Riceburner

Hi All,
           TGB have announced a number of future special editions under the sub brand of Gt86 Club Series,the first of which will be a run of 100 units in a solar orange colour.
It will be pro spec with black wheels and black door mirrors and interior will be alcantara with orange stitching applied to seats and dashboard.
I will publish pics when we get them.
Cars are ready to order from the 15th May.
Regards
Richard
 

Supra review 5th October 2019
 
Well, so much hyperbole, ‘the legend is back’, ‘fifty years of heritage’, ‘racing DNA’, the first global car by Toyota Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s rebranded motorsport department. Then there is the now legendary status of the A80 Supra with Smokey Nagata at the wheel driving at 197mph on the A1M at 4am in the morning. No pressure then? Much talk has been made of the collaboration with BMW and as is the way these days collaborations are extremely common in the car industry. Remember the Toyota/Subaru one with the GT86/BRZ? That turned out alright didn’t it?
 


The new Supra shares its basic platform in terms of running gear with the BMW Z4, but there are a lot of differences with the most obvious one being that the Supra has a roof and the Z4 does not. Plus it looks so much better. They both share the reworked BMW B58 engine which Toyota improved upon and whilst to the die hards it isn’t a new ‘2JZ’ it is a 3 litre turbocharged straight six. This is a well liked engine with 340bhp though some tests of production cars by tuners have seen up to 380bhp and 369lb/ft of torque, though 500nm as in the spec sheet sounds more. At around 1500kg it’s no lightweight but par for the course for a car in this sector. As we shall find out, it’s not lacking in torque.
 
This car is fully loaded with every conceivable option and many will be relieved to find Apple Car Play in a Toyota. Good news, I think. There were too many options to fully appraise when I only had the car for an hour, but as the only car available for test drives in the whole of the North West this would be something of a taster to gain initial impressions. I didn’t play with the sat nav, turn the stereo on or try out the adaptive cruise and lane assistance options. My mission on a cool and slightly damp morning in Macclesfield was to focus on what it drives like and how it feels.


 

Getting into the car it feels similarly low to the GT86 and the driving position feels familiar. Nice and low and with the electrically adjustable seat I’m soon in a good driving position. I ponder if the accelerator pedal is a centimetre further to the right and note it being hinged from the floor.
Richard from RRG Toyota Macclesfield tells me to try ‘comfort’ mode in full automatic as we head through Macclesfield. As I pull away from the lights I notice the throttle is soft in response and accelerates smoothly with no hint of what the power figures suggest. It feels a bit lazy to me, which is I suppose ideal if you’ve got no sensitivity in your right foot, but I prefer a sharper response. Solace is found in the ‘Sport’ button. Much better, it even holds gears longer which is uncanny. As we head out towards what used to be called Fools Nook and with a higher speed limit, I ease the throttle down. Wow, does it go. I’m pushed back in my seat, but soon have to ease off for traffic ahead. It gives a tantalising glimpse of what is to come. I note the seats are comfy and after the first few corners, the steering is direct. The control weights feel much as the GT86. That extra 300kg is well compensated by that powerhouse of an engine.


We turn left at Boseley and head up the A54 on the uphill in the direction of the Cat and Fiddle (Buxton Road). At last a clear road ahead of me, so I push the throttle to the floor in second, I’m already in manual mode. Wow, it’s quick, really quick, one gear comes after another and I joke to Richard that I better think about trying the brakes as we head into the tricky double right left chicane before snicking up the hill on an unseen left. This is Macclesfield so predictably there’s a small stream crossing the road ahead of us mid-corner. I’m on sticky Michelin Super Sports. No matter though, reminding myself this car is a bit precious and registered to the managing director of RRG, caution wins. The car feels surefooted and has a nice direct feeling front end.
We push up the hill and soon catch a straggler who after a time opts to pull over and let me past. This car has some presence on the road. The A54 has a lot of crests and dips. I push hard along these trying not to get airborne, and the car copes with compressions well, the undertrays remaining as good as new!  The damping is good and the car feels controlled, no float and whilst we are in Sport mode, we are in normal mode for damping which is probably a good thing on a road such as this. There is zero slop in the suspension and as I push hard into an uphill left hander, the car feels direct and well connected.

