If anyone dares tell you that Toyota is a company which only makes dull, workaday cars, then point them at the GT86. This is not the product of endless corporate strategy meetings, nor the marketing department’s demands for ever more SUVs.
The GT86 exists because Akio Toyoda, Toyota's chief executive, and Tetsuya Tada, the man who created it, just love simple, light, fun sports cars. The GT86 is roughly 50/50 inspired by the lineage of the Celica coupe and the old rear-wheel drive Corolla AE86 which are such a familiar sight in certain parts of the west and Donegal. Largely engineered by Subaru, it uses a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre flat-four engine, powering the rear wheels.
With just 197hp, many have said that it needs significantly more power but they’re missing the point. The point is to be fun at low speeds (hence the relatively low-grip Prius-spec tyres). The GT86 is all about the sensations from the wheel and the chassis, not outright speed. It’s huge fun and we love it.
Price range: €38,950 to €41,950
Which one? 2.0 Luxury
PCP: from €399 per month