Ever since the second-generation Subaru BRZ was unveiled in November of last year, Toyota has been oddly silent about its follow-up to the GR 86. And now we might know why.
According to BestCarWeb, Toyota’s CEO, Akio Toyoda, has instructed the development team for this model to “better differentiate the performance from the BRZ.” Reportedly, this late request from the CEO will push the GR 86’s launch from this year to 2022.
As the BRZ and GR 86 will be produced in the same Subaru factory, Toyota’s changes are likely to be limited to engine mapping and gearing. Once again, the GR 86 and BRZ are expected to share body panels with visual differentiation limited to bumpers and lights.
The second-generation BRZ rides on the same platform as the model that entered production in 2012 but has a new powertrain and interior, as well as a longer body bottom.
Under the hood is a larger 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with direct injection. It’s rated at 170 kW and 249 Nm. The engine is connected to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
Inside, there’s a completely redesigned dashboard with a 7.0-inch digital instrument display and an 8.0-inch touchscreen compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The new BRZ is expected to hit showrooms by the end of 2021.
