We’re thrilled to announce the arrival of the newest addition to our rally lineup – a Toyota GT86 straight from Japan! With our Civic FN2 and Evo 9 RS now off to their new homes, we’re diving headfirst into the rallying world by building our very own rally car from scratch.
Why the GT86?
When selecting our new rally platform, Luke (Tegiwa co-director and rally driver) wanted something with rear wheel drive and great handling characteristics. The Toyota GT86 was the perfect candidate, perhaps not the most obvious choice for rallying, but one that promises to deliver an exciting project.
Japanese Quality That Speaks Volumes
This particular GT86 has covered an impressive 320,000 kilometres (approximately 198,800 miles) yet remains in absolutely fantastic condition. This is a testament to the previous Japanese owner’s meticulous care and highlights the benefits of importing from Japan rather than purchasing a UK equivalent.
The underside of the car is remarkably clean – so clean you could literally eat your dinner off it! There’s not a hint of surface rust anywhere, providing us with the perfect foundation for our rally build.
A Container Full of JDM Treasures
Our 40-foot container from Japan didn’t just bring us our future rally car – it was packed with a couple of other gems! Alongside our rally-bound GT86, we welcomed another GT86 equipped with a full TRD (Toyota Racing Development) catalogue of parts – a rare find that’s sure to turn heads. This example was already snatched up by our e-commerce administrator before it hit our cars for sale page!
To complete this trio of Japanese imports, we also unloaded another Honda Acty kei truck, adding to our growing collection of these charming and practical mini-vehicles. It was like Christmas morning when we cracked open that container door and saw all three vehicles gleaming back at us!
Putting the “Imports” Back in Tegiwa
We’ve recently returned to our roots by ramping up our vehicle import operations. With nearly 20 years of experience importing cars, we’re now welcoming fresh imports at a steady pace – with approximately one vehicle per month arriving at Tegiwa HQ from Japan.
As this GT86 demonstrates, we’re putting the “Imports” back into Tegiwa, quite literally! The quality and condition of Japanese imports continue to impress us, reinforcing why we’ve been passionate about these vehicles for two decades.
If you’re interested in our current inventory of Japanese imports, be sure to check out our cars for sale page. You might just find your own slice of JDM perfection!
First Impressions
In its standard form, the GT86 feels fantastic. The chassis is nimble and responsive, handling donuts and handbrake turns with remarkable ease. Like many GT86 owners have noted, the FA20 engine feels slightly underpowered despite our dyno showing a respectable 182.2bhp. But don’t worry – we have plans to address this with a K-series engine swap further down the line.
What’s Next?
Our rally debut in this car is scheduled for October, giving us a tight timeline to transform this road car into a competitive rally machine. Our immediate priorities include:
- Registering and obtaining an MOT for the car so we can fit number plates and take it for proper road testing
- Completely stripping the car down to create the perfect foundation for our ultimate rally build
Stay tuned to our blog and YouTube channel as we document every step of this exciting journey from Japanese import to rally-ready competition car!