Toyota has a long and illustrious history of World Rally Championship competition, first entering the series in 1957. Toyota’s first win would come nearly two-decades later in 1975 when its factory team secured the top rung of the podium at that year’s 1,000 Lakes Rally. Since then, Toyota has remained a dominant force in WRC racing, with every consecutive driver’s championship since 2019 having been won in a Toyota.
To celebrate its contemporary WRC dominance while also honoring its rally racing history, Toyota has created a throwback homage to its ‘90s era rally cars using modern vehicles in its lineup as the project’s platform and basis.
The Basics
Christened the GR86 Rally Legacy Concept, this factory-built one-off pays homage to Toyota’s ST185 and ST205 Celica GT-Four racers. The build started life as a 2024 GR86 with Performance Package, though it’s been heavily reworked both inside and out — and bestowed with numerous high-performance parts from Toyota’s Gazoo Racing vehicle range.
The Inspiration
The GR86 Rally Legacy Concept pays tribute to a specific pair of legendary WRC entrants; the ST185 and ST205 Celica GT-Four racers. Produced from September 1989 to September 1993, the ST185 proved to be wildly competitive, winning the WRC Drivers’ Championship in ’92, and the WRC Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ championships in ’93 and ’94 — feats that made it Toyota’s most successful rally car to date. The successor to the “Super Round” was the ST205, which was built from February 1994 to June 1999.
Under The Hood
In place of the GR86’s stock 228-hp naturally aspirated 2.4-liter, four-cylinder boxer, Toyota’s engineers have installed the turbocharged 1.3-liter G16E-GTS inline-three from the GR Corolla. Good for 300hp and 273ft-lbs of torque, this transverse-mounted inline-three comes bolted to a six-speed manual, plus the GR86 donor has also been converted to an all-wheel drive setup as well. In addition to a performance intercooler and a race ECU, the project was also treated to the rear axle, and differential and housing taken off a GR Corolla.
The Interior
The inside of the GR86 Rally Legacy Concept has also been heavily reworked, and now looks more like the cockpit of a WRC racer than it does a production Toyota. Completely gutted and fortified via a full roll cage, the cabin has received carbon-back Sparco race seats with six six-point harnesses, a Sparco steering wheel, and an aftermarket race display. There’s also a full-sized spare now sitting where the GR86’s trunk was once located.
The Chassis
In order to get the GR Corolla’s engine to fit into the GR86, the team at Toyota had to make a myriad of modifications that included modifying the engine bay, installing a new custom subframe, and bespoke engine mounts. The frame also had to be tweaked in order to integrate an upgraded suspension setup that features GR Corolla hubs, spindles and axles, along with custom two-way adjustable AST coilovers with remote reservoirs, and custom control arms.
Body & Paintwork
While the Rally Legacy Concept is still readily identifiable as an GR86, its exterior has received quite a few noteworthy tweaks. This includes a hood-mounted four-unit light pod, WEC-style mirrors, large red rally mudflaps, a Celica GT-Four-inspired spoiler, and a custom exhaust culminating in a dual-pipe muffler that pokes out from where a license plate would normally be located. This entire suite of modified bodywork has been cloaked in a Halo White livery with red and green accents that pays clear homage to the Japanese automaker’s legendary ‘90s era WRC Celica GT-Four. The entire concept also rides on a set of forged five-arm Speedline wheels shod in Michelin Pilot Sport rubber.
Straight From The Horses Mouth
“The aim is to evoke memories of the legendary rally car that enthusiasts have admired on rally stages and in popular racing video games,” relays Paul Doleshal, general manager of Motorsports and Assets at Toyota Motor North America. “That idea led to a formative conversation about how cool it would be to create a modern interpretation of such an iconic car.”
Spec Sheet
Class: Concept Car
Brand: Toyota
Model: GR86 Rally Legacy Concept
Donor: 2024 Toyota GR86 with Performance Package
Inspiration: ST185 & ST205 Celica GT-Four WRC Racers
Engine: Turbocharged 1.3L Inline-Three Cylinder
Power: 300HP & 273FT-LBs
Transmission: Six-Speed Manual
Drivetrain: AWD
Pricing & Availability
As a factory-built one-off concept, Toyota’s new GR86 Rally Legacy Concept isn’t for sale or earmarked for production. The rally tribute build will, however, be on display at the ongoing SEMA Show in Las Vegas through the end of the week.
Recap
2024 Toyota GR86 Rally Legacy Concept
Toyota pays homage to its ‘90s era Celica GT-Four World Rally Championship racers with a GR86-based concept car whipped up from SEMA.
