GR86 Moving to/from a GR Supra? My thoughts...

Good post. I was thinking about the Supra as a choice to move to before the GR86 was announced; but it was quite a bit more expensive, and, at the time, automatic only, so I ruled it out. Reading your experience reinforces the fact that it might not have been the car for me anyway.
 
Conscript said:
Good post. I was thinking about the Supra as a choice to move to before the GR86 was announced; but it was quite a bit more expensive, and, at the time, automatic only, so I ruled it out. Reading your experience reinforces the fact that it might not have been the car for me anyway.
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The 0% finance they had on offer was very tempting!
 
Conscript said:
Good post. I was thinking about the Supra as a choice to move to before the GR86 was announced; but it was quite a bit more expensive, and, at the time, automatic only, so I ruled it out. Reading your experience reinforces the fact that it might not have been the car for me anyway.
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People seem to forget that the Mk4 Supra, the one everyone raves about, wasn't a sports car either. It was a 1600kg, fairly large, fairly heavy, largely sold in automatic, GT car. The GR Supra, despite its BMW DNA, is a very apt successor to that car.

Unfortunately, having run the GR Supra owners club now for getting on 2 years, I've seen way too many people buy the car thinking its a pure sports car, probably because their previous car experience has been Golf R/GTR/M140i or similar. Yes, compared to those cars, the Supra is a sports car. But people who own cars like that will almost always turn their noses up at an MX5, Porsche Cayman or GR86. Proper sports cars don't have automatic gearboxes and turbocharged engines, in my opinion. Supercars do, posers cars do. Sports cars, to the owners of the aforementioned cars, are slow, "boring" cars. They just don't understand how a slower car can be fun.

I have lost count of the amount of conversations I've read, taken part in, or heard that have floated around the topic of power, 100-200 times and dyno figures. When those are the topics of conversation, its quite clear the car in question is not a sports car.
 
S18RSG said:
When those are the topics of conversation, its quite clear the car in question is not a sports car.
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Question is, who is doing the sports?

The car? If so then perhaps the faster car is sportier?

Or the driver? Going straight doesn’t require much skill...

I like the term performance car vs sports car. Push the former for the quick cars, there is a chance we can keep the latter for the driver's cars... At least among general car enthusiast.

For general transportation, the distinction is irrelevant and mostly about having a 'nice' car for whatever reason, understood that functional transportation is unexciting. Or something like that...

Funny thing is, I don't like it when people call my GR Yaris a sportscar, while it definitely is a driver's car for me. Naming really isn't a black and white thing, there is a lot of interpretation and variation....
 
The question anyone should ask themselves is, would you prefer an MX5 or an M3?

Both cars people maybe somewhat familiar with.
 
Yes maybe in big lines,

But that said, a stock median mx-5 (NB/NC), as perception goes, is quite a bit removed from a GR86 imho. And as said the GT86/GR86 crosses over with the first gen M3 quite well...
 
Nice write up.

i own an M2c a Yaris GR and GR86 and have asked for a test drive in a manual supra.

test drive is in beginning of may. I am just curious how it drives. i use most my cars on track or back roads.

after i did a trackday in my GR86 i said i can sell the m2c. The Bmw is a nice fast daily but on track the gr86 offers more. Only thing bmw is nicer you have so much power you can steer with the back end. It costs tires but it is fun. You can do the same with gr86 if the track is wet.

With Bmw M2 you can feel the weight and the brakes are getting to hot also.

i must say i have more fun in my gr86 on track then my bmw. I would like a gt4 and sell the m2 for it.

I thought maybe the Supra would be sportier car then the M2 but i quess not.

I use my yaris gr mainly on wet roads. It is so much fun! Dry trackdays i take the GR86.
 
AdvEvo said:
Nice write up.

i own an M2c a Yaris GR and GR86 and have asked for a test drive in a manual supra.

test drive is in beginning of may. I am just curious how it drives. i use most my cars on track or back roads.

after i did a trackday in my GR86 i said i can sell the m2c. The Bmw is a nice fast daily but on track the gr86 offers more. Only thing bmw is nicer you have so much power you can steer with the back end. It costs tires but it is fun. You can do the same with gr86 if the track is wet.

With Bmw M2 you can feel the weight and the brakes are getting to hot also.

i must say i have more fun in my gr86 on track then my bmw. I would like a gt4 and sell the m2 for it.

I thought maybe the Supra would be sportier car then the M2 but i quess not.

I use my yaris gr mainly on wet roads. It is so much fun! Dry trackdays i take the GR86.
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Would be interested in hearing your thoughts by means of a little write up when you drive the Supra.

I certainly found the M2C to be a little more dynamic, back end was more playful for sure. I prefer the Supra's engine and gearbox though, for sure. And the main differentiator for me, and why I chose the Supra, was the interior. Although similar, the Supra's ergonomics just feel more special and less "BMW 1 series".

But if the Supra drove like the M2C did dynamically, I think it would be a far better car.
 
I am not really interested in interior.

For me is agility, lightweight feel, smaller wheel base most important.

love the GR86 for that!
 
Great summary Ross!
I agree. For tearing around B-roads the GR86 is a top choice and genuinely rivals a good, used Cayman. However, the performance of the Supra can’t be overlooked.
I can’t decide which is “best” so I just have both!

D307AE6F-D467-4062-A121-8AA99642FAEC.webp
 
DuncTheGun said:
Great summary Ross!
I agree. For tearing around B-roads the GR86 is a top choice and genuinely rivals a good, used Cayman. However, the performance of the Supra can’t be overlooked.
I can’t decide which is “best” so I just have both!
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Air cooled 911 in your profile picture too - *tips hat*
 
I am here only to echo most folks thoughts. I've had (and got) lots of cars, and the GR86 is just a delight. I don't need to sell it but my M4 which is of course way way faster can be waved off with minimal chance of regret - albeit still some sadness - tomorrow if someone were to turn up with the right £, whereas the GR86 is never going to leave my hands, it's too much fun and just joyful to 'play' with, which the car really encourages you to do.

I liked but didn't love the GR Supra and I cancelled my order on the back of the test day at/around Thruxton: I'd repeat what was said in post 1 but add I do like how it looks, but really couldn't get over the fact they dropped the 2+2 configuration and put an awkward and weird boot-through-void in its place.
 
ZN8 said:
To me the GR86 is (was) the oldest new car you could buy
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I keep thinking about this phrase and in my humble opinion you have absolutely nailed the appeal sir.

This phrase (and perhaps the alternative "newest 'old' car you can buy") really encapsulate the appeal.

Thank you and I shall leave you all to your bank holiday weekends. 🍻
 
Silver Fox said:
I keep thinking about this phrase and in my humble opinion you have absolutely nailed the appeal sir.

This phrase (and perhaps the alternative "newest 'old' car you can buy") really encapsulate the appeal.

Thank you and I shall leave you all to your bank holiday weekends. 🍻
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Yeah that's the one, I said it the wrong way round but you know what I mean (y) have a good one 🍻
 
ZN8 said:
Yeah that's the one, I said it the wrong way round but you know what I mean (y) have a good one 🍻
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I don't think you did say it the wrong way round - I think both apply equally well!

I absolutely agree with the sentiment - here's to road noise, driveline shunt, a cheap interior, and tinny speakers!
 
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