Toyota reveals GT86 GT4 racer

This, TopGear.commers, is what a near-400bhp Toyota GT86 GT4 racer looks like. It's been built by a Buckingham based engineering firm called GPRM, and it's ready for war.

GPRM has upgraded the 2.0-litre four-pot ‘boxer' engine underneath in conjunction with Nicholson McLaren Engines. Clearly going against the philosophy laid down by the GT86's creators, they've strapped on a ruddy big turbo, with the power output now somewhere between 360bhp and 400bhp. Though GPRM concedes "the definitive output will be determined by the balance of performance testing".

Still, while not an official Toyota works GT4 racer, it's been given the blessing of Toyota GB, and one's already been sold; GPRM is now in "advanced talks" with another team keen on campaigning this fighty blue GT86 in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship.

Of course, it'll have to go through a schedule of European tests and those ‘balance of performance' sessions organised by the SRO (who run the GT4 series), but once up and running, GPRM seem confident that their little GT86 will have "quality and reliability" as well as competitiveness. We should certainly hope so.

Have a click through the pics and let us know what you think. It'll appear on a UK circuit at some point very soon for a shakedown, and we have a feeling it's going to be a good little runner...

Vijay Pattni