While Toyota won’t give us a turbocharged 86/GT86
out, they continue to toy around with one-off creations of the sports cars. The
latest model celebrates the 86th edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours with three
heritage liveried models dressed in eye-catching wraps, reminiscent of the
company’s racers. However, unlike previous special editions, these won’t be put
into production.
Toyota says the first model pays tribute to the
TS010 of 1992. This was powered by an F1-like 3.5-liter V10 engine, rated at
700 horsepower. The second one reminds of the 1998 TS020, another Le Mans racer
“that proved exceptional in qualifying and a record-breaker in the heat of
competition”, says the automaker. The final GT86 is inspired by the TS050
Hybrid, which almost won the competition two years ago.
In addition to the special liveries, reproduced by
vinyl specialist Funkee Fish, all three models are equipped with rear wings,
“in a nod to the high-downforce aero packages featured on the race cars”. All
86s sit 40 mm closer to the ground thanks to the addition of lowering
springs, while featuring a Miltek Sport exhaust system made from stainless
steel and special rims that replicate the designs of the racing wheels.
