For Tuesday next week. Not that I can afford one yet, but thought I'd see what all the fuss is about!

Anybody else driven one yet?

Haven't seen one before, it does look a nice car, I wonder if I can sway SWMBO towards one instead of a CT200H....

Hi,

Yes i drove one in December when my SR180 was being MoT'd. I was very impressed. Its a very nice car to drive. Dont expect it to be out and out fast, i actually thought it was very slow compared to my old Celica GTfour, but get it on the back roads, and it handles very well, you will find you can keep it in 3rd and just nail it around the corners. Steering is very heavy but is very direct.

I think top gear had the TC off! It did not once feel like the back end wanted to step out and it was wet! I have not driven many rear drive front engined cars and it felt pretty good.

I like the exhaust note, its piped in for your pleasure too! I would have to change the wheels though, dont like them and id probably de badge it, think the side badges are a little cheap looking.

Overall, i like them and even though its only 200bhp, i totally get the whole handling thing, think you will enjoy yourself, i did!

I am thinking of changing to one in a maybe 18 months - 2 years time. Still fancy an elise though, so will have to see what the market is like for a 2 year old used one when im ready to change.

Rob

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Originally posted by r1_pete
I wonder if I can sway SWMBO towards one instead of a CT200H....

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Been eyeing them up but I think it's a car that would suit me 6 years ago but at a price that I'll only be able to afford in 10 years or so (at which point I won't want it).

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Originally posted by mcerd1

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Originally posted by r1_pete
I wonder if I can sway SWMBO towards one instead of a CT200H....

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lets hope so - anythings got to be better than an tarted up Prius !

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Originally posted by coyoteboy
Been eyeing them up but I think it's a car that would suit me 6 years ago but at a price that I'll only be able to afford in 10 years or so (at which point I won't want it).

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quote:

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Originally posted by r1_pete

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Originally posted by mcerd1

quote:

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Originally posted by r1_pete
I wonder if I can sway SWMBO towards one instead of a CT200H....

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lets hope so - anythings got to be better than an tarted up Prius !

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Yep, thats what I keep telling her, but she likes her Lexus'

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I've seen a couple about and would definitly love a go in one, especially if it's as good as every one says. I'm really hoping it kicks starts something as there do seem to be less and less cars of this type. It doesn't seem all that long ago that toyota and Honda where making loads of different sporty coupés.

Handling wise, how does it compare to an Mx5?

I like the look of them and fancied a test drive but the price is higher than I was expecting. They are about £17k in the US and from the reviews I have seen the interior etc looks more to a US spec in terms of plastics etc.

Your looking at £27k with satnav.

Would still like a go in one though!

Rich

I am bound by the official secrets act! press my [www]

Is that where you're working Mark?

I test drove one last week. The handling did seem very good on my limited drive but it really does need a bit more power. Joining the motorway felt like I was in a family car and it just didn't feel exciting. Zipping across roundabouts was effortless, though. The driving position is very good and the bucket seats held me well. (I'm short and wide)

Here in New Zealand there is an "86" model as well as the "GT86". It's just a more basic interior. The 86 is NZ$43,000 which is about £23,500. The GT86 is $47,000, which is about £25,500. Given the rip off prices of cars in New Zealand, I was surprised by that. Maybe it just goes to show how wrong the price in Britain is. People have mentioned getting a base Nissan 370z for just under £30,000 so I had a look out of curiosity. In New Zealand they start at £38,000 so they're not comparable at all.

The Toyota dealership said the wait would be about 2 months on a new GT86, but they had a cancelled order in the showroom. They're not allowed to discount them but they can sell the cancelled order at cost. I'm tempted.

Well the test drive was a bit short and sweet as it was very busy traffic, but I have to say I was very impressed. As Furyous has already said it doesn't have outright power - it feels positively slow compared to the 275bhp Focus - BUT it does make up for this in every other way. The ride is superb, the engine sounds lovely, even from low revs, the sitting position, seats etc are excellent, and there's even a place for your clutch foot. The gearbox has a fantastic feel, nice and 'notchy', the steering very positive with excellent feedback from the road, and I even like the interior, great dials and only the buttons you need, nothing superfluous. I really really liked it, you can tell it's been made with petrol heads in mind.

The salesman was great, he could see I was more interested in the handling and performance than anything else, so has offered to loan it to my for 2 hours so I can give it a proper go round some country lanes. I can't afford one at the moment, though the fact he has a demonstrator with all the extra's sat there for £22k is VERY tempting! I've just read the Top Gear mag he gave me where they tested 24 sportcars ranging from the Focus ST to a Lambo via an M5, 911, Noble, etc etc and the GT86 came out top - it was the one car they all wanted to drive again.

Sounds just perfect!

I do wonder what they'll be like 2nd hand (the only way I'll get my hands on one) after the first/second/third owners have kicked the crap out of them

The Toyota dealership I went to has a new one in stock that they can sell at cost for $43,000 which is about £22,500. Looks like I'm getting a new company car.

There are rumours of a TRD supercharger in the works. If it makes somewhere around 250bhp and can be retrofitted with a Toyota warranty I think they'd be onto a winner.