It's always fun to be part of a celebration especially when there's a red-hot two-door coupe involved! Yes, the 2024 Toyota GR86 TRUENO Special Edition is ready to party! This special limited edition two-door coupe celebrates 40 years since the launch of the Toyota AE86 Sprinter TRUENO in the '80s. Only 860 of these special editions will be available in the U.S. for 2024 - and you have your pick of a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic.
Fun Facts: The SPRINTER TRUENO in Japan was known as the Corolla Sport GT-S liftback in the U.S., and AE86 refers to the chassis code for the '80’s era model.
This two-door coupe is an eye catcher! Its bRed exterior is paired with AE86-inspired elements, which include a two-tone black hood and black side panel graphics, both throwbacks to the iconic '80s model.
The TRUENO rides on exclusive 18-inch black alloy wheels in a black metallic finish, and wow do they look sharp, especially with the front red Brembos. You'll find TRUENO Edition badge on the front bumper lip and rear decklid.
All GR 86s are treated to a black functional matrix front grille with G-mesh insert, GR badge and functional air inlet ducts with black accent trim, a functional black front-wheel-arch air outlet vent, and rear GR badging. The TRUENO is equipped with an adaptive front lighting system and my test vehicle's fantastic GR Performance Dual Exhaust is optional.
The rear-wheel drive GR is track-ready with the excellent engineering and proportions to prove it. It's powered by a 2.4-liter flat-four Boxer engine shared with its cousin, the Subaru BRZ. The powertrain delivers 228-horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Acceleration is perfectly matched to this lightweight coupe's fun driving dynamics. I'm delighted to have the 6-speed manual version, but an automatic with paddle shifters is also an option.
An exciting GR86 edition for 2024 is a newly available Performance Package with SACHS Dampers and Brembo Brakes - specifically tuned for the GR86 by TOYOTA GAZOO RACING. It comes standard on the TRUENO and it's available for other models. It's also available as a retrofit for any 2022 or 2023 GR86 when equipped with 18-inch wheels.
Standard GR86 equipment also includes a Torsen limited-slip rear differential.
The GR86 TRUENO's driver centric and sporty black and red-accented interior is exactly what you want to see when you open the door. You'll also spot a special limited edition number plaque plate on the driver’s side dash.
Heated, red-leather trimmed Ultrasuede black sport seats with bolsters look and perform superbly. You'll find red on the door panels as well as red stitching on the GR-badged leather-wrapped steering wheel, short throw TRUENO badged gear shifter and handheld parking brake. All-weather floor and trunk mats feature TRUENO logos.
A 7-inch digital driver display shows your Drive Mode info, including a manual-only Track mode that you can engage with the press of a button. An 8-inch touchscreen display features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with a rearview camera. A premium eight speaker audio system and two USB ports are also standard.
I love how Toyota's hidden the two cupholders in the center console bin to save space.
Speaking of space, the rear seats don''t have much. While they get the Ultrasuede treatment, and I did manage to squeeze back there, it's pretty tight back there and headroom is pretty non-existent.
What. A. Fun. Ride! Driving the GR86 TRUENO is just fantastic. It is so engaging on every level. I've always loved the GR86 and the TRUENO, with its 2024 Performance upgrades, takes this entry-level coupe to the next level. The precise handling and steering responsiveness are so impressive. And of course its low center of gravity - coupled with its near 50/50 weight distribution come into the equation here as well. And those Brembos!
Exciting news in the safety department as well. An active safety suite is now standard on manual transmission equipped models. Toyota says it uses a stereo camera to monitor the road ahead and includes features like Pre-Collision Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Sway Warning, Lead Vehicle Start Alert and High Beam Assist. Previously you could just get this on the automatic transmission models.
Options on my TRUENO test vehicle include GR Performance Dual Exhaust ($1750), a GR air filter ($75) and GR Key Gloves ($20) bringing the total MSPR to $37,610 with destination.
Verdict
The GR86 gets some really fantastic performance updates for 2024 -- and the price --still so unbelievably affordable! My TRUENO test vehicle packs an incredible amount of performance into it's under $40K price tag. The GR86 TRUENO Special Edition will make each of its 860 owners very, very happy.