What dominates the experience is the power. Perhaps it’s because I’m used to a whole 213bhp and half the torque of the Supra that I am constantly gobsmacked by the mid range torque of this car. It flies and the rate it piles the speed on constantly impresses. What I do notice and perhaps this is due to the shorter wheel base compared to my GT86 is that the Supra responds, really well, but feels like it may be a little more of a handful when the rear does let go. I didn’t turn the stability control or traction off on this drive given it was the only available demonstrator in the northwest, but I could feel it cutting in as I applied the throttle mid corner interrupting my progress and making it feel like I’m point and squirting the car down the straights in-between corners. Given the power of the engine, it’s making the Cat and Fiddle feel a bit too tight and twisty. It’s almost as if it craves some long fast sweepers where I can properly load the suspension and get it to work a bit longer. I’m desperate to try adjusting the throttle mid corner but here I feel like I’m either on it or off it, again stability aids making it feel a bit too binary for my liking. Thinking about it more, as the wheels are smeared with 275 wide rear tyres and 255 up front, with these super sticky tyres it’s not easy to exploit the handling and response on a dry road.

 
I need more time behind the wheel to try out the features properly, play with damping modes and it would be interesting to see what it feels like on a wet road. One thing that has not come to mind is the turbo. There doesn’t really seem to be any lag with pushing the throttle, there’s no wait for a response. Whilst I would prefer a more sensitive throttle, this is probably more about my conditioning with my super sensitive throttle on my own car. The engine is very responsive, but perhaps it’s the mid-range torque that really dominates, though it does run freely to the limiter if you’re brave enough. The Supra just simply decimates roads like these, shortening the straights and bringing the next corner to you at an ever increasing rate. My mind is trying to process it all. I should also add that I didn’t try automatic mode as such, though I was really impressed by the speed of the upshifts using the paddles, I was probably in too low a gear a lot of the time, trying to remember I have eight gears to deal with rather than six. User error I admit, but there is a lot going on when you have a lot less time to think between corners!

With the Cat and Fiddle road bullied into submission by the Supra, I ease off and try to collect my thoughts. This would be a nice car to live with. The interior switchgear will be familiar to anyone who owns a current BMW and this is no bad thing. It feels in a different world compared to the hard plastics in my car and well, one would have to expect that given it’s twice the price. The infotainment systems are obvious BMW and there are a myriad of functions. I admit I was a little too busy driving to get a chance to try everything out. There is also a nifty head up display showing speed limit and speed, though I put the seat on its lowest setting so couldn’t see it, though it can be adjusted I’m told.

I like the dash with the central tachometer. Why don’t all cars have this, speed is always secondary to revs after all. I’m finding it a bit difficult keeping an eye on the digital speedometer, it would be better placed in the middle of the rev counter I think, but that’s reserved for what gear and drive mode the car is in. It’s probably a matter of getting used to these things though. The seats are nicely supportive and feel better than the seats in my GT86 which are really good. I like the feel of the controls and thinner steering wheel is a nice touch. Visibility is good, though at first I’m drawn to the huge chunky A pillars and small windscreen. Five minutes behind the wheel though and I’m not noticing it. Visibility from the rear view mirror feels a little like looking down a tunnel with the long rear windscreen framing the view, though there is a very good reversing camera that does apparently stop you hitting things as well as highlighting any points where you are close. There’s a decent boot as well, though the shape of the opening would restrict bulky items. Having no rear seats helps though.

