by Gabrielle DeSantis

After a month’s wait, the first driving impressions of the 2022 Toyota GR 86 are finally here. And given how popular Toyota’s RWD sports car and its Subaru cousin are with enthusiasts, that wait has likely been agonizing. Especially since it appears that the 2022 GR 86 fixes one of the outgoing 86’s chief problems. However, according to Hagerty’s Jason Cammisa, the GR 86 is more than a revision of the old car. It’s also a follow-up to a classic Porsche: the 944.

The 2022 Toyota GR 86 has “everything you loved about the old Toyota 86…and then some,” MotorTrend says

Spec	2022 Toyota GR 86	2020 Toyota 86
Engine	2.4-liter flat-four	2.0-liter flat-four
Power	228 hp	205 hp
Torque	184 lb-ft	156 lb-ft
Transmission	Six-speed manual Six-speed automatic	Six-speed manual Six-speed automatic
0-60 mph time	6.1 seconds (manual) 6.6 seconds (automatic)	7.0 seconds (manual) 8.0 seconds (automatic)
Curb weight	2,811 lbs (manual) 2,851 lbs (automatic)	2,776 lbs (manual) 2,817 lbs (automatic)

The biggest difference between the 2022 Toyota GR 86 and the 2020 86 is the engine. No, the GR 86 and the 2022 BRZ don’t have turbos. But the larger engine is more powerful and torquier. Speaking of torque, the 2.4-liter engine makes more of it at lower RPMs. And the ‘torque dip’ is gone, MotorTrend reports. As a result, the 2022 86 pulls harder than the old car.

However, the 2022 Toyota GR 86 offers more improvement than that. Its chassis is stiffer, and the car rides more comfortably without any extra body roll, Road & Track notes. It also rides on tweaked dampers, upgraded springs, and stiffer sway bars, Roadshow muses. Plus, it has an upgraded interior. Both the 2022 GR 86 Base and Premium trims have LED lighting, a digital gauge cluster, and an 8” touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Premium adds heated leather seats, aluminum pedals, and a rear spoiler, and swaps the six-speaker audio system for an eight-speaker one.

Some things, though, haven’t changed. For example, the 2022 GR 86’s steering, which Toyota says is tuned differently than in the BRZ, is still well-weighted, accurate, and full of feedback. Plus, it still has an excellent front-to-rear weight balance and a standard limited-slip differential. Also, the extra grip from the Premium’s Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires doesn’t mean you can’t drift the GR 86. Rest assured, this RWD sports car still rotates eagerly and controllably.

Hagerty calls the 2022 Toyota GR 86 the Porsche 944’s spiritual successor

Despite the extra power, the 2022 Toyota GR 86 isn’t the fastest sporty car in its price bracket. Yes, as the video above shows, it beats the 2021 Mazda MX-5 RF in a straight line. But the 2022 Volkswagen GTI, with its 242 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, out-accelerates both of them. And while the GR 86 has a larger trunk than the Miata—as well as a back seat—the GTI beats both in terms of practicality.

However, as Hagerty’s Jason Cammisa explains in that video, that’s not the whole story. True, the GR 86 is slower in a straight line than the GTI. But its rearward weight balance and RWD mean it gets off the line faster. That also makes it sharper and more fun on a racetrack. And while the Toyota’s rear seat is rather small, it does have one, unlike the Mazda. Plus, it folds forward for more luggage space.

That’s why Cammisa calls the 2022 86 “a perfect update on the Porsche 944 recipe.” An evolution of the earlier Porsche 924, the 944 is also a four-cylinder, RWD sports car that emphasizes handling. And while the contemporary 911 was sharper and faster, the Porsche 944 was the easier car to live with on a daily basis. Not to mention significantly more affordable.

Those qualities also describe the 2022 Toyota GR 86. It’s a fun sports car that offers enough practicality to serve as a daily driver. Oh, and it’s still fairly affordable.

How much does Toyota’s updated sports car cost?

As of this writing, Toyota hasn’t released full pricing details for the 2022 86. However, the automaker promises that the Base trim starts at under $30,000. And that price includes a one-year National Auto Sport Association membership and one free performance driving class.

While it’s still a Porsche bargain, the 944 goes for more than $30K these days. But if you want the closest thing to a brand-new $30,000 Porsche, Hagerty recommends taking the GR 86 for a spin.

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by Gabrielle DeSantis

In BMW’s quest to continue producing the “ultimate driving machines,” the brand became closely intertwined with motorsports. Like most auto manufacturers participating in motorsports, racing is used as a testbed for tech that they will eventually pass down to their road cars.

Naturally, being successful in racing is also great for marketing efforts. As the old motorsport saying goes: “win on Sunday, sell on Monday.” So, it is in BMW’s best interest to keep innovating in motorsports and to do their best to win. That is why when they produce a new race car; it is a big deal.

Enter the BMW M4 GT3 race car

A brand new M4 GT3 race car has arrived to replace the BMW M6 GT3 race car that BMW has campaigned since 2015. BMW began development on the M4 GT3 race car in 2019, starting with CFD computer simulations. In July 2020, the complete race car left the factory for the first time. 

In February 2020, the BMW M4 GT3’s engine was put on the test bench. From there, small steps turned to large strides before the final product was finally ready for its worldwide debut. Like the M6 GT3 that came before it, the M4 GT3 race car will be part of a customer program for race teams. The M4 GT3 race car will command a price of €415,000 (or $488,365). While that is a sizable number, the price is €4,000 ($4,707) cheaper than the M6 GT3. A free day in BMW’s in-house simulator is included in the price.

What engine does the BMW M4 GT3 have?

The engine is one of the most important parts of any race car. Enzo Ferrari once said, “aerodynamics are for people who can’t build engines.” While that quote is objectively wrong, it does a great job illustrating that what’s under the hood is just as important as what is outside of it. In the case of the BMW M4 GT3, under the hood is the new P58 engine. The P58 is a twin-turbo, 3.0 liter, inline-6 that makes “up to” 590 hp and 516 ft-lbs of torque. 

The outgoing M6 GT3 is equipped with a larger 4.4 liter, twin-turbo V8 engine. BMW did not confirm this, but the laws of physics tell us that with the P58 being smaller in size, it likely weighs less than the M6 GT3’s V8. That should allow teams running the M4 GT4 more room to balance weight distribution.

A steering wheel that bridges the gap between real and virtual

Inside the M4 GT3 are all of the tech and components that one would expect from a race car of this level. There is a bespoke roll cage, top-of-the-line carbon fiber seats, various buttons, switches, and gauges. However, the most interesting part is what is right in front of the driver’s seat.

The steering wheel is the result of a partnership between BMW motorsport and sim racing peripheral manufacturer, Fanatec. Fanatec designed a special wheel that can be used in the M4 GT3 race car but can directly plug into a compatible Fanatec simulator wheelbase for racing games and high-end racing simulator programs. Perhaps not the most practical feature, but very cool nonetheless. We will soon find out if the new engine and technology will help BMW when the M4 GT3 officially takes over in 2022.

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