Entertaining German GT86 review

[NWFRS]

I just got such a kick out of this video!

Found myself completely agreeing with his conclusion.

[ame]http://youtu.be/N99_Yyj5yGo[/ame]

Maybe this was old news, but I just now found it.

Enjoy. :-)

[Superhatch]

Id imagine driving at 120mph for a while would be hard to do with this car, but I've got multiple 8 hour trips under my belt and love the way it feels. I do throw in some ear plugs on longer trips just due to sound fatigue, but the seating and feel at 70 is good for me. I'm also on B8s and a Prokit, but even when stock I daily drove 100m round trip m-f and enjoyed every moment of it.

I think he makes valid points, but then the car no longer costs 25k when they make those changes. I'm really viewing our cars as an entry level sports car...but with one of the best chassis on the market. It's up to the owner to take it down the path that is right for them.

[torqdork]

This was new to me but I drew the opposite conclusion.

Maybe the reviewer would appreciate the car more if he wound it past 6K rpm shown on the video. His comments about instability above 120+ mph are absurd considering his abused press car was running on Pirelli snow tires, nobody's idea of a performance tire but prolly fitted by Toyota to keep press wonks alive.

It struck me as a vanity video produced by a German for other Germans stuck in their belief of Teutonic superiority in all things automotive.

[Mim]

Better tyres on an MY15 car, with its updated suspension, would of likely of changed the outcome. That and going to 16" wheels if worried about ride.

Taking this car on the autobahn and moaning about its lack of power was laughable.

[s2d4]

His idea of drifting is power slides at high speeds with a NA 4 banger, complains about small window of correction on public roads....

probably get along extremely well with suberman in suspension setup.

[l0aded]

Side question: Would replacing the tires with stickier summer tires ruin the experience?

[Braces]

I liked the review. Nice to see a german POV. Lets be honest. The Germans know a few things about building sportscars. 1st time I heard anyone mention adaptive suspension dampers. Probably very price prohibitive in this car. This car would not belong on the autobahn nor was it intended to.

[DarkSunrise]

That was a fair review IMO. Although I think the stock suspension is tame compared with some other sports cars (and true track suspension), it's fair to call it harsh by German luxury-sport standard. I drive my FR-S daily through a pothole-ridden city and am used to it, but I do slow down a lot for bumps. Adjustable suspension would be more comfortable.

In terms of the telescoping steering, it comes out just enough for me, but everyone's body proportions are different.

One thing I'll note. I did see the reviewer short-shifting quite a bit in that video. To really access this car's performance, you need to wind it out to 7k+ RPM. Redlining and downshifting are part of the driving experience. If only Toyota/Subaru had made the stock engine sound better to reward winding it out.

I recently added a UEL header setup to my car and it sounds AMAZING and fills out the torque gap. I find myself winding out the engine now just to hear the exhaust rumble. If Toyota/Subaru had put an exhaust setup like this on the stock car, people wouldn't complain about the lack of torque as much. They'd be redlining and downshifting just to hear the exhaust, and would naturally get more torque as a result.

[jblmr2]

This was a confusing review to me. On one hand he praises the high levels of grip, on the next he complains about it. He says he agrees with the philosophy behind the car then wants adjustable dampers? Maybe the issue is that the car drives and feels like it should cost a lot more than it does. But when it comes to the level of sophistication in other areas the compromises start to show up. The guy has definitely got a Bimmer/Merc mind set.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Braces

I liked the review. Nice to see a german POV. Lets be honest. The Germans know a few things about building sportscars.

Depends on what you like in a sports car, they struggle to build one weighing in under 3,000 lbs and they have to chop the roof off to do it, no way in hell can they accommodate 4 people in doing so.

[Rampage]

I liked the review and thought it was an honest evaluation of the car and its chassis. Given that the Germans are now known for building rather heavy luxury/sport GT cars with a high level of sophistication (and low reliability), I can understand his disappointment in a lightweight, simple, nimble car that was not really built for long range, high speed touring.

Toyota could add the features that he requested but doing so would add cost and weight. Then the car would no longer be what it was built to be ie. affordable and lightweight.

[dnieves]

Twins..... Proof you can't make everybody happy.

[wbradley]

I somewhat agree about the highway ride. When I first got my FR-S it seemed less stable in a straight line than I wanted. That could just be a combo of lower weight and shorter wheelbase than I am accustomed to. Also, the fact that this is sport without the luxury aspect. Perhaps compared to an SLK, Cayenne or a Z4 the ride might not be as "plush". I haven't driven any of those so just a guess.
The car isn't cheap in Europe either for the most part.

The reviewer would like to be able to switch from GT to sportscar when needed. Not an unreasonable request but of course at what additional cost? And also, he is much taller than most people. I am shorter, maybe thats why many Japanese cars fit me well. I keep the steering wheel low and as far forward as possible. This is a habit from knowing the dangers of the old airbag systems.

[torqdork]

Originally Posted by wbradley

I somewhat agree about the highway ride. When I first got my FR-S it seemed less stable in a straight line than I wanted.

Did you take advantage of the free four-wheel alignment during the first 18 months/18,000 miles (or thereabouts) as described in the warranty guide on US spec cars? The twins are strapped down to a ship deck during transit and that alone will affect alignment. Mine was off a fair amount f/r and after alignment have no issue with stability at any speed.