Toyota and Subaru, in collaboration with Toyota Gazoo Racing, have unveiled the latest sporty variants of their popular front-engine rear-wheel-drive sports cars – the Toyota GR86 RZ “40th Anniversary Limited” and Subaru BRZ STI Sport. These special editions are geared primarily for the Japanese market..
The Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ share a joint heritage, born out of a partnership between Toyota and Subaru nearly 12 years ago. These sports coupes have been celebrated for their balanced performance and affordability. The new GR86 RZ “40th Anniversary Limited” pays homage to the iconic Toyota AE86, considered by many as its spiritual predecessor within Toyota’s lineup.
Details for the GR86 RZ “40th Anniversary Limited” have been made available through a dedicated online portal that you can find here (you’ll need to get translate though unless your Japanese is spot-on). Buying on won’t be straightforward, as only 200 of these editions will be up for grabs, exclusively via a lottery raffle. For those interested, applications can be submitted at Japan’s GR Garage stores from September 25 to October 9.
Externally, this special edition (based on the JDM RZ trim) will be available in either Crystal White Pearl or Spark Red, accompanied by 40th-anniversary side decals and a GR trunk spoiler. Inside, there’s a distinctive black and red color scheme and special 40th Anniversary GR floor mats. Mechanical features include Brembo brakes, Sach dampers, and more goodies. Starting prices are set at 3,822,000 yen (approximately $25,770 USD) for the manual version and 3,920,000 yen (approximately $26,430 USD) for the automatic.
The Subaru BRZ STI Sport, meanwhile, appears to echo the features of the previous-generation BRZ tS for the American market, though detailed information is currently sparse.
Though both a Toyota GR86 Anniversary Edition and a Subaru BRZ STI would sell relatively well in Canada and the US, neither will be coming our way. This is far from bad news as the current BRZ and GR86 duo represent two of the best and affordable driver-focused cars one can buy today.