TOYOTA 86 WINS HANDLING AWARD

The Toyota 86 (as opposed to the GT 86 in Europe) is launching in Mzansi this July. Toyota’s two-door coupe has won its first international award, the first of probably a lot more. It has scooped the top spot at the 2012 Vehicle Dynamics International Awards and earned its chief engineer Tetsuya Tada the Dynamicist of the Year award.

The judges awarded the same awards to the Subaru BRZ which is virtually identical mechanically. Both cars are fitted with a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre boxer engine making 147kW and 205Nm, forwarded to the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual.

Among the judges’ comments on the Dynamicist of the Year title, Matt Joy, the Press Association’s Motoring Editor, said: “By sticking to a tried and tested formula, Tada and Masuda (Subaru’s BRZ chief engineer) have created a car that enthusiasts have been crying out for: one that eschews the never-ending quest for ultimate grip in favour of balance, response and driving pleasure at realistic road speeds.”