As my drive nears its end, I’m given a lot to think about. Wow, that engine, the power, the ease with which you can make other cars disappear in you rear view mirror, the effortless overtaking, the way in which it pushes you back into your seat. If you’ve had a bad day, you could instantly improve your mood with one deft shove of the accelerator. I never felt like I could really properly assess the handling, which such high limits of grip and the stability control putting me on the naughty step. I absolutely understand that in a car with this kind of power how a less experienced driver could quickly find themselves in a whole lot of trouble very quickly in this car if it allowed more slip. Also with the short wheelbase, you will have to be quick to catch it. I think it will remind me more of driving mid-engined cars where opposite lock has to accurate and quickly applied. Things such as these I want to explore more. The Supra is enticing me to come back as there is unfinished business here. When RRG Macclesfield have their own demonstrator I look forward to getting to know this car better. I like it, a lot.
Familiarity with this car makes me like the looks more. I love how it's got it's own look with a really obvious link to the MKIV Supra and bringing the old badge back. 

 
 

The Corolla Hybrid two litre hybrid in Excel trim. This will be my first review of a hybrid and as such there’s quite a lot more technology to learn. I will admit that what drew me to reviewing this car was that it had 180bhp. That in itself gave me some hope that Toyota are now looking to combine hybrid technology with at least some degree of performance.
This version is fully loaded and has every option included which puts it at a price of £31,530. This is a lot of money for what is a family hatch back. It does though have a huge amount of features that demonstrate how far things have moved on with car design and features since my now fairly old GT86 was conceived a decade ago.
Starting with how it looks seems to be a matter of divided opinion. I think this is because it’s very much of the moment with it’s sharp angles and multi-faceted surfaces. Personally I like it and I think that all it takes is a bit of getting used to. The current Prius was the same when it came out and you can easily see the common styling cues with this car.
 

 
Upon getting into this car you are met with what is a very nice interior. The seats are good, though not quite as supportive as they may look, but this isn’t a sports car. It does though have sporting pretensions. The dash is a nice layout with a huge screen for settings and sat nav, the regeneration system and internet and Wifi connectivity. What is striking is how far things have moved on from my now six year old GT86 looking very much last decade when it comes to features and infotainment. So, this is a new era with every bell and whistle you could imagine but first I’d rather cover stuff that I’m familiar with, i.e., how does it drive and how does it handle on the road.

 
I should firstly point out that this car has three drive modes. Eco, which relaxes throttle input and steering weight, then there is ‘Normal’ which is really the default mode. I did try driving this car in Eco mode briefly, but it was just a bit slack and wooly in terms of response, normal felt more natural. Then there is Sport mode which makes the dash go a racy red. Sport mode really sharpens up the throttle and also seems to tighten the steering, but maybe it just adds a bit more weight. Weight doesn’t mean feel of course, but to a point you feel more connected.

 
This car has a constantly variable transmission (CVT). Now CVT’s are generally not popular amongst car enthusiasts as they constantly vary the gear ratio, which can mean, when you floor it the revs soar and it feels like the car has a slipping clutch. Toyota have been smart with this one though and given it steps, so that it feels like gears. This may seem like an automotive backwards step, but it simply highlights that drivers do not like CVT’s and making it work more like a conventional automatic is what people prefer. In reality it’s like the smoothest auto you’ve ever driven as it fakes going up a gear. It works well in practice though. Also and I did wonder if this was something of a gimmick, it has flappy paddles so you can go into manual mode. On a CVT? Yep! In practice this is a bit of a gimmick when accelerating as it becomes a bit meaningless every time you get on the throttle. However when pressing on and when you want to hold a gear as you lift off the throttle it’s actually useful, simply for the control aspect. On the downhill on the Cat and Fiddle road, this is where is was really useful to me. In drive mode as soon as you lift off the throttle the engine disengages which does not inspire confidence when pushing on.
 
