2012 Toyota GT86 first drive

I've neither driven the Mazda MX-5 nor the Porsche Cayman. And everything I read about the two says that my kaleidoscope of driving experience is impoverished by the omissions. They would certainly have come in handy because now I'm one of the fewest journalists on the planet who've spent time with the new Toyota FT86. Yes, I know it's now called the GT86 (and loads and loads of journalists have driven it), but I drove it the day before it was officially launched, and thus, it was still the FT when I drove it.

The number in the name holds great significance for Toyota. The Toyota Corolla GT Coupe AE86 from the 1980s remains an iconic car for the brand. The casual enthusiast might say Celica or Supra, but the cognoscenti and the anoraks know the legend of the AE86 is cooler - it's got more tyre smoke and it's a little bit more underground which makes it cooler. The 86 bit also describes the bore and stroke of the engine, and once again, Toyota traditionally deploy square engines in the vehicles they consider the sportiest. This time though, the engine is a 2.0-litre flat four that comes via the Impreza and makes 197PS. Not a great number but promising, at the very least, in a sub-1200kg car. Subaru has promised a 300PS STI version later. This is mated to a six-speed manual or automatic and we had the latter to play with.

As you will see from the LF-A story, I wasn't totally blown away by the Lexus, quoting the lack of laps as the primary reason for my disillusionment. With the FT86, I would have loved to have another seven hundred odd laps for sure, but three laps of a short track next to the main Fuji Speedway F1 course was enough to burn in a desire to have one in the garage.

It begins with the looks, obviously. The car, which Subaru (BR-Z) and Scion (FR-S) will also be selling under different names, looks svelte, lithe and small enough to straddle desirable and approachable. It is a delicate balance that the Toyota handles without effort and it makes you wonder why other cars from the marque haven't been more personable and exciting. Hell, the FT86 looks more defined than any Toyota in the past decade that you'd care to mention. There is a sharpness of line and poise that's brilliant to see.

The interiors, similarly, offer a wealth of definition, distinction and a clear sporty bent, though I'd have to say that the Audi TT or BMW Z4 would immediately feel a little higher in material quality and sense of occasion. The steering wheel feels chunky and tactile to hold and twirl and the red stitching adds a nice - if expected - sporty touch. A little bit of the Toyota of yore does show up in the black plastic that is the most common element of the interior trim but it is a vast improvment over the humble passenger car by Toyota by any measure. But when you compare, for instance, the detail and sculpting in the door panels to say the centre console you get a bit surprised, the doors are much nicer!

But what a car, ladies and gentlemen. Driving the 86 is super thrilling. It manages to be laugh-a-minute without needing out there power figures. It's cheerful, playful, fun and luridly sideways at low speeds. Whee!