Pics from Family Road Trip (plus GT86 Review!)

On a week long road trip to Billingham/Cleveland/Darlington/Stockton/Kelso (Scotland) to visit relatives not seen for years with my dad and son. Doing much GoPro videoing and also stopping off in my dad's old haunts to take some stills (utilising the great skills of photographer son Jack!).

Here's a couple from today at the (closed) Tees Transporter Bridge - more to come in the week from other spots.]

Also came across a pic of my very first car - a Datsun 180B on which I added big fat lamps!!

very nice

Love the transporter bridge pic

That sign too the right of your car might aswell be a permanent fixture!

Great pictures! And the car is looking very nice too!

your supra is so nice ! .. your car have convinced my , that mine is in need og some OEM sideskirts !

Nice pics. mate I love the low level spoiler, you have the balance just right.

Perfection (talking about Jack's photography skills here)

Car looks stunning as usual Ellis

Looks like a mag feature photos.

Really nice pictures. Makes the supra really stands out.

your car is simply stunning ellis,love the subtle look and colour

She is still a beauty Ellis - love the stance

Popped in to the very nice people at Borders Toyota (near Kelso) today (my uncle has a Celica!) and got a pic of his and mine with the new GT86. Might go back tomorrow for a run out in it. Had a poke round it and sat in and started her up - cabin's OK but the engine looks (and sounds) a bit weedy. All the technicians came out for a butchers at the Supe - they don't see any in Kelso!

Up to Edinburgh today as well for a mooch - what a lovely city.

Stunning as always

For those that haven't seen the engine bay of the GT86!!

dont you find it comforting that that airbox looks almost identicle to the one on the supra. other than the outlet being in a different place. the lips are the same etc.

Lovely pics mate, looks like the weather held out too. The GT86 is growing on me, give it a few years and it will make a tempting second hand buy (if turbo'd).

My cousin, Lee, has a very nice BMW M3 to which he's just fitted, uncannily enough, a set of 19" Jade Rs! Good taste runs in the family!!

My cousin, Lee, has a very nice BMW M3 to which he's just fitted, uncannily enough, a set of 19" Jade Rs! Good taste runs in the family!!

 

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll206/ellisgrange/Lee_carw.jpg

You look like you have put on a bit of weight Ellis

Looks like an E46 M3, you had a race against him to see if it is like up against the Supra?

A lovely looking Supra there.

You look like you have put on a bit of weight Ellis

 

Looks like an E46 M3, you had a race against him to see if it is like up against the Supra?

Winning the battle with anorexia Abz!!

Next time we get together, we're going to have a little head-to-head! Should be an interesting battle!!

I love the way your supra look very nice and great stance .

Popped in to the very nice people at Borders Toyota (near Kelso) today (my uncle has a Celica!) and got a pic of his and mine with the new GT86. Might go back tomorrow for a run out in it. Had a poke round it and sat in and started her up - cabin's OK but the engine looks (and sounds) a bit weedy. All the technicians came out for a butchers at the Supe - they don't see any in Kelso!

 

Up to Edinburgh today as well for a mooch - what a lovely city.

 

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll206/ellisgrange/Cars_Borders.jpg

Stunning car, next to your Supra the GT86 looks like a step backwards!

Will find out today just what this GT86 is like - back to Border Toyota for a test drive at 3pm!! They don't see many Supras in the Borders apparently! Mini report later - will also do some GoPro footage on it.

Went back to Border Toyota and had a good 15-20 minute test drive in the new GT86. Interesting drive.

I want to make this as unbiased as possible and, as my yardstick is the Supra, I have to try and judge the car on its own merits.

Firstly, looks. There are certain angles from which the car looks great, some from which it doesn't. From the very front, it's quite aggressive and looks pretty good from the back too. Can look a little overly fussy or a bit 'design for design's sake' from the side but overall it's better in the flesh than from pics. Interior is pretty good, some nice touches with switches, centre console is well laid out and the dials all look purposeful. Seats are great - mine was set a little high and I couldn't be too bothered to readjust but they hug nicely and the driving position is spot on. Steering wheel is small and chunky, feels good (smallest ever for Toyota according to the rep).

