The newly-launched Toyota GR 86 quickly became a favorite for Japanese tuners to work their magic on. Although it will only hit dealerships in late 2021, several aftermarket firms have already released bespoke body kits and performance tuning packages for the much-awaited RWD sports coupe, and SARD’s GT1 body kit is the most recent addition to the list.
SARD (Sigma Advanced Racing Development) is a racing team from Toyota-shi, Japan, specializing in developing tuning parts for Toyota. Its latest GT1 package is a rather subtle take on the GR 86, unlike some of the more dramatic modifications we’ve recently seen from other tuning companies, including Blitz, Tom’s Racing, and Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division. The front fascia swaps the rectangular lower air inlet from the regular model with a trapezoidal unit and adds revised triangular intakes on the corners. The lower side sills have grown muscular and join the front and rear fenders in a diagonal design, giving the sports vehicle a menacing appearance from the sides.
At the back, the redesigned taillight units feature custom circular LED graphics, and SARD has replaced the standard model’s ducktail spoiler with a black carbon-fiber wing. The new bespoke exhaust system with big twin tailpipes also adds to the GR 86’s aggressive appearance. Finally, large 18-inch BBS wheels finished in black and shod in Bridgestone Potenza tires contrast with the white exterior paint.
The interior is visually identical to the factory GR 86, except for the black and red leather and Alcantara upholstery and SARD badging on the headrests and seatbelt covers—not much, but more than enough if you ask me.
Although SARD has not revealed any performance enhancements, another Japanese tuning outfit, HKS, has already developed a supercharger kit fitting the car’s 2.4-liter naturally-aspirated flat-four engine. The manufacturer hasn’t disclosed any specific specs yet, but given that the GT2 supercharger system brought the older GT 86 to 298 hp and 233 lb-ft of torque, we can expect it to push the bar even higher this time. Nonetheless, aftermarket companies have just started to toy with the GR 86, and we can expect to see a lot more customizations on this sports coupe in the future.
To be continued.
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