Now when I talk about driving this car with some vigour, I really did, but this is not a sports car, but it does have a good turn of pace. It’s a bit weird the first time you pull away silently on electric power and there is no doubt the electric motor does a great job of filling in the torque curve when you put your foot down. I would say it feels a bit like a petrol turbo, or perhaps a turbo diesel in terms of characteristics. The main punch of the engine is the mid-range, not the top end. Once you know this, you can use it to good effect. The other thing to mention is the brakes. Due to the regeneration system, the brake does feel a bit digital in application in that it does feel a bit on/off. It maybe that the servo is a bit too keen, but it did take me a little time to get smooth with the brakes.
 
Let’s talk about handling. When I drove this car without knowing it’s weight, I guessed it would be around 1500kgs or perhaps more. I guess that’s an assumption of it must be heavy due to the batteries and all the hybrid stuff. However it does actually weigh in a mere 100kg heavier than my GT86 at 1370kg. What surprised me on the road, was that it actually felt heavier. I wonder if this is due to more of the weight being in the nose of the car? Turn in to corners however is actually not bad at all. The car will wash into understeer if you continue to push. There is an element of learning to trust that the car will follow its nose, which is due in part to a lack of feel, so once you know the car will do it, you build trust that way. The chassis itself is not particularly reactive, but quite benign. I would say it’s a step in the right direction for Toyota, but there is still some way to go to make it an engaging car to drive. It’s the kind of car you can hustle, it is capable, but you are unlikely to get up at 6am on a sunny Sunday morning for the hell of it. Handling is safe and predictable, the car is stable and responds relatively well to direction changes. Perhaps a Gazoo Racing version or maybe even a GRMN version could really up the game?

 
The new Corolla is actually a pretty good car. As a daily proposition it makes a lot of sense. Good performance, strong economy as well as a whole range of safety features. It has impact protection where it will do an emergency stop if you blindly drive at a stationary car or wall, though I was asked not to test this! The most interesting feature though is the lane trace assist coupled with radar cruise control. Let me explain. We are all aware what radar cruise control is and this is a great feature if you want to give your feet a rest in traffic. Also though with the lane trace assist on, the car will track the lanes ahead and actually steer for you. As well having the car for an hour for the blast over the Cat and Fiddle, I also had it for 24 hours and took it to work for a day. There was on the M60 in the morning and set the cruise control and lane trace assist on and the car is now driving itself autonomously. It feels like a leap of faith the first time you try it, though you still need to lightly hold the wheel or the car gets irritable with you flashing warnings up on the dashboard! It really is amazing technology and it really will steer you round a tight slip road if you try it. I particularly liked the radar cruise control as it means the car will deal with traffic all by itself, really taking the effort out of it. The trick I found was to set the cruise to the maximum speed for the road and let the electronics do the rest.

What I would say about all this tech is that it can be a bit harsh braking for you and accelerating and it does tend to operate on the conservative side. I have been told though that you can adjust the sensitivity of the radar cruise. It does tend to make you look like a less experienced driver as for example driving a car myself, my anticipation and use of controls is far more refined and where I would simply lift for a few seconds the Corolla will brake. It is smooth though, but I feel this technology needs a bit more refinement which doubtless will come in time.
Here's an example how it works:
 
 
I am a purist at heart, driving a manual rear wheel drive sports coupe. But I found it really interesting to try what is the technology of the present and will lead the way in the future. I liked the Corolla, it has a great combination of comfort, ease of use and also a good turn of speed which I’m sure surprised a few drivers. Importantly for me it didn’t feel slow. Now I’ve tried the 1.8 Hybrid in the Toyota CH-R which has 120bhp. The two litre engine with 180bhp makes a big difference and will undoubtedly make this car far more appealing to those like me who like to have a reasonable amount of power to give you more options when you need it.
 
The car I tested had every option including a polycarbonate full length sun roof and the upgraded JBL audio system which did sound really good. Still no Apple Car Play though which seems to be the thing everyone wants. The display itself is excellent. Sat nav is usual Toyota fair, there is the option of using the infotainment as a Wifi router which may be a good idea, but would need a subscription of some sort to enable this. 
 
