Toyota has introduced a new “Ultimate Performance” 86 model for 2019. The Toyota 86 TRD Special Edition features Brembo brakes, SACHS dampers, a Toyota Racing Development body kit, specialized Michelin tires, and a TRD-tuned exhaust.
Many of the elements found on the 2019 Toyota 86 TRD Special Edition are similar to those found on the Subaru BRZ tS edition introduced this year. The 86 and BRZ are collaborative sports cars designed by Toyota and Subaru as purists’ machines.
The Toyota 86 TRD Special Edition will continue with the 2.0-liter boxer-style engine, producing 200 or 205 horsepower (depending on transmission choice) and fundamentally driver-oriented design the 86 has been known for. The TRD Special Edition add-ons include several enhancements that will reportedly bring this driver-centric rear-drive sports car into a new level of performance.
Exclusive to the TRD Special Edition are 18 x 7.5-inch alloy wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires, along with body changes made specifically for this vehicle. The latter brings changes to the front bumper, side sills, rear bumper and diffuser, and the specced spoiler. TRD-branded brushed stainless steel exhaust tips are also visible changes to the exterior of the Toyota 86 TRD Special Edition, as are the Raven paint and tri-color TRD graphics.
The Raven paint and tri-color TRD graphics are found only on this special edition. Inside, the car receives a few changes as well. Red and black trim on the steering wheel and red-contrast stitching are immediately obvious. The sport bucket seating in the 86 gets TRD logos, as does the passenger-side instrument panel and cluster. Red seatbelts and a Granlux suede-like instrument cluster topper finish the TRD Special Edition’s interior changes.
Underneath the looks, the TRD Special Edition gets SACHS dampers to further sharpen the ride and steering. Extra-large (12.8-inch) four-piston front Brembo brakes are matched by large (12.4-inch) two-piston Brembo calipers at the rear. These work with the Michelin tires to improve cornering and handling at speed, Toyota says, and bring more tactile response to the steering wheel.
Production of the 2019 Toyota 86 TRD Special Edition will be limited to 1,418 units.
Red highlights on black are part of the 86 TRD Special Edition’s changes inside. The other 86 models, the Toyota 86 base and 86 GT, will receive some content shuffling for 2019. Standard equipment stays largely the same from 2018, but now includes LED headlamps and 17-inch twisted spoke alloy wheels. The 86 GT also gains LED fog lamps, a more aerodynamic floor undercover, and a matte-black rear aero wing with color-keyed end plates. Most of these changes also affect the new TRD model.
In addition, the GT and TRD models will also benefit from an upgraded driver information display, which now includes more performance metrics in the vehicle data screens. A new “86” logo now appears on-screen during startup.
