Yahoo Autos Toyota's New GT 86 Rally Car Concept Packs the GR Corolla's Engine
It's not as widely known as, say, Subaru's history in the sport, but Toyota boasts a long, impressive rallying pedgree. Over the decades, the brand has entered everything from Supras to Celicsa to its Gazoo Racing hot hatchbacks into loose-surface racing. And we just might see a resurgence of rear-wheel-drive rallying from Toyota, too — if the company is brave enough to put its new SEMA concept into production.
Known as the GR 86 Rally Legacy Concept, Toyota says it leans into the brand's racing pedigree, specifically with an inspirational focus on the iconic ST185 and ST205 Celica GT-Four rally vehicles.
The result is a GR 86 that is, essentially, a GR Corolla underneath. Swapping out the RWD mechanicals for Toyota's GR-Four AWD drivetrain, the GR 86 Rally Legacy Concept puts power down through all four wheels, making this the first AWD Toyota coupe since 1999. In an ironic turn, the GR 86 has gone AWD while shedding its Subaru roots, replacing its stock 2.4-liter flat-four engine with a lightly tuned version of Toyota's 1.6-liter, turbocharged inline-three. A custom intercooler and new ECU means this SEMA concept is good for at least 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque.
But Toyota says the journey to these power figures wasn't easy. A custom subframe and engine mounts were needed to fit the G16 engine into the GR 86 shell with clearance for the driveline and suspension pieces. Plus, the integration of GR Corolla hubs, spindles and axles meant that the front-end suspension geometry changed significantly. Custom coil-over dampers and custom control arms were fabricated to meet the geometric and damping needs of this loose-surface legend. Out back, the switchable GR Corolla differential was installed, paired to a six-speed manual transmission with stock gear ratios.
It was particularly important to Toyota that the new car paid visual homage to its Celica forbears. The GR 86 Rally Legacy Concept features large red mudflaps, a custom exhaust, and a Celica GT-Four-inspired spoiler (perhaps our favorite feature), plus a proper roll cage and six-point racing harnesses.
"The aim is to evoke memories of the legendary rally car that enthusiasts have admired on rally stages and in popular racing video games,” said Paul Doleshal, general manager of motorsports and assets at Toyota Motor North America. “That idea led to a formative conversation about how cool it would be to create a modern interpretation of such an iconic car."
Mike Tripp, group vice president at Toyota Marketing, said that one impetus for the build was to push for the return of World Rally Championship here in the U.S. While WRC rages on in Europe, motorsports fan here in the States are hoping that manufacturer support could bring the badass motorsport back. Whether or not WRC returns to the U.S,, Toyota is imploring fans attending SEMA to visit this history-inspired concept at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
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