I'm counting no chickens just yet. It's an estimate from a salesman who was trying to win my order. It'll take as long as it takes, I have be a bit zen about it.

:respekt: :laughabove:

delivery dates for my local dealer was august 22nd, and mid september - they are getting around 30 cars this year 5 have been sold :O

managed to test drive a blue gt - the size felt right, felt comfortable driving it, but im not sold yet - putting my foot down in 2nd didnt give me the kick in the back i think i need

I'd want metalic or pearl paint, leather seats and the nur spec bodykit, which puts me into bmw 135i territory

holding out for a turbo version might be how i play my cards

I popped into my dealer for some AE86 parts. Bless them, they had saved me the GT86 promo posters and had a GT86 in the compound. After a search they found the keys:

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...21055964_n.jpg

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...34489890_n.jpg

Absolutely besotted just about sums it up. I am actually at the launch in Salford this coming Thursday (12th July). The dealer are putting my AE86 in the showroom alongside the new car!

My car:
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...30900591_n.jpg

I think I've followed every stage of the development of this car. Part of the deal for Toyota using my car is that I get a test drive of course as well as some GT86 goodies (I'm building a fair old collection!). If I'm in love after the test drive I will be ordering one of these for late spring 2013 or so. :)

I feel like I'm obsessed about it at the moment. All I want to check is that it can go nicely sideways round roundabouts in the wet, just like I do (nearly everyday at the moment) in my AE86! ;)

Awesome, more Manchester peeps. When I get my 86 we gotta do a meet, I need to get a side by side photo with the Initial D car ;)

I test drove a GT86 in white this morning.

My review is as follows.

The road was damp (what a shame) so it was interesting to get an impression of whether it would go sideways at a roundabout.

I took the car on a mix of roads utilizing the engine throughout the rev range. The car pulls sluggishly from 2500rpm, but strongly from about 4000. From about 5,500 rpm through to it's soft limiter at 7,500 it pulls very strongly and at these rpm it delivers a throaty barky noise through the footwell, not quite VTEC but good all the same, giving the impression of an engine with reasonable tune. Very little tyre or exhaust noise.

Primary ride is very good considering it's a sports car, and it did not have any problems at all coping with bad lumps in the road surface. There were no thuds (as I had in my old VX220). Secondary ride was also fine and reveals plenty of jangly feedback in the steering, which is pretty quick but not hyper.

Through the gears, from say 30-80mph, it has plenty of go - but only if you are in the final 3000rpm. Below that it is pretty sluggish - not that that is a problem per se. Throttle response was good if you give the slightly-stiffer-than-is-the-norm accelerator a hard push.

The interior is very nice in my opinion, save some of the hard plastics on the middle section where the "casio" clock sits. The leather/alcantara seats are mega- gripping quite hard around the waist (unlike many sports seats), the dash is excellent (with wonderful reds lights coming on when you approach 7000rpm), and the knee pads are subtle but a wonderful detail. The doors are also of a high quality and I have no problems with the switchgear quality at all.

The steering is of a very high quality with nice feel and being fairly direct. The wheel also sits fairly vertically and is nicely placed. Pretty confidence inspiring really. The gearshift is an absolute gem. In my opinion it is very, very good, with a pleasing feel when it is slotted home. In fact the only notchy part of the change is on downshift where it can be hard to slot down into 2nd/1st. This may have been because the car was new?

Visability - generally good. Pillars offer no problems, rear visibility is OK, but to be honest I think reverse parking will not be easy. I didn't attempt it back at the dealer. You sit low in the car so everything around you is heightened in a true "sports car feel." I like this - not sure about my wife...

I tried hard to get it sideways. To be honest, even in damp conditions it isn't easy. It will not come unstuck at 4,000rpm at any speeds I did on my test drive. Approaching the dealer on the way back, going left by the roundabout, I can confirm that it will indeed go sideways - but not much. And only because I was in first at 5,000rpm+. I realized afterwards that I had the nannying traction control on. Doh!! Still, judging by the pinging noises when I turned the car off at least I gave it a good go!

Does it feel fast? Not really. But it does feel special; certainly more so than a TT/BMW or anything else at the same price, mainly because it offers a different experience. I remember Jay Leno saying how he admired cars being made with one vision from a single designer. This car obviously doesn't have that but it feels well sorted, like it has been lavished with plenty of attention as opposed to a few engine/seat/suspension hop up's like you get with some manufacturers with their higher priced low/mid range models.

Will I buy one? Possibly. The thing I find hard to justify is £1600 for the upgraded seats. Having experienced them I would want them as they look and feel great.

Nice balanced review

I have boggo seats in my BRZ and they are the same just fabric rather than suedette!

no heated seats on the cloth seats though - i'd definately reccomend them

I have boggo seats in my BRZ and they are the same just fabric rather than suedette![/QUOTE]

Hi there. Are you pleased with your cloth seats so far? Early days I know, but I'd appreciate your first impressions - I'm a bit concerned that the lightish grey tone of the material might not be as attractive as a darker finish, but I've only seen the leather option for real.