The other crazy option and this did make me chuckle is the parking assist. This means the car will reverse parallel park for you when you pass an identified space. Again this is akin to a leap of faith the first time you try it. The dash will tell you to go forward and then stop. You select reverse and guide the car in modulating the speed on the brake. The car then steers for you swiftly putting you in the space. Incredibly impressive and Richard and I looked at each other in disbelief the first time I tried it!
Here's how it works:
 

The new Corolla is a car that is designed to have a broad appeal to drivers who want good economy safety and also some sense of style with excellent reliability. It does the job very well. Yes it’s more geared to the practicalities of driving rather than the passion of it, but it is a step in the right direction. I’d love to see a practical car that is exciting to drive, but maybe I’m a little hardcore in my approach and fully understand I’m a long way from ever being your average motorist. Whilst I may see this as a good thing, I can absolutely see how this car would appeal to those in need of a more practical and comfortable car than I. There will be a GR version with sharper handling which is great. I’m really hoping there will be  a GRMN version but we shall have to wait and see.
Pic of underboot floor. On the two litre the battery is in the boot. 


The sensors for collision warning system and lane trace assist. 

Polycarbonate sunroof. It has a blind too. 

My Eco score after a blast down the Cat & Fiddle! Still achieved 46/7mpg though!

Will do Tyre match prices for you TSS guys on any tyres you decide this year.
Deals on Yoko and Michelins etc... not a problem.
 

Will do Tyre match prices for you TSS guys on any tyres you decide this year.
Deals on Yoko and Michelins etc... not a problem.
 

Will do Tyre match prices for you TSS guys on any tyres you decide this year.
Deals on Yoko and Michelins etc... not a problem.
 

Best Man for the job 
Nice one Kev👍👍
 

I would ring them back and ask where they are getting the parts and the repair instructions because both are not available until December/January????

Debs car will be going to RRG Macc for sure.

I would ring them back and ask where they are getting the parts and the repair instructions because both are not available until December/January????

The link below is for reserving a launch edition of Supra if anyone is interested.There will be 300 initial builds due to be delivered approx. September  2019.
Its now live.
  https://www.toyota.co.uk/world-of-toyota/toyota-gazoo-racing/newtoyotasupra?iuarbgerg
 
Cheers
Richard
 
 
 
 
 

That is the correct part number T08885-81070 which I supplied to you the other day,the part number on the tin is probably a TMC part number .

That doesn’t surprise me 🙄
Look forward to a blast up the cat and fiddle on Thursday then👍

Hello All,
               I am afraid ime going to have to pull out.
I am at a meeting until late at HO,if I can get out of it early I will let you know.
Apologies
Richard
 

Hello All,
                A used Takeda Momentum Intake kit in Carbon Fibre for sale
Retails at £672.00 new
£300 plus fitting if required.
 
Regards
Richard
 

A combination of more grip and the LSD working I would say.
Bring it in and I will drive it to test of you need???
 

It’s already here 😀
 

It’s already here 😀
 

We have details of the New GT86 MY18
Electric Blue
Brembo Brakes
Uprated suspension
New Design Black Alloys
I will post an image shortly

Just booked same and cancelled the other no probs

Hello All,
Just some information if you are interested in extending the Toyota Warranty beyond the 5 years and up to 100,000 miles.
See the example below for a payment plan interest free over 12 months and receive 1year FREE and be covered for the next 2 years.
The Top AA package is also included with the policy.
 
See example below for payment plan and benefits;

 
 
And here is what does & doesn't cover.

 
If you need any more information just ask 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Just want to say thanks to Rich and his team for doing my 40k service and sorting some warranty stuff! 
The car feels like new again after all the liquids changed! I even got a GT86 lanyard and GT pin as gifts. 
The Yaris was fun but the GT is even funier