When Subaru said their version of the ‘Toybaru BR86’ couldn’t be turbocharged because of size restrictions within the compact engine bay, we knew to take that with a pinch of salt. I mean, seriously?
We’ve seen Toyota 86 turbocharger conversions and supercharger conversions, we’ve even seen a 6.0-litre V8 from a Chevy Lumina SS squeezed into the engine bay. Admittedly, the tuners did need to raise the whole body a few millimeters off the ground, but still, that’s a whole V8 and Subaru are worried about finding space for a little turbo?
Now another turbocharged 86 is being readied for European motorsport. This is the first Toyota 86 GT4 and it is powered by a direct-injected, turbocharged version of the standard 2.0-litre engine.
A Buckingham-based motorsport engineering group, GPRM, are behind Britain’s first racing Toyota 86 and Series organiser, Stephane Ratel of the Stephane Ratel Organisation (SRO), is in the process of putting the Toyota 86 GT4 through its paces before its first competitive GT4 start.
Developed with the help of Nicholson McLaren Engines, the turbocharged 4-cylinder is capable of producing between 265 kW and 294 kW (the Toyota 86 road car makes 147 kW), according to GPRM directors Gary Blackham and Roger King.
They say GPRM and Nicholson McLaren Engines have gone all out to ensure quality, reliability, FIA-compliance and competitiveness, to make it a GT4 contender for both British and European GT class racing.
Although not an official factory team, the Toyota 86 GT4 project has had factory backing with Toyota Great Britain providing technical support to the GPRM crew. The Toyota 86 GT4 should hit the track later this month for its first shake down runs and is eligible to take part in various GT4 competitions starting in 2014. GPRM has already taken one 86 GT4 order and is in advanced talks with a team keen to race one in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship.
We wonder if Toyota South Africa has any similar designs on racing 86s locally, after its second successful sortie into the world of Dakar rallying.
