The story of an unlucky Toyota GR86 owner became viral last week after he blew his engine. At first, Toyota refused to repair it under warranty because of a picture shared on social media. After public outcry, Toyota finally decided to offer a free engine rebuild.
6 photos

For Blake Alvarado, the guy who saw his 2022 Toyota GR86 left powerless because of a well-known problem with the FA24 engines, the story had a happy ending. The social media campaign he started pressured Toyota to take a stand, and he was announced that his car’s engine would be rebuilt for free. But for countless other GR86 owners with similar problems, the struggle is still ongoing. Toyota still does not budge from its weird warranty conditions for North America, which prohibit using the GR86 in racing events.

Although the Toyota GR86 (and other GR-branded vehicles, including the GR Supra) is marketed as a car for racing enthusiasts, Toyota doesn’t want its U.S. customers to actually go racing. The North American warranty conditions exclude damage that results from racing. In contrast, the European version specifically says that attending “Track Days or similar events” will not invalidate the vehicle’s warranty. In the case of Blake Alvarado, his warranty was void the moment a Toyota representative saw a picture of him drifting the car on social media.

After public outcry, Toyota contacted Alvarado and offered a free engine rebuild. Nevertheless, Toyota did nothing to change the situation of dozens of other GR86 owners. Many reported a clogged oil pickup tube because the factory uses too much RTV (room-temperature-vulcanizing) silicone sealant. This is why Alvarado’s engine experienced a failed rod bearing in cylinder number four.

“The public response ultimately brought to light the elephant in the room that is marketing vs warranty policy,” wrote Alvarado in a follow-up post. “This is something that won’t get solved overnight, but I would like to see Toyota regain the trust of the enthusiast market it intends to capture with their GR brand. A step toward this would be reaffirming that track days and similar events should NOT void a valid warranty claim for a manufacturer defect.”

In a mail to Carscoops, Toyota admitted it’s not changing its North American customers’ warranty conditions. Instead, the Japanese carmaker states that the “warranty claims are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.” Even though racing falls under these conditions, Toyota should acknowledge that it not only promoted the GR86 with racetrack videos but outright encouraged people to use the car on a racetrack. Denying the warranty because of this is unfair, to say the least.

The clogged oil pickup tube has nothing to do with racing, although the oil starvation condition might worsen while racing. This is a well-known problem with the car’s engine, which is thoroughly documented. The forums and social media are littered with posts about this problem. Toyota should not only repair the affected engines on warranty, but they should issue a recall to verify and remedy the problem. This is what a responsible carmaker that cares for its clients and reputation would do.

A blast from the past is returning for the 2025 model year. Paying tribute to the Hakone Turnpike in Japan, not far from Tokyo, Toyota is reintroducing the GR86 Hakone special edition. Born to hit the streets in style, the GR86 Hakone special edition is sure to turn heads with its bold Ridge Green exterior color.

Built off the GR86 Premium grade, the Hakone special edition will have a choice of a six-speed manual or automatic transmission and will be powered by a 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder boxer engine generating 228 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. The special edition will feature 18-inch satin bronze-finished wheels, a color-keyed duck-tail spoiler, black accents and a Hakone badge.

On the inside, customers will find Ultrasuede® sport seats with tan leather trim and stitching. A Hakone special edition shift knob with bronze accents sits front and center and a GR special edition plaque adds to the unique look and feel.

Brembo® Brakes and SACHS Dampers come standard on the Hakone special edition providing a stellar driving experience with industry-leading features.

There will only be 860 units produced for the U.S. market for 2025. Customers can expect the Hakone special edition and all GR86 grades to arrive at Toyota dealerships in the Fall of 2024.

Toyota GAZOO Racing Inspired Driving Performance

The GR engineering team is always looking to take learnings from the track and include them on GR cars. For 2025, GR86 shock absorbers have been re-tuned to help improve handling response and a sense of ground contact. Throttle mapping revised to increase the ease of "blipping," an action commonly used when performing heel-toe downshifts in a motorsport setting. Furthermore, engine torque control has been adopted to provide a more direct throttle response and linearity, which in turn improves ease of control at all speeds. The Electric Power Steering has also been re-tuned for a more responsive handling feel and an improved sense of direct contact with the road.

