2018 Toyota 86 GT debuts in the US, price starts at $30,000 for AT

In Europe, Toyota’s rear-wheel drive purist sports car is called the Toyota GT86, while in North America, this vehicle is offered as the Toyota 86. Now, here is good news for Toyota’s North America customers wanting to get behind the wheel of the 2018 Toyota 86 – the Japanese carmaker is bringing the GT designation to the latest iteration of its sports car in the guise of a new trim level.

When the Toyota 86 was first offered in North America, it lacked a number of equipment and features, especially those that enhanced comfort. This could be because Toyota created the 86 as a purist sports car that offers simple and affordable motoring fun. The same is true for the identical twin of the 86 that is branded as Subaru with a BRZ badge.

However, the Subaru BRZ is available with a number of features not offered on the Toyota 86. The range-topping Limited trim for the Subaru BRZ offers push-button start, heated leather seats and dual-zone climate control, as well as a number of extra elements. Actually, these elements were already featured in the Toyota 86, but only on the Toyota 86 860 Special Edition.

With similar, if not the same, features and elements present both on the new 2018 Toyota 86 GT and the Toyota 86 860 Special Edition, it could be said that the new trim level of the 2+2 seater sports car is a rehash or a rework of the limited edition model.

As disclosed by CarsDirect – sifting through dealer guides to get the latest information about the 2018 iteration of the Toyota 86 -- the new GT trim features heated seats upholstered in new leather as well as dual-zone climate control or a warm or cool cabin all throughout. These new features are expected to offer more comfort not just for the driver and the front passenger, but also for those sitting on the rear.

Leather also wraps the steering wheel – with further silver contrast stitching and audio controls – as well as the parking brake handle of the new 2018 Toyota 86 GT. Aside from the push-button start, the new Toyota 86 GT also comes with a new 4.2-inch screen that includes the a tachometer and a g-force meter as well as torque output and temperature readouts. The interior of the GT trim is also fitted with an anti-theft device.

Meanwhile, the exterior of the Toyota 86 GT dons new fog lights employing light emitting diode (LED) units and “underbody aerodynamic panel," which could form a front splitter. Customers could choose between two versions of the GT trim. One version is laden with body-color accents while the GT Black – coming at the same price – offers Raven Black accents to the rear wing supports and mirror caps.

The 2018 Toyota 86 GT will have a starting price of $29,280, including $895 in destination charge, for the six-speed manual model. When an automatic transmission is availed, customers need to shell out an additional $720.