The new Toyota GR86 made itself known on European soil for the first time and was announced that it will be available from the spring of 2022.
However, the Japanese sports car's career in Europe will be unusually short: only two years . In other words, the new GR86 will only be on sale in the «old continent» until 2024.
After that, he disappeared from the scene, never to return, despite his career continuing in other markets, such as the Japanese or the North American.
But why?
The reasons for the new Toyota GR86's so short career in the European market, interestingly enough, are not to do with future emission standards.
Rather, it has to do with the mandatory introduction of more and new vehicle safety systems in the European Union, scheduled to start in July 2022. some that have raised some controversy, like the “black box” or the smart speed assistant.
As of July 2022, it will be mandatory to install these systems on all new models launched, while models currently on sale have a two-year period to comply with these regulations — this is precisely where it "fits" the Toyota GR86.
The announced end of its marketing coincides with the end of the period to comply with the new rules.
Why does Toyota not adapt the GR86?
Adapting the new GR86 to conform to the new requirements would have high development costs as it would involve extensively modifying the coupé.
However, as a new model, shouldn't Toyota have considered the new requirements during its design? The new security systems have been known for several years, at least since 2018, with the final regulation having been approved on January 5, 2020.
The truth is that the basis of the new GR86 is fundamentally the same as its predecessor, the GT86, a model released in the distant year of 2012, when the new requirements weren't even in discussion.
Although Toyota has announced improvements to the platform, in-depth re-engineering work and therefore more development costs would always be needed to accommodate all the new safety systems.
And now?
If there was ever any suspicion that the Toyota GR86 was the last of its kind, a reasonably affordable rear-wheel-drive sports coupe with a naturally aspirated engine and manual gearbox, this news confirms it… at least here in Europe.
In 2024, the GR86 will cease to be commercialized, with no successor scheduled to take its place.
But if there is a successor later in time, it will somehow be electrified. Toyota also announced during the Kenshiki Forum that by 2030 it expects 50% of its sales to be zero-emission vehicles, and wants to reduce CO2 emissions by 100% by 2035.
There will be no place for a reasonably affordable rear-wheel-drive sports coupe, just and only equipped with a combustion engine.