The GR86 Hakone special edition comes standard with SACHS Dampers and Brembo® Brakes. A Performance Package is also available as an option on other 2025 GR86 grades that include these features. The SACHS Dampers are filled with high-pressure nitrogen and oil and are designed to absorb vibrations across a wide range of speeds, maximize ground contact, and support firm, stable steering, while also balancing road feedback and ride comfort. The red-painted Brembo 4-piston front and 2-piston rear brake calipers clamp down on smooth surfaced 12.8 x 1.3-in front rotors, with 12.4 x .79-in. rotors in the rear. The brake pad area is 11.6-in2 in the front and 4.9-in2 in the rear.

The dampers and brakes complement the GR86's chassis, which is known for its taut, responsive feel. Crafted from a combination of high-strength steel, hot-stamped steel, and aluminum, each material in the frame is strategically placed to bring drivers a balance of roll and pitch that maximizes control. Up front it uses diagonal cross members and high-strength fasteners to join the front suspension and frame together. At the rear, a full ring structure and high-strength fasteners connect the frame and suspension mounts. For additional reinforcement, structural adhesive has been added throughout the underbody. Altogether creating a cohesive, connected frame.

Lightweight and Fun

All GR86 models pack in modern engineering, tech, and convenience - while sticking to the lightweight sports car roots.

Weighing in at just 2,811 pounds for the manual transmission equipped Base grade model, and at 2,851 pounds for the automatic version, the GR86 is among the lightest sports cars on the market. An aluminum hood, front fenders and roof panel help keep the weight down on the body. While details such as the use of structural adhesives in the frame and seats that are over six pounds lighter than the prior generation 86, help save precious ounces in the name of maximum control.

The naturally aspirated 2.4-liter FA-24 engine delivers 228 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque and is tuned so that peak torque arrives at 3,700 RPM, resulting in a responsive and powerful driving experience. Zero-to-60 acceleration comes in at 6.1 seconds for the 6-speed manual transmission, and 6.6 seconds for the available six-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission (ECT-i). With either transmission, the GR86 comes equipped with a Torsen® limited-slip rear differential for enhanced traction while cornering.

Sports car purists will love GR86's 6-speed manual transmission. With the push of a button, drivers can engage Track mode or switch off Vehicle Stability Control (VSC). And on the automatic transmission GR86, additional clutch discs and a high-capacity torque converter allow for smooth delivery of the 2.4-liter engine's higher power and torque.

On the inside of GR86, drivers will experience a low-slung, driver-focused cockpit with digital instrument panel, push-button start, HVAC system with LED dials and piano-key switches, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with integrated controls for the audio system. For the 6-speed automatic, steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters offer enthusiasts a dynamic driving experience. The manual downshift mode has also increased by maximum 1600 RPM to allow for a higher RPM downshift. Drivers can choose between Normal, Sport or Snow modes. When in Sport mode, the transmission senses brake and accelerator operation and vehicle behavior to automatically select the optimal gear, bringing drivers the control they want.

An 8-inch touchscreen multimedia system with a six-speaker audio system comes standard on the Base grade and an eight-speaker system is standard on the Hakone special edition and Premium grade. For seating, the Premium grade comes with Ultrasuede® and leather-trim with black stitching, six-way adjustable front seats with two-level heating. The Base grade has six-way adjustable black G-embossed fabric with sport fabric side bolsters. Rear seats include Ultrasuede trim on the Premium and sport fabric on the Base grade.

GR86 Safety & Connected Services

All Toyota GR86 models come standard with an Active Safety Suite. On Automatic Transmission models this suite includes Pre-Collision Braking System, Pre-Collision Throttle Management, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lead Vehicle Start Alert, Lane Departure Warning with Sway Warning and Automatic High Beams. Manual Transmission models include Pre-Collision Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure and Sway Warning, Lead Vehicle Start Alert, and Rear Sonar Warning. An anti-theft system with engine immobilizer and alarm are also standard.

