Team Toyota of Great Britain returns to BTCC with GT86, echoing original AE86’s success
Toyota’s two-door rear-drive sports car, the GT86, has been shaking the automotive world while harking back to the original Corolla AE86, which has a very rich motorsports history. To remind the world as to where the whole hype of the GT86 comes from in motorsports, Team Toyota of Great Britain has officially announced via their website that they’ll be returning to the Britcar 24 Hours with the GT86. Though what’s particularly special is the car’s exterior livery paint, which harks back to the AE86’s rich racing heritage from the mid-1980s and the BTCC or British Touring Car Championship.
The idea of the new GT86 touring car is to make the most out of the car’s stock 2.0L flat-four while retaining as much of the standard road car’s specification as possible. This will allow the Toyota GT86 to compete in the Production Class of the Silverstone endurance race.
“The new Toyota has all the makings of a great production class racer,” said Gary Blackham and Roger King of GPRM, the racing firm responsible for this new GT86 racer. “We are concentrating our efforts on stripping back the chassis, lightening and strengthening it and of course equipping it with a roll cage and all the other safety gear required, as well as quick-refuelling equipment. Other than that, the GT86 will remain essentially in road car form.”
The Britcar 24 Hours will take place at the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit on September 22-23 of this year.
– By: Chris Chin
