TESTED 25.5.22, SEVILLE, SPAIN ON SALE SOLD OUT PRICE £29,995
Ninety minutes. That's all it took Toyota GB to sell build slots for the two years' worth of GR86 production that's coming our way.
And after that? You may already know this, but there won't be any UK-bound cars after that. In 2024, the 'B' measures of the EU's General Safety Regulation standard come into force in Europe and, short of re-engineering the thing, Toyota isn't able to bring the GR86 up to scratch, so that will be it. Yes, there's a small chance extra slots will become available before then, but given that those would need to be poached from other markets, don't count on it. Even then, any requested car would need to be assembled at Subaru's Gunma plant in Japan (the tie-up established for the old GT86/BRZ continues), shipped, and registered before 7 July 2024, which is when the legislative portcullis slams down.
So, for anyone who has paid their £1000 deposit, bloody well done. For the rest of us, time to discover what exactly it is we'll be missing out on, at least until GR86 examples reach the secondary market, at first almost certainly with premiums attached.
Sounds mad, doesn't it, although you have to imagine premiums will be demanded. This isn't some limited-edition Ferrari - only a four-pot Toyota with less shove than a Volkswagen Golf GTI. But as the GR Yaris has already shown, if you build something that grips the imagination of ordinary' petrolheads and price it sensibly, demand can outstrip that of every supercar on the planet combined and then some. At £29,995 for the manual version, the GR86 is priced very sensibly indeed, and short of Porsche asking Cayman money for the next 911 GT3, the level of genuine, cash-waving demand for this little sports car won't easily be surpassed.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Poster car that went from rusty to trusty
One evening, two years ago, George Pappas was being driven down his local high street by a mate and mulling over whether to replace his Mk4 Golf diesel, a recent purchase that was boring him to death, when his girlfriend, also in the car, spotted an old BMW 3 Series at the side of the road with a 'for sale' sign in the window.
THE SEVEN-SEATER THAT VOLVO DARE NOT KILL OFF
The current-gen XC90 has been on sale since 2015 for good reason
GENESIS ELECTRIFIED G80
Where the story begins, in the Hyundai premium marque’s luxury saloon
LEXUSLBX
Can you shrink premium quality to fit an SUV this small? We now know
Rolls boss ready to 'define the next chapter'
Nine months into the job, Rolls-Royce CEO and car guy Chris Brownridge tells STEVE CROPLEY what he's learned and where the firm's heading
Once more, with feeling
AC Cars' recreation of the classic MkII Cobra is at first glance a faithful facsimile of a 1960s performance benchmark. SIMON HUCKNALL drives it
MERCEDES-BENZ CLE
Does a PHEV set-up work in a coupé that exudes such old-school vibes?
ANALOGUE SUPERSPORT
Lotus Elise specialist uprates 1990s icon with an eye on track days
ALPINE A290
The hot hatch is alive and well, and living in France. On both road and track, there's much to savour`
UK HANGS ON TO OLD CARS
Average car age climbs as high prices dampen demand for new models