The Toyota GT86 needs no introduction. A future classic, there is no greater driver’s car for its £22,495* starting price. Now, two new models are available – Aero and Giallo – that take the award-winning sports coupé’s architecture and add extra visual punch.
The new GT86 Aero is a delicious proposition. Priced at £27,495, the model’s outrageous styling is an obvious nod to the legendary fourth-generation Supra.
The car sports an athletic body kit, comprised of angular side skirts, a deep-dish front bumper and rear skirts. The rear is dominated by a gloriously outrageous two-tone tailgate spoiler, while the regular 17s that feature on the standard GT86 are replaced by a set of 18-inch OZ Ultraleggera alloy wheels with an anthracite grey finish.
Exclusivity is the order of the day for the GT86 Giallo as just 86 will be produced. Giallo means ‘yellow’ in Italian, fitting given the model’s bold metallic paint colour – seen below – which can be further bolstered by adding single-stripe bonnet, roof and boot decals and twin-stripe side decals at no extra cost.
Inside, the Giallo boasts heated and quilted black leather seats with red stitching; the GT86 logo is stitched into the seats backs in yellow-coloured thread. The centre console features a numbered plaque.
Under the skin of both the Aero and Giallo, it’s business as usual. That means you get a free-revving 2.0-litre, 200bhp boxer engine, capable of reaching 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds, and onto a top speed of 140mph.
These figures only tell part of the story though, because the GT86 is a car that has been engineered to be enjoyed in all driving conditions and at any speed, rather than simply being tuned to deliver vast amounts of outright power. Its rear-wheel drive layout, near-perfect weight distribution, low centre of gravity, and weighty steering means that it is a proper sports car.
Chief engineer for the car, Tetsuya Tada, explains: “…The first thing that hit home to me (when starting development on GT86) was that all sports cars are launched to the same formula. The are very fast, with fast lap times and that was the index that was used to measure how effective the car was. Yet when I spoke to car guys around the world they universally said they didn’t want that. These guys were still repairing their old Silvias and AE86 models.”
Meanwhile, because the GT86 isn’t focused solely on outright power, it’s easy to live with, returning 36mpg and featuring a decent loadspace with fold-flat rear seats.
Above all, the GT86 is a staggeringly good car to drive, spine-tingling in fact. To quote Autocar: “The GT86 has altered the sports car genre. It is the performance car made relevant again; it is the new supercar.” Try one for yourself.
*Price correct at time of writing for GT86 Primo model
how much is gt86 aero with full leather seats
Hi Mike
Thanks for your post and for your interest in the GT86.
If you choose the manual GT 86 then the price is £27,495 on the road (Auto is £28,495). To add full leather seats with front seat heaters would be an additional £1,600 making a total of £29,095 for the manual model. Hope this helps clarify but please let us know if you have any other questions or would like a test drive.
Please reduce the price of the standard GT86 Auto to £20k and I will get one. I am not interested in bling or spoilers. No genuinely classic car has that aero appearance. You want to make it more understated like a Jaguar or Aston. I do not want keyless ignition, folding mirrors and other pointless things that just make it expensive for zero functional gain. Sales of the GT86 have been poor in the UK and the reason is simple. Most people can’t afford over £20k (after income tax, NI etc) for a fun car.
Hi Peter
Thanks for your post and for your interest in the GT86.
We do appreciate your comments about the car and the equipment offered. Specification is probably the greatest challenge we face, as we try to offer a grade line up that is logical in terms of spec offered and price but also remains competitive in the segment in which it is sold. We do have to accept however that it is never going to be easy to meet individual requirements but we do appreciate any feedback in this regard. We do not have any current plans to change the GT86 line-up at present but will pass these comments back to the product team. Thanks again for your post and if you do have any other questions please let us know.
Ifind my gt86 aero a fantastic looking car just what i was looking for after my first gt86.My only question is you state 200 hp, but all the motoring media quote 197 why is this.
Hi Mike,
Thank you for your post. We quote 197 bhp and 200 hp. Hope this helps and if you have any other questions please let us know.
Hi Charlotte, My aero is 3 years old now and I want to buy a new one but have been told you no longer make this model is this true.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for getting in touch.
Unfortunately, we have stopped selling the GT86 Aero. You will be able to find out more information on the current GT86 model here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/new-cars/gt86/.
Thanks.
Hi I find the gt86 aero the best looking car on the road iff I cannot get a new one I will go for a honder type R. Regards Mike davis
Hi Toyota. Such a shame the Aero has been discontinued as I was going to have another one which would have been my 3rd . My car continues to get looks and admiration from people. I’m afraid it’s a deal breaker for me. If I can’t get another new Aero there is nothing else in the Toyota range which appeals to me. Shame.
Hi Nick,
Thanks for getting in touch. It’s great to hear how much you love the Aero and we wish you many more happy miles behind the wheel.
Thanks.
Hi Ryan. Same here I am now looking at a new Honda civic type R
Hi Toyota UK, Having previously owned Celica’s I was looking forward to the GT86 so back in 2013 I bought one. I was delighted with the car. I bought the new face lift model and noticed the bonnet on the DRIVERS SIDE was lifting whilst driving. after four attempts by the local Toyota dealer in Inverness the problem was never resolved. It soured my experience with the car to the point that in the end I sold the car. So thinking this was an isolated issue with said car I bought a new 86 only to find this car has the same problem. So I would appreciate some help and advice on how to solve this problem and if any other owners have had similar issues. Thank you for your time.
Hi Alexander,
Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry to hear that you have experienced these issues with the GT86. We would advise for your local centre to inspect the vehicle. If this has already happened and you have made no further progress, you can contact our Customer Relations team who can open a case for you and investigate further:
https://www.toyota.co.uk/contact-us/.
Thank you.