Toyota's Star Safety System™ also comes standard on all models, which includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA). It also includes Smart Stop Technology® (SST), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Track Mode and Hill Start Assist Control (HAC). Additional safety features include LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) with lower anchors on outboard rear seats and tether anchors on all rear seats and a Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS). Seven airbags are standard on all models, including a driver's knee airbag.

Throttle mapping revised to increase the ease of "blipping," an action commonly used when performing heel-toe downshifts in a motorsport setting.

Toyota revealed its GR86 Rally Legacy Concept at the 2024 SEMA Show, an innovative homage to the brand's storied rally heritage. This dynamic concept vehicle, based on the 2024 GR86 with Performance Package, showcases Toyota's commitment to performance, nostalgia, and the future of rally racing.

Grumblings of the return of the World Rally Championship (WRC) to the United States prompted a look back and celebration of Toyota's storied motorsports history. Drawing inspiration from the iconic ST185 and ST205 Celica GT-Four rally vehicles of yester-year, the GR86 gets a complete powertrain swap by way of the 3-cylinder turbocharged, GR-FOUR AWD drivetrain from the GR Corolla.

"The aim is to evoke memories of the legendary rally car that enthusiasts have admired on rally stages and in popular racing video games," said Paul Doleshal, general manager of Motorsports and Assets at Toyota Motor North America. "That idea led to a formative conversation about how cool it would be to create a modern interpretation of such an iconic car."

The project started with two distinct sports cars from the GR family that were merged into a vision of how a contemporary version of the legendary Celica GT-Four might appear. The most formidable fabrication challenges involved modifying the GR86's chassis to accommodate the GR Corolla's taller, transverse-mounted G16E-GTS engine and the GR-FOUR AWD drivetrain.

While the G16 engine could fit within the GR86 engine bay and transmission tunnel, some modification of the front of the chassis was required, along with a custom subframe and engine mounts to gain the clearance required for the driveline and suspension. Converting the GR86 to all-wheel drive also required significant modification of the front suspension to incorporate GR Corolla hubs, spindles and axles to get power to the front wheels. Custom coil-over dampers were bolted onto each corner, and custom control arms were fabricated to complement the subframe modifications. Additional adjustments were made to the GR86 steering rack to ensure proper feel and clearances.

At the back, the team replaced the stock GR86 rear end with the GR Corolla differential and housing to maintain factory gear ratios, electronics functionality, and power distribution. The GR Corolla rear axles also required modification to fit properly.

The G16 engine benefitted from a host of upgrades, including a performance intercooler to chill the intake charge, and an oil cooler to reduce engine oil temps. Engine management duties were delegated to a race ECU to ensure spot-on fuel delivery, spark timing, boost control and sensor monitoring throughout. While the Toyota GR86 Rally Legacy Concept will retain the GR Corolla's original specs of 300hp and 273 lb.-ft, there is the potential to increase these numbers with further tuning.

The GR86 Rally Legacy concept features a striking Halo White exterior with heritage-inspired red and green color palette, integrated with modern Toyota and Toyota Gazoo Racing logos. Notable exterior features include large red rally mudflaps, a custom exhaust, and a Celica GT-Four-inspired spoiler, complete the vintage rally look.

Inside the cockpit, this concept vehicle has a full cage, painted in bright white. The driver is held in place by racing seats with red, 6-point racing harnesses, aligning with Toyota Gazoo Racing's color scheme.

"The GR86 Rally Legacy Concept is a testament to Toyota's enduring passion for rally racing, said Mike Tripp, group vice president, Toyota Marketing. "We did this build for our GR and Toyota Rally fans-it's a fantasy car come to life, our way of celebrating our past achievements and the possibility of the World Rally Championship making a return to the United States."

The GR86 Rally Legacy concept exemplifies Toyota's strategic approach to blending heritage with innovation. And it's on display-along with Toyota's other featured vehicles, build concepts and a variety of production cars, SUVs, and trucks-at the 2024 SEMA Show from November 5-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the Toyota booth (Central Hall, Booth 22200). Attendees are invited to join Toyota as it continues the company's mission to provide thrilling performance whether on track or trail.