Fire this one into the sun. It’s the first special edition of the second-generation Toyota GR86, and it’s extremely bright.
Toyota is gussying up its sports coupe with a new exhaust, cool graphics, and an exclusive orange paint shade. The 2023 GR86 special edition goes on sale later this year, and it will be highly limited and ultra-cool. To help you get the most from the package, the GR86 comes with a National Auto Sport Association membership.
The second-generation Toyota 86 went on sale last year. Significant upgrades to the car included a revised chassis that was stronger and lighter, making sure that it remained one of the sharpest-handling cars on the market.
Even better was the new 2.4L flat-four engine. It replaced a 2.0L engine, and the new GR86 makes 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. More than just bigger numbers, the new engine offered more power and torque at nearly any spot in the rev band. That makes it more responsive and quicker when you’re driving, in almost all conditions.
‘Solar Shift’ Orange
The first thing you’ll notice about the 2023 GR86 special edition is the Solar Shift orange paint. It’s only available in the special edition, and it will stand out in almost any crowd.
To set off the orange, Toyota has added matte-black wheels — 18 inches wearing Michelin Pilot Sport 4 performance tires — black trim on the trunk lid and front fender vents, and a big black rear ducktail spoiler. The special-edition cars also get a black hashmark graphic on the rear fender, which helps make the bright-orange paint pop.
Visual & Auditory Fury
The cat-back exhaust is designed by Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s performance arm. It has a deeper grumble than the standard exhaust to make it sound more powerful. In addition, the system has subtle GR logos and black chrome tips that look as good as it hopefully sounds.
GR86 Special-Edition Trim
Toyota didn’t release any photos of the interior just yet, but we know it will be all black. It will have Ultrasuede faux suede and leather along with a GR special-edition badge that’s finished in the same Solar Shift orange as the exterior.
Special-edition trim starts with a GR86 Premium. So it gets that trim’s eight-speaker premium audio system, six-way-adjustable heated seats, dual-zone climate control, and 8-inch touchscreen multimedia system.
Just 860 Units of Special 86
Toyota is building just 860 units of this special edition for the U.S. We think this orange-and-black special-edition GR86 deserves a nickname, and we’re going with “Charlie Brown.”
Toyota didn’t specify, so we’re guessing that you’ll be able to get them with both the six-speed automatic and six-speed manual transmission offered on the standard car. And both of those get a Torsen limited-slip rear differential to help you fire the car out of corners.
Track Car
Everyone who buys a new 2023 Toyota GR86 gets a one-year membership to the National Auto Sport Association.
NASA offers a wide range of track days and racing series events for drivers with skillsets running from first-timers to experienced pros. The group has certified instructors to teach you not just how to drive more quickly but how to navigate high-performance driving events.
Included with the membership — a $59 value by itself — is entry to one High-Performance Driving Event for free, as well as discounted admission to other NASA-sanctioned events. In addition, the group expects to put on more than 300 track days this year, giving you plenty of opportunities to test your mettle.
2023 Toyota GR86 Special Edition
Toyota didn’t announce pricing for the GR86 special edition. However, we expect it to be a couple of thousand above the 2022 GR86 Premium, or somewhere around $33,000.
It should hit dealers later this year and is likely to disappear quickly. So you’ll probably want to get your order in now.
