Toyota GT86: speccing the light fantastic

For two cars that would suit me so well to come along in the same year is incredibly unusual. What’s even more surprising is that the more I think about it the more I might just choose the Toyota over the Porsche. This naturally got me to pondering my perfect GT86 specification.

Priorities for me would be a decent set of seats and a limited slip differential. For this I would happily trade the painted bumpers and the rear wing – Toyota does in fact offer such pared back bodywork on some cars, but they’re aimed at tuners in Japan. It's unlikely we'll ever see them over here.

There’s nothing particularly wrong with the standard sports seats, as it happens. But if I was to actually able to spend money on this kind of thing, I’ve always really fancied a set of those carbonfibre-backed Recaros – you know the ones, Renaultsport loves ’em, too.

I’d also happily forgo the rear seat altogether – there’s no legroom back there, after all – but I rather suspect this might upset Toyota’s artfully set front/rear weight distribution. Hmm. Maybe a roll cage would be a suitable substitute.

While it’s tempting to go all hardcore and bin off the air conditioning, the truth is this is really rather handy to have in any kind of car, let alone an everyday one. I could easily live without the “Touch & Go” satnav system – not because it isn’t any good (it’s rather clever), but because it's less than necessary. I’d fit a decent set of door speakers and a good quality source with an iPod connector instead. All the other speakers seem surplus to requirements here; they certainly don’t make the stock stereo sound terribly good.

Daydreams about exotic carbon intakes and rasping exhausts aside, the final tweak would perhaps be a different set of – lightweight – alloy wheels. It being somewhat bizarre that Toyota and Subaru have chosen to use the same (rather ugly…?) standard ones.

The modest Prius tyres that help define this car would be staying, though. Of course.

Toyota GT86: what a difference a week makes

2012 Porsche Boxster: oh my!