@Tornado To be fair, most people criticising the GT86's lack of performance
are referring mainly to its straight-line speed - and I'd suspect the vast majority have never driven it to know of the torque hole.
The torque hole is legitimately annoying when you actually drive the car, though I'd say the rest of the way the car performs is so much fun that it's not a huge issue. But there is a fairly sizeable number of people (on the internet, natch) who look at the price, look at the power output and decide that it's not fast enough for the money.
Of course, many of these people aren't in the market for either an 86
or a Mustang, so the point is moot.
Incidentally, I do find the Mustang more fun than the 86, and that's almost
entirely down to its engine. Steering, braking, pedal feel, throttle response, general chuckability; nowhere near. But if someone gave me a big pot of money I'd have the Mustang, since I already have an early MX-5 that I enjoy driving even more than I do the 86.
The problem here isn't simply a lack of torque. It's the non-linear quality of the power delivery. The 86 has a weird hole in the power band, likely due to emissions, as with many modern, naturally aspirated cars. Doesn't feel right. It's not like a Honda waiting-for-VTEC thing, it's an actual dip in power in the part of the powerband we use every day.
And when the power hits, it just doesn't feel like 200 hp, and the engine isn't on-song for very long, once you're past the "hump". It's telling that the MX-5 feels (and is) quicker to the century mark with just 150-ish hp.
A bit of over-promising and under-delivering.
The rest of the car, sans the understeer due to the tires, is generally fine. Great handling, very predictable, easy to push and catch at the limit. It's just that I'm not so convinced it's that much of an upgrade over a Miata.
Also... they cost near-Z money out there? That's way too high. One of the advantages of the GT86 here is it's cheap. Granted, many of the warm/hot FWD compact options out here at around the same price are quicker, but it does have its charms.
Secondhand, hm... over an NC MX-5...
I find it hilarious that Toyota has actually mapped the torque hole on their little TFT display in the instrument cluster. It's basically like wearing a t-shirt that advertises if you have a small penis.
On the MX-5 thing, I still fall on the side of the GT86. It's just the better sports car chassis - better body control, more steering feel, greater structural stiffness, more precise when you're on the (relatively low) limits of the tyres...
Last time I hopped in one I found the understeer disconcerting initially, just as I did the slight feeling like the back will break away at higher speeds. But the lack of grip is always in balance, so there's always some way of fixing it, and the thing feels so damn good once it's up on its tiptoes.
The Mazda is softer, less precise, has less feedback, doesn't have quite as good a driving position, wobbles over bumps, can feel a bit more wayward by virtue of its imprecision... and it does absolutely walk away from the 86 in a straight line, unless the driver in the 86 is already in the top quarter of the tach. And I'm only a few months into running an RF for 12 months, so there is that...
And yeah, the 86 is a bit too expensive here. Or the 370Z is cheap, one of the two. £26,495 for a BRZ, £26,855 for an 86, £29,185 for the 370Z. Unfortunately the Nismo 370Z, which is the one to have (I love the things) is another ten grand.
