Toyota GR86's Days Are Already Numbered

The world of the internal combustion engine sports cars isunfortunately drawing to a close, despite the best efforts of some manufacturers. Toyota, which only recently got back into building serious sports cars such as the GR Supra has invested tons of time and money making the second-generationToyota GR86sports car a success, resolving many of the first gen's issues primarily by throwing a bigger engine at it. But while the new GR86 has only just launched, it might not be around as long as we'd hoped, at least if you live in Europe. According to Toyota's European CEO, Matt Harrison, fans of the GR86 will have to snap them up quickly, as incoming European safety regulations will cut short the life of the new car. Bureaucracy will be the end of us all.

The order books for the incoming Toyota GR86 will open in Europe this Spring, and deliveries of the first batch of cars should start early in the first half of 2022. Toyota executives are already warning fans to get their orders in, as the great EU bureaucracy machine comes for unsuspecting sports cars.

"We're already receiving a growing number of inquiries from potential customers - including those who believe the GR86 could be the last of its kind," said Harrison at Toyota's annual Kenshiki forum. "And at least for Europe, they might be right." The previous-generation 86 enjoyed a near decade-long life in European markets and was one of the best-selling budget sports cars on that continent, which makes the news of the new car's stunted career even more bitter.