Hi there. Are you pleased with your cloth seats so far? Early days I know, but I'd appreciate your first impressions - I'm a bit concerned that the lightish grey tone of the material might not be as attractive as a darker finish, but I've only seen the leather option for real.[/QUOTE]

Personally I think they look good in the car, and I was after a more functional feel inside. Bit more clubsporty, bit less GT.

The core seat pad has a mid grey 'mesh' cloth, with supporting pads/trim in a soft feel dark grey/black fabric, sort of a bit 'felt' like. The overall impact is of a dark fabric cover though.

Either way they are great seats though.

No need for heated seats with fabric!

Will grab a couple of pics later.

Why is everyone so obsessed by going sideways in the standard car?? :sigh:
As I understand it the AE86 acheived its awesome following because it was simple and easy to tune, and a lot of people tuned it to go sideways. I believe Toyota has tried to make options available for the GT86 to be tuned so the base car is good, and then people (in the aftermarket who want to) can tweak it however they like once they get it...

Otherwise, seems a reasonably fair review, I can't wait until I can get a test drive and I can't wait even more until I have my car sat on my drive so I can test drive it whenever I like...! :thumbup:

Thanks ICan't for taking the time to reply. I think I'm with you re. the appeal of functionality - seems that cloth will be the non-option for me!

se spec BRZ seats

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ed/photo41.jpg

:thanks: They look good, and seriously durable. All the best with your breaking-in and mods. It's good to have input from a current (and the only so far on forum?) owner.

I know! There should be more UK owners by now...maybe they're too busy enjoying the car to post on the forum. End of July can't come soon enough for me

Actually , I don't think there are many registered yet; think August will be different though

Worth the wait:party0030:

Just got a call from my local Toyota.
My car is now registered: MT12.... Wooohooooo!
Man I'm so excited its ridiculous :drool:

:D

I signed the paperwork for my BRZ yesterday, picking it up on Tuesday.

Trying not to squeal like a little girl ...

nice! I got bought a reg number from my GF for christmas thats waiting to go on a 86 when i get one

'RR12 USS'

(my name is RUSSell) :P


making me jealous!

Well, I got my BRZ yesterday, and I've put about 200 miles on it so far. Might go for another drive once I've posted this ...

Anyone got any questions about the car?

Mate, create a new post and start posting pics! You can never have enough pictures :coolpics:

That thread would just end up being the same as ICantAffordAnLFA's though :bonk:

Do a thread ; great to hear about UK owner experiences

And keszki is right; you can never have too many pics

I'll be opening my tuning thread shortly:party0030:

Does anyone know if the BRZ or GT86 is available to order without the rear spoiler? I much prefer the look of no spoiler and since it would be the first new car purchase in my life, naturally I would want it exactly to my tastes.

Not right now. You'll have to wait for Subaru to bring out the cheaper spec next year.

Went to the launch on 12th July, twas lots of fun.

Here's how we got on:

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...70545317_n.jpg

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...24614357_n.jpg

And finally after much video and speeches, here it comes!

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...47609069_n.jpg

This one had half leather/alcantara with heated seats. £1600 option but you kind of have to really I think. Was nice.

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...72339595_n.jpg

One for the rear light fans:

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...51490465_n.jpg

My friend Tom tried out the rear for size whilst I sat up front. Verdict was, it's fine for giving lifts back from the pub, but the would be about it. I tried it in the back too. There really is very little room. No good for long journeys. But, I have passengers in the back of my car about twice a year and reckon it'd be nice and cosy for Indy! ;)


http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...38248231_n.jpg

Well, it's not often you get the honour of having your car in the showroom for a launch!

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...91941661_n.jpg

Love this one as it's with the man from Toyota Japan guarding my AE86. ;)

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...69277720_n.jpg

View from the rear:

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...95218750_n.jpg


Well, you would, wouldn't you? ;)

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...58388893_n.jpg

Overall it was good fun and I love the car. Next stop, test drive! :)

Edit: I now have a test drive organised for Sunday. :)

So, I've had my BRZ for 11 days and I have 1200 miles on the clock :D

I wonder when I'll see another one (or the 86) on the road?

Not for a while. The first GT86 penciled in to arrive is 2nd August although a couple have theirs already. Only one BRZ i know of in the UK and that was Ed's he was the first to get it.

another customer looks like getting theirs this weekend
was in my local dealership yesterday and this silver one was outside waiting to be picked up by its new owner :)

http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/49...600x600Q85.jpg

had my first proper drive (other than up the hill at goodwood) of the red (demo) one parked next to it. had a good couple of hours behind the wheel. A and B roads.. bloody awesome, just didnt stop grinning the whole time. :D
really cant wait for mine

Got my BRZ today (well Saturday)

Will post some pics tomorrow.

Loving it so far!

Nice work SL. I drove that Red one too. Coincidently, I was there at that very dealership Friday and Saturday with my car... :D

It's just so much better then I could have ever imagined. It's hard to believe they're only asking £25k.... Notice how all three at that dealership had the GT86 badge on the rear? The dealership in Patchway is missing their badge.

Out of interest, are you the guy ordering the Pearl White one?

Well, I've been for my test drive.

