to-bottom place with 21,178 sales last year, a difference of almost 19,000 vehicles. It was Subaru of America’s worst-selling vehicle.
The 86 isn’t a vehicle. It’s not a car that gets pushed onto and off of dealership lots, so Toyota will devote all of its research and development efforts to it because its features and appeal will deteriorate while it’s on the market.
Yes, the 86 was designed by a business that exists to make money. However, the Hakone Edition is a magnificent way to bestow the 86, which is a blessing to automobile aficionados to have it on the market at all.
I started the 86 to return home as my friends drove away and the sun set behind the Planet Fitness, rendering my camera inoperable for the day.
I considered the unique position it held in the automotive industry: just on the cusp of being obsolete as manual transmissions fade and electrification rises, yet still preparing for a new generation in the interim. Its low growl gurgled around me as I navigated the ant trail I’d tried so hard to avoid before.
The Toyobaru Twins have a similar taste to wine, which presumably contributes to their survival. Once you’ve developed a taste for them, they’re delightful, and even though their labels may appear a little worn, those who are familiar with them know that their interiors hold up well over time.
That’s precisely what they must be for goods that demand an extended shelf life.
In Australia, how many Toyota 86s are there?
Since its debut back in the day, 17,236 copies of the 86 have been sold in Australia. Even though it has decreased from its peak of approximately 300 units, the monthly average is still above 200. With 33% of all sales, New South Wales is the largest purchaser of 86s, as one might anticipate given that it has the largest population. Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, and lastly Tasmania follow.
The split between the Toyota 86 model grades is particularly intriguing. Despite the entry-level GT model’s high starting price of $29,990, sales of the $35,990 (plus on-road charges) GTS account for 47.4% of total sales, with the GT accounting for 26.8% and the limited-edition Blackline accounting for 25.8%.
Given that the Blackline is essentially a GTS-spec vehicle, this is a major victory for the top-tier 86 vehicles. Only 43 manuals remain in stock at dealers across the nation after 407 of the 450 Blackline special editions have already been sold, with all 200 automobiles having been sold out.
You would almost certainly be correct if you assumed that purchasers liked the manual transmission of the 86. In Australia, manual gearboxes are more prevalent than automatic ones, 59% to 41%. It’s interesting to note that this statistic holds true globally, showing that there are still many people who enjoy older forms of motoring.
Regarding enthusiasts, say goodbye to the full-size spare tire. For the 2017 model year, the option of a full-size spare is being completely eliminated because its uptake (for the GTS grade) is less than 1%, or only 79 in total.
The year-to-date numbers for Australia’s entire 86 range are as follows, in decreasing order: GTS Manual accounted for 37.6% of the total, GTS Auto for 29.5 %, GT Manual for 21.3 %, and GT Auto for 11.5 %.
Pricing for the 2017 Toyota 86 will be revealed closer to the vehicle’s arrival in Australia in November.