It’s not every day that a car company comes out with a truly pure, lightweight, sports car. Back in 2012, Toyota and Subaru got together and did just that. It was released under the name Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S and immediately gained cult status among enthusiasts. Light weight, a low center of gravity thanks to the boxer-4-cylinder engine and well-developed suspension led to a truly engaged driving experience. In the short time since they introduced the car, Subaru has already dropped it and Toyota has changed the name - now just the Toyota 86, but those subtle improvements mean that it’s better than ever.

New for 2018, the front and rear fascias are all new and a little bit more aggressive looking. Certainly there’s a bit of aerodynamic performance improvement as well that comes along with the improved appearance. The rear spring rates have been reduced a bit, which makes the ride a bit more compliant without harming the handling. In fact, in some ways it’s better because it’s more compliant over the lumpy Chicago roadways. It might be a tick slower on a racetrack or autocross course, but in everyday use it’s better...

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