This Widebody Kit Makes the Toyota GR86 Look Like a Menacing Race Car
It isn’t all bark and no bite, this kit adds real aerodynamic improvements.
The stock Toyota GR86 is one of the most fun cars you can buy right now, regardless of price. However, when you do consider its price, it's one of the best smiles-per-dollar value proposition on the market. But that doesn't mean it can't be made even better by enhancing its best quality—its handling. ADRO (Aerodynamic Development Racing Optimization), the California-based maker of aero kits, recently dropped its latest kit for the GR86 and it's as functional as it is angry looking.
It's easy to think that this is just another carbon body kit for the GR86, as the tuning community is full of them. But this one's different. Take one close look at ADRO's widebody aero kit and you'll immediately notice this isn't some cheap tack-on kit that high-schoolers are going to fit to the GR86 their parents bought them. Instead, it's a comprehensive kit, designed by experienced motorsport aerodynamicists that widens the wheel track by six inches out back and five inches up front. It comes with fender flares, bumper extensions, a new front lip, a rear diffuser, side air vent covers, side skirts, and—of course—that 911 GT3-like swan neck rear wing.
When looking at the photos, the one thing that stands out to me is how professional it looks. We've all seen bad widebody kits before—the ones that look like they were bought at Advanced Auto Parts and installed by a teenager. This one looks like it came from the factory, as every added body panel seamlessly blends with the stock car's shape. I tip my hat to the ADRO team because this GR86 looks great.
Then again, that's not much of a surprise when you see the people that make up ADRO's design team. Davis Lee is the chief design officer and previously worked at Mercedes and Hyundai, helping to design cars like the Mercedes-Maybach 6 concept and Hyundai Ioniq 5. And Scott Beeton is ADRO's head of aerodynamics, after previously working as the aerodynamicist for the Williams F1 team.
The kit doesn't add much weight, due to it being made from carbon fiber and the widebody kit itself creates an additional 198 pounds of downforce and the rear wing adds another 250 pounds of downforce at 110 mph.
If you want one of these ADRO widebody kits for your Toyota GR86, pre-orders will start in November, when it's shown off at SEMA. Prices start at $4,750 and each kit is hand-produced and takes 40 hours to make. It's also available for the Subaru BRZ.
I love the GR86, it's one of my favorite cars on sale. It's small, it's light, it has the right amount of power, its steering is great, and its handling should be an inspiration for even much more expensive sports car brands. I'm not sure adding grip will make it more fun, as its tail-happy nature is one of its charms, but this kit absolutely makes it look cooler. And the fact that it was made with genuine motorsport knowhow makes it even better.
Correction: Tuesday, October 18, 2020, 9:05 a.m. ET: A previous version of the story incorrectly stated that the body kit added 250 pounds to the curb weight. The story has been corrected.
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