Toyota GT86 Orange Edition kicks off 'Club Series' line
Well, what else would you call a GT86 painted in a vaguely orangey hue?
We're all quite familiar with the Toyota GT86 by now: It's one of the very few cars with a semi-affordable price tag that allows you to indulge in the classic recipe of front engine, rear-wheel drive, a manual gearbox and a naturally-aspirated engine.
So while it'd be easy to get cynical about the latest Orange Edition model - it is, after all, mostly just a GT86 painted orange - we'll let it pass, because the car underneath remains as appealing as ever.
> Toyota GT86 review - The best budget sports car on sale?
£28,800 gets you the latest special edition version, or £30,270 if you're inclined to opt for the automatic gearbox option. Unless you absolutely must have the auto, we'd save the money and relish the act of shifting cogs ourselves.
The Orange Edition is the first in a line of new "Club Series" models in the GT86 range, which Toyota is using to celebrate the company's motorsport heritage both old and new - the latter comprising R3 rally and CS-Cup race versions of the compact sports car, among other efforts such as the Yaris WRC.
The paintwork is dubbed "Solar Orange", and images suggest it'll be quite vibrant in sunlight - more so than the existing orange which itself works best with a bit of natural light. The three-coat paintwork is complemented by black detailing, most notably the spoiler, and a set of anthracite 17-inch alloy wheels.
Inside it's more or less standard GT86, and while you do get orange stitching on the leather-trimmed steering wheel, leather/Alcantara seats and suede-trimmed dash, it all remains a little gloomy. Thankfully, while the styling isn't up to much the GT86 still possesses one of the best driving positions around, so you'll probably get used to it.
> Also read: Mazda MX-5 review
Mechanically it's the same as ever: 2-litre naturally-aspirated boxer four-cylinder, 197bhp at 7000rpm, 151lb ft from 6400rpm (so you have to work it), and a 0-62mph time of 7.6sec. A limited-slip differential is standard, and the chassis is talented enough that it saw off the Mazda MX-5 RF in our twin-test in issue 234.
The GT86 Orange Edition is on sale as you read this. Available in any colour you like, as long as it's...
