Ryan Drives: 2023 Toyota GR86
A road trip to Vegas in the star of the SEMA show.
THE LIST of two-door sports cars you can buy from a dealership is getting smaller each year. It’s like trying to find a Target that carries Pokemon cards – you’ve heard they still exist, it’s just rare to see one in person.
But you wouldn’t know that from visiting SEMA, the annual aftermarket convention held in Las Vegas each November. There, sports cars flock like the salmon of Capistrano.
I wanted to see for myself. So, I called up Toyota, and asked (politely) to borrow a 2023 GR86 coupe for the trip. A few days later I set off across the desert.
The GR86 has already been through a few iterations. When it first launched in 2013 it was known as the Scion FR-S. Later, when Scion bit the dust, it rebranded as the Toyota 86. Then for 2022, a fully-redesigned model came back as the GR86.
And mine was even further differentiated. Painted in a striking “Solar Shift” orange that could sear your eyeballs with a brief glance, the test car was a GR86 10th Anniversary Special Edition. It had upgrades to the exhaust, wheels and tires. There was also cool embroidery inside and a commemorative plaque. Toyota will make only 860 of them.
Ten years may not seem like much in car terms. Toyota has made the Camry without a break for four decades. Chrysler/FCA/Stellantis produced the Dodge Challenger for just about 20 years and barely changed the chassis underneath. Even the Ford Pinto made it nine years, and that car literally burst into flames (on occasion). The GR86 is celebrating one more year than the poster child of spontaneous combustion.
But these are different times. Automakers are quick to drop a model that isn’t pulling its own weight, and two-door coupes are usually first on the chopping block. After all, companies make far less profit on a small car with affordable pricing, than a giant SUV they can load with pricey options and features. In today’s market, 10 years really is a big deal.
For the GR86, that decade has established it as the go-to sports car for budding enthusiasts. The car is lightweight, stiff through the corners and engaging in all the traditional ways — especially with its six-speed manual transmission.
And I could feel that on the road. Turn the steering wheel and the GR86 snaps its nose into place. You sit deep in the cockpit, enhancing the sensation of a low center of gravity. And believe it or not, 228 horsepower in something so small and lightweight is pretty vigorous. And fun.
Of course, there are drawbacks. It’s not relaxing to bang! over highway bumps for 4-5 hours. High winds on the way to Vegas forced me to muscle the wheel to keep it straight. And the cat-back, stainless steel performance exhaust in the 10th Anniversary model wanted to rumble through the car with hurricane strength every time I left a stoplight.
But these are practical matters. And SEMA is no place for practical.
If there were an official car of SEMA 2023, it would have to be the Toyota GR86. Along with its mechanical sibling, the Subaru BRZ (Subaru and Toyota partnered on the project), the GR86 boasted dozens of varieties and variations across the show floor.
As it turns out, 10 years in the game has done a few things for the GR86. First, it’s helped establish a reputation for quality and foster brand loyalty. Second, it’s given aftermarket companies time to develop and grow their product offerings. And third, it’s outlasted other competitors that once vied for attention (and part of the aftermarket’s $52 billion in estimated annual sales) at the show.
Mazda had virtually no presence for its MX-5 Miata this year. Honda and Hyundai stopped making small coupes long ago. Nissan has never had an 86 competitor – period.
So the “Toyobaru” got all the shine. If you want to customize your GR86/BRZ, there is no shortage of places to turn. Widebody kits are a big deal, and slick ones from Liberty Walk and Streethunter were on full display. I liked the aero panels from Voltex and OS Giken, too. For power you could find an HKS supercharger or Works turbocharger. Everybody wanted the upgraded headlights from AlphaRex this year.
Coupes may be hard to come by, but the most affordable one on the market also gives you the widest breadth of upgrades. I reminded myself of that while carving up on-ramps or downshifting for an exhaust-rumbling pass in the fast lane. The car is a good time in its factory setup. But today’s aftermarket offers plenty of opportunity to make it stupendous.
Even if you keep it the same color as Charizard.
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