OnkelC's Odd Couple (one GT 86 and a Hybrid)

[OnkelC]

Hello all,
Thought I'd share my double pick up story here for a change.
As of last friday, I picked up not one, but two new cars from the local Toyota dealership:


The other one is a 2013 Auris Hybrid. Yeah, I know.


Back Story of my double dip was the following:

Had a Mk6 GTI as my company car for private use for the last three years, and most of the over 100.000 kilometers on it were done while on job or for commute.


Since the GTI was a company car, I didn't do any racing or stuff, the Autobahn and the A-/B-Roads were the sole areas of operations.

My field of operations is quite large and covers a lot of curvy mountaineous roads as well as several of Autobahn, most of which is speed limited, though.

In everyday traffic, the GTI felt (don't laugh) overmotorized, even when I was able to floor it, the rush only lasted for a few kilometers because of the density of the traffic over here.

On A and B roads, the GTI felt a tad front-heavy, the ESP and stuff kicked in quite early for my tastes. Never felt insecure or out of control with the GTI, though.

Since most of the Autobahns I use to get to business appointments are speed-limited anyway, the GTI was kind of overkill and left me with quite a dent in the salary.

The main factor for abandoning the GTI, though, was the ETA display on the Navigation system: for most of my drives, the difference between flooring it and driving civilized was between 2 and 5 minutes, time which would be lost on inner city traffic lights, construction sites, railroad crossings and the like anyway.

It was the DSG model, which was great to drive but caused some kind of "detachment" from the car for a lack of a better word. It shifts perfectly, way better than you would do by manual, so after a few hundred miles, I didn't even touch the paddles anymore and let the DSG work its magic. Downside of that: Interaction with the car while swimming with the trafic was about none, made it boring. Step in, start engine, set NAV, travel from point A to B, repeat for the way back. That can be had with a smaller engine as well.

No need for a "fast" car on a job basis for me. So I went with a Toyota Auris Hybrid for the work-related mileage and got the GT 86 as the pleasure vehicle.

All work, no fun!:

The concept of the Auris is the essence of every recent Toyota, aka "Zee car without sex appeal". Dunno about the USA, but Toyota in Germany stands for "the reasonable choice", a brand purely bought out of the head, not with the heart and/or groin. Adding and marketing an "environmentally friendly" motor/drivetrain to that image just fortifies it.

And yes, the Prius hybrid drivetrain is kinda lame; the Auris I picked up friday has basically the same one. Sole reason I got it because it was cheap as dirt (around 16.000EUR with about every extra) and I didn't want to have to set up my phone with two different MM systems

But to be honest, achieving a high mpg can be similar fun as hooning around.

All fun and Serious Business!
The decision for getting a GT 86 was more or less love at first sight when I saw one at an Auto show last summer:

As you can see, the car is the total opposite of me: low, skinny and naturally aspirated!

Posting pictures of "zee" GT 86 is kind of moot in here, most of you know it already, but still
:attention_whore :




Current status on zee odd couple:

passed the 400 kilometer mark with both of them today.
Auris Hybrid: 40 liter tank still 3/4 full. Driving feels like a FWD Toyota with a CVT gearbox, a bit nervous and light on the steering, just as the one I test drove a couple months ago. steering reminds me of my old 1994 1.4 XLi Corolla.


GT 86: 50 liter tank at going to reserve
What a difference. car feels planted and really low, heavy steering, GREAT gearbox, plain fun. Can't wait to kick it up to max RPM in a couple 100 kilometers.

Already got a few overnight parts from Japan:

Next delivery contains the TRD carbon strut bar, the TRD/Momo steering wheel and a TRD carbon battery clamp. pics to follow once the stuff is released from customs.

vanity shots (or not)


Thanks for reading! I'm looking forward to the next couple years with them (and you all, of course)

[RallySport Direct]

Looks great, and best of both worlds! I've been eyeing the TRD steering wheel, you will have to let us know what you think.

I loved this picture too.


Thanks,
Rick

[OnkelC]

[OnkelC]

[HATED1]

Originally Posted by RallySport Direct

Looks great, and best of both worlds! I've been eyeing the TRD steering wheel, you will have to let us know what you think.

I loved this picture too.


Thanks,
Rick

I love that picture too!!

[OnkelC]

[IMG]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i216/OnkelC/GT86/c43b7dc***f9f920d2374b586371f792.jpg[/IMG]

[OnkelC]

[OnkelC]

contrast enhanced:

[#87]

Originally Posted by OnkelC

***** magnet

[OnkelC]

[Lonewolf]

Originally Posted by OnkelC

Now the fun begins...

[Sarlacc]

Soooo.... the ambulance, fire department and police came by to look at the Auris?

[OnkelC]

[OnkelC]

A few minor mods pending:
K&N or TRD air filter
TRD Front strut tower bar
TRD steering wheel
TRD Battery clamp
TRD oil, water and fuel caps
TRD sound changer tube (red)