Engine. Always going to be a bone of contention isn't it. Flat four in a Toyota? Oh dear! But this isn't a new Supra, it's something different - it's a cheap(ish) 2 door sports car so we can set that aside a little. What I can't set aside is the artificial engine noise pumped into the cabin via some Yamaha electronics! No, no, no Toyota, this is massively wrong. I want to hear THE engine, not some artificial recording. I guess it's an admission that it doesn't sound that good in pure form. On the road the engine feels a touch lethargic for a sporty 2 litre car - yes it can be hurried along but you have to keep the revs up and it does get a touch asthmatic at the top end but that said, this car is not about speed or out and out power, it's more about handling and agility round the bends. And here is where it excels. A great chassis, nicely balanced 53/47 weight distribution and good suspension means this car is a great go-kart. The more I drove it round the twisties the more confident I got with it, it hugs the road really well. Not too harsh a ride and no wallow around corners - the balance is very good. You can see where they've spent the majority of the testing time. It's when you start driving round the bendy bits that you begin to forgive the lack of grunt.

Steering is direct and responsive too - no feel of over assistance that the Supra suffers from - it's direct and confidence-inspiring.

Overall I was far more impressed that I thought I would be. It handles really well, has acceptable looks but is a bit wheezy. It does stand a little high (for me anyway!) but as this is a starter model I have no doubt that future models and more out and out racer versions will build on this and, one day, we'll get a car that folk on here will appreciate more but then this car isn't aimed at us on here really!

Did do some Go-Proing on the GT86 so can post that on YouTube later for those who might be interested.

im guessing it wouldnt be too hard to fit an engine from an older scooby with a whopping tubby. then it becomes more apealing for me

Went back to Border Toyota and had a good 15-20 minute test drive in the new GT86. Interesting drive.

 

I want to make this as unbiased as possible and, as my yardstick is the Supra, I have to try and judge the car on its own merits.

Firstly, looks. There are certain angles from which the car looks great, some from which it doesn't. From the very front, it's quite aggressive and looks pretty good from the back too. Can look a little overly fussy or a bit 'design for design's sake' from the side but overall it's better in the flesh than from pics. Interior is pretty good, some nice touches with switches, centre console is well laid out and the dials all look purposeful. Seats are great - mine was set a little high and I couldn't be too bothered to readjust but they hug nicely and the driving position is spot on. Steering wheel is small and chunky, feels good (smallest ever for Toyota according to the rep).

 

Engine. Always going to be a bone of contention isn't it. Flat four in a Toyota? Oh dear! But this isn't a new Supra, it's something different - it's a cheap(ish) 2 door sports car so we can set that aside a little. What I can't set aside is the artificial engine noise pumped into the cabin via some Yamaha electronics! No, no, no Toyota, this is massively wrong. I want to hear THE engine, not some artificial recording. I guess it's an admission that it doesn't sound that good in pure form. On the road the engine feels a touch lethargic for a sporty 2 litre car - yes it can be hurried along but you have to keep the revs up and it does get a touch asthmatic at the top end but that said, this car is not about speed or out and out power, it's more about handling and agility round the bends. And here is where it excels. A great chassis, nicely balanced 53/47 weight distribution and good suspension means this car is a great go-kart. The more I drove it round the twisties the more confident I got with it, it hugs the road really well. Not too harsh a ride and no wallow around corners - the balance is very good. You can see where they've spent the majority of the testing time. It's when you start driving round the bendy bits that you begin to forgive the lack of grunt.

 

Steering is direct and responsive too - no feel of over assistance that the Supra suffers from - it's direct and confidence-inspiring.

 

Overall I was far more impressed that I thought I would be. It handles really well, has acceptable looks but is a bit wheezy. It does stand a little high (for me anyway!) but as this is a starter model I have no doubt that future models and more out and out racer versions will build on this and, one day, we'll get a car that folk on here will appreciate more but then this car isn't aimed at us on here really!

 

Did do some Go-Proing on the GT86 so can post that on YouTube later for those who might be interested.

Great view Ellis, thanks for posting that. Sounds like they got the right idea for the car & what its purpose is. I remember Gaz saying the handling was nearly as good as the Porsche Caymen which puts it up there with the best.