First off, the driving position is just excellent. It feels lower than the AE86. With adjustment for rake and reach for the steering, it is really very easy to get a nice comfortable position in the car. The seats seem quite supportive, too. I would have liked adjustable lumbar support, but they are good and feel comfy. Perhaps it's the driving position that sets up how you feel about driving this car. The gearshift is short in throw and very precise. there is no notchiness to at all, it just clicks in and out of gear, it feels very positive.

So, so far so good then. The instrument cluster is clear and easy to read with a central rev counter and digital speedo incorporated at the end of the sweep. The speedo to the left seems completely superflous and I didn't look at it all during my test drive. On the move the car has a nice, if slightly unusual sound to the engine. It's a boxer alright, but not as we know it. This is good, because the car has a rorty sound to the engine which seems entirely in keeping with it's character. It's quiet when cruising, but comes alive when you point your right foot to the carpet. The engine is smooth and feels torquey enough from 3500rpm. It climbs the tacho needle with some eagerness and zings all the way round to the rev limiter, which I admit, I did find on a couple of occasions.

The car feels tight, lithe and shrinks around you. It is easy to place due to the bulges atop the front wings which help to guide you. Whilst the GT86 feels a little wider than it's forebear, this does not seem to hinder you.

I took a route up the A537, 'Cat & Fiddle', down the A54 to Bosley then along the A523 back to Macclesfield. Going up the Cat and Fiddle with stability and traction control on, the road was greasy and with not too much effort I could flick the tail out. I dare say with the stability and traction control off, I could have had some sideways fun with ease. The chassis felt playful with a well weighted front end that was always keen to turn in. Though the inevitable Sunday drivers on the ascent didn't let me play too much! The car was comfortable to cruise in and well resolved in it's damping to soak up the bumps and provide a compliant ride.

After the slow drive up the 'Cat' we got to the top and turned off to come back down the A54. This is a road full of bumps and crests and a mix of corners. This is where the car came alive. As I pointed my toe to the carpet in third, the car accelerated strongly, throttle response is good and there is a feeling of a nice balance to the chassis. The front end seems well connected to the road and even over the bumps and yumps of the A54, the front end remained well connected without bottoming out. Perhaps at this point it is the right time to talk about the steering. At first I felt that the steering seemed somewhat distant, but perhaps it was the lack of slack anywhere in the steering system that helped it feel nice and direct with a good amount of weight. It is electric, but it doesn't seem to suffer from the typical numbness of such a system. Maybe the feel is not as texturally rich as on an older hydraulic system or a system with no assistance, but it does a good job of connecting you to the road. You can feel something of the road surface through the steering, though it's not as rich as say an Elise. The brakes feel strong, but are slightly over servoed for my liking. Heel and toeing was fine when you were on the pace, but there was too much servo to do this when driving at a slower speed.

The car seems to settle nicely into higher speed bends with no wallowing and minimal body roll. This does bode well when it comes to direction changes as the car can dart from corner to corner and this is a car that can attack B roads with some aplomb. It doesn't get ruffled with bumpy surfaces or uncomprimising undulations, it holds true and has a lovely balance to the chassis. In respect of the alacrity of turn in, this car reminds me of my old Integra Type-R. It is very precise indeed and easy to place.

With regard to the interior, it's a nice place to be. The car I tested had JBL speakers. I'm not sure if this is the full upgraded sound system, but I tested it with a CD and it did seem lacking. It feels like it needs a subwoofer to deliver the goods. Otherwise the finish and fit is very good. It would have been nice if the 'nut' controls for the heating and climate control were made of brushed chrome or aluminium as the plastic feels cheap. It could be that the feel and quality of the rest of the controls serves to highlight this shortcoming though.

So, in summary, what did I think? I love it. I Iove my AE86, but this car is light years ahead in terms of dynamics and really feels like the whole experience is focused around the driver. I love the steering, the engine feels strong and sounds right. The chassis, is very, very good and communicative enough with good progression to provide a good amount of feedback and playfulness to the experience. I want one!


http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...73364456_n.jpg

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...93182173_n.jpg

I've only seen one 86

Given it was wearing the 'stripes of shame' ;) I am assuming it was a toyota dealer demo.

yeah, the stripes are god awful :barf:

(sorry to offend if you've bought them anyone?!)

Lauren, that's an excellent road test review - thank you :clap:.

I'm sure that the GT86 is great, but I really fancy your AE! It looks fantastic - you obviously give it loads of tlc.

ah cool! .. yeah its a great motor eh. nice dealership that one.
I did order the Pearl White one! the day before the Silver one was ordered as well.. shouldnt have picked some options! ;)
oh well..


Dont like the top stripe, but the side ones like the GT i test drove are really growing on me ... :D

http://bosman.co.uk/gt86/IMG_1606.jpg

Well written, well structured and fewer cliches than most pros. http://www.jonrb.com/emoticons/thumbup2.gif

I'm loving the fact that this car is so unique on the road. Not seen another 86/BRZ on the road. In fact I've never seen the BRZ in the flesh.

We know it is what you really wanted:bellyroll:

Spoke too soon. Now expected early September. :mad0260: