Fensport GT86R

The Fensport GT86R started life as a standard road car back in 2012, since then we have transformed the car in to a highly modified track car with over 600bhp from the FA20 engine.

Fensport GT86R Anglesey 2019

2019 GT86R

2019 Results: Japanese Sprint Series - Overall Champion

After 7 years of ownership you would think there wasn't much left top do, but there is always a way to make the car more competitive and we knew our competition would increase they're pace also.

Main work for 2019 has been based around saving weight from the front end. By using an electric water pump we have saved all the rotational weight of the idler pulleys. The air intake has been relocated in to the front bumper to save the weight of the airbox.

GT86R Engine bay 2019

Revised wheel alignment and suspension settings has transformed the traction of the car, which in turn has allowed us to increase boost in 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th gears.6th gear remains set at 2bar from the Garrett G25-660 Turbo.

2018 GT86R

2018 Results: Japanese Sprint Series - Overall Champion

Mid season update for 2018 is our custom stage 6 Avo turbo setup, using the new generation Garret G25-660 turbo and a Tial 44mm remote wastegate, this kit has been developed in house.

Its not all about power! Aero & Grip has also been upgraded for 2018, after struggling to control the car with 633bhp in 2017 we wanted to push for more power but first we have to control what we have!

In 2018 we will be competing in the new Japanese Sprint Series and will have very stiff competition form all sorts of Japanese cars including high power 4wd cars. We knew we needed more grip and here is the story of how we built the revamped aero version of our GT86R.

Front splitter template

Front splitter aluminium honeycomb

Buffalo board splitter

Splitter mounts

The front splitter is essentially 3 parts, the honeycomb inner part gives strength and keeps weight down, whilst Buffalo board (plywood) is used for the upper and lower parts. The idea is the lower part is designed to be a "wear" item and is expected to touch the ground on occasion. It has also been hollowed out to reduce weight. The wire supports have a breaking strain of 515kg each and are designed to allow a little upward movement but no downward movement. And yes you can stand on it :)

Oil cooler

Splitter levelling

Front wing gurneys

Front aero

Above you can see the carbon fibre wing gurneys which help to keep air away from the wheels and straighten the airflow going down the car to the rear wing. Also the 2nd picture shows the fog lamp blanks to stop air entering the wheel arches.

Cardboard wing supports

Aluminium wing supports

Next up was to balance all the front aero with a new rear wing design. One of the most important parts of the rear wing is what it is bolted to! With this in mind we wanted substantial mounting points and have used the boot hinge points and also added 2 more mountings in to the rear quarter panels. Later, if required we will run 2 chassis support braces.

Dual element carbon rear wing

Big wing :)

The dual element rear wing is now in place, and although it looks massive on the 2nd pic on its "full wet" maximum attack angle, it is 150mm above the roof height which is the regulation height for the Japanese Sprint Series regs.

Wrapping time

Good job Dan!

The boys from Universal Graphix did a fantastic job of the wrap :)

BC Racing RT53 forged monoblock alloy 10.5 x 18

Toyo 888R Tyre - 295/30/18

A huge thank you to BC Racing for our custom made wheels. the beautifully made 10.5 x 18 are forged and the correct sizes for our fitment. Also a big thank you to our long term supporter Toyo Tires for the superb Toyo 888R in 295/30/18 they are a perfect fit both front & rear :)

Accusump install

GT86R Aero

We also installed an Accusump system to deal with any oil pressure problems we could encounter on high G cornering.

Round 1 of the Japanese sprint series at Cadwell park 07/04/2018 - thank you to Piston Broke Photography for the excellent pics

Our first outing of the year was an amazing success and in Adrian's words ....

"I was nervous in the morning of the first event as I was so used to the old car and now it was all changed, I had no time to do any testing so the first drive was an untimed practise and it felt amazing! The very first timed run was faster than last year's record and I knew we had something special. Throughout the day I got braver and pushed to see what would happen and it just stuck like crazy. We managed to lead all day and take 1st overall against some very stiff 4wd opposition. I was so pleased and want to thank all the team and people who have helped over the winter months :) " 

In car on our fastest lap of the day at Cadwell Park

2018 Japanese Sprint Series Results

We will be competing with the GT86R on both Japanese Sprint Series & Toyota Sprint Series held on the following dates

  • R5 - Anglesey - 19th August
  • R6 - Croft - 2nd September
  • R7 - Snetterton 300 - 27th October

Spectating is free if you fancy viewing the car up close, feel free to come and say hello :)

2018 Brief Specification

Engine -

  • Cosworth prototype pistons & con rods.
  • Kelford valve springs
  • ARP head studs, mains and engine casing bolts
  • Cosworth headgaskets
  • 2017 Alloy intake manifold with Grams 72mm throttle

Turbocharger -

Avo stage 6 Custom Avo turbo kit - using the new Garret G25-660 turbocharger, modified Avo manifold for remote mounting of the Tiall 44mm waste-gate

Electronics -

All mapping by Adrian Smith using Ecutek and RaceROM features to control boost, fail safe water methanol injection and full throttle shift integrating Geartronics and Ecutek

  • 3 Bar map sensor

Cooling - 

All radiators and intercoolers have carbon ducting

Fuel System -

Transmission -

Brakes - 

Body - 

  • Custom cages FIA multipoint weld in cage
  • Summit chassis braces
  • Fensport custom lightened doors
  • Perspex windows

Suspension - 

Exhaust -

Fensport custom 3" three silencer system with Blitz Nur Spec R rear silencer

Wheels & Tyres - 

  • BC Racing forged monoblock RT53 alloys 10.5 x 18 front and rear
  • Toyo R888R 295/30/18 front & rear

Aero -

(For full spec please see history below)

The dyno report below is using the Avo stage 5 ball bearing turbo setup from 2017.

 

2017 Modifications

2017 is the year to push even further and we are now using the car to see how far we can go with the FA20 engine and Ecutek ecu.

Early 2017 we spent a lot of development time with the electronics systems, working hard on engine setup and integrating both the Aquamist ecu and Geartronics ecu to work with the Ecutek engine ecu.

The Aquamist system controls the water methanol injection, injecting the correct amount to match the fuel delivery, the system adds ignition timing and subtracts fuel from the injectors to keep a stable AFR. It is also failsafe so if water stops flowing the ecu reverts to the base maps.

The Geartronics ecu controls the gearchange in closed loop using a "load cell" on the gear lever to measure the start of shift and a rotary position sensor to measure when the shift is complete, the ecu outputs a signal that we can import in to custom maps to allow the gearchange in a super fast 0.12 second.

Engine development included a new version 10 of our software along with in gear boost mapping and a stiffer actuator, we have been able to maximise traction (as far as possible). 

1st gear 0.8 bar, 2nd gear 1.1 bar, 3rd gear 1.5 bar, 4th gear 1.7 bar, 5th & 6th gear 1.8 bar (633bhp)

Also new this year is the 2017 model "Red Intake Manifold" and the Grams 72mm throttle body

2017 Events

Autosport Jan 12-15

Our GT86R is on display on the Toyo Tires stand, and we were all very proud to win the best stand of show :)

April 2nd - Toyota Sprint - Blyton Park

  • 1st Overall

1st May - BHP Show - Lydden Hill Circuit

GT86R on display and passenger laps on track

July 9th - Toyota Sprint - Kendrew

  • 1st Overall

    July 29-30 - TOTB - Elvington

    • 3rd in class - Handling
    • 10th in class - Drag 
    • 4th in class - Top Speed

    The above scores gave us a combined points score of 22 and 5th overall.

    19th August - Javelin Sprint - Anglesy GP Circuit

    • 1st in class
    • 6th Overall

     

    20th August - Toyota Sprint - Anglesy Coastal Circuit

    • 1st Overall

    4-6th September - JAE - Peterborough Showground

    Our GT86R is on static display for the weekend.

     

    1st October - Toyota Sprint - Cadwell Park

    2016 Modifications

    After a good learning curve in 2015 the team's knowledge of tuning the GT86 continues to grow and the winter of 15/16 was spent designing new product to make the car much quicker in 2016.

     

    The first problem was fuel supply and we wanted to keep the original fuel tank so our "road" customers could follow us and get their cars up to similar power levels.

    We replaced the standard fuel bucket assembly with Avo's high capacity unit which allows much more fuel volume around the 265 litre per hour uprated fuel pump. From the pump we are now using -8AN stainless braided fuel lines, splitting symmetrically under the intake manifold to -6AN and then feeding the standard fuel rails which have been modified with -6AN fittings. Also the direct injection feed has been 'T'd off the -8 line.

    Back in 2015 we had reached the limits of the Avo stage 4 turbocharger and with our new fuel system we could safely push the limits further. Working closely with Avo Turboworld certainly has its perks and we were the 1st to use the new Avo Stage 5 ball bearing turbo! Based on a garret GT30 and with a larger exhaust housing it has improved exhaust gas flow needed for higher flow. Now the engine is running at 1.5 bar to the 7,800 rpm limit.


    As the turbo is much larger the pipework has been custom made to suit and is of larger diameter to increase air flow.

    Also new for 2016 is the Toyo 888R tyres which will certainly be well tested!

    And what a year 2016 turned out to be, with 6 races and 6 overall wins and 1st overall in the Toyota Sprint Series :)

    The end of the season is a perfect chance to get the GT86R on the dyno and we recorded 514bhp :)

    Round 1 - Blyton Park 

    Round 4 - Anglesey

    Round 6 - Snetterton

    Fensport GT86R ... Race Project 2015

    2015 has already been a busy year with work starting back in January working alongside Cosworth to help develop the FA20 engine. We now have a fully built forged engine with prototype pistons, con rods, headgaskets, ARP bolts and uprated valve springs. Testing will continue throughout the year ahead of public release.

    The engine was "run in" in the snow in February and has now completed 1,400 miles. 600 run in and 800 race / test miles.

    Also new for 2015 is the stage 4 Avo turbo kit with larger compressor and turbine wheels, carbon airbox, larger intercooler and 770cc fuel injectors. Our power target is around 500bhp.

    The gearbox has now also been upgraded to cope with the extra torque and an Xtreme 230mm twin plate clutch is used.

    Changes for 2015 include:

    Engine:

    Gearbox:

    8-11th January - Autosport International

    The GT86R is on display on the Samsonas Transmission stand

    29th March - RRG Toyota Sprint Round 1

    Round 1 of the RRG Toyota Sprint was held at Snetterton Race Circuit and was a complete disaster for us! Rain like you wouldn't believe and a virtually flooded track was not the debut we wanted. Grip was non existant, we only had "dry" tyres so boost was turned right down and Adrian managed (just) to bring the car home in 6th place.

    26th April - RRG Toyota Sprint Round 2

    After the disaster of round 1 the team were eager to get out on a dry track and Blyton didn't dissapoint! With dry weather and good grip the GT86R was ready to go. The 1st 2 runs showed a fuel surge issue which was quickly fixed and despite a boost control problem limiting power to 420bhp the car was stunning, leading from run 3 and finishing over 3 seconds ahead of the field.

    A very happy Adrian!

    Video from Blyton Park

    4th May 2015 - BHP Show Lydden Hill

    On display with Summit & Swave

     

    16th May - Japfest - Castle Combe

    On display with Toyo Tires

    Next job for the team was to install the fabulous Samsonas 6 speed sequential gearbox. The gearbox comes with an adapter plate and the correct spline so is a relatively easy install. We had to remove the standard gearbox mounting bridge from the tunnel and manufacture some new mounts along with a new propshaft to suit. Also the exhaust has to be re made to clear the larger gearbox. The gearbox is rated at 1000Nm of torque, far more than our rear tyres can handle!

    And the finshed result can be seen here in our "in car" video, where the GT86R claims 1st overall on round 3 of the Toyota Sprint Series at Woodbridge.

    Adrian says "This car is really coming together now and is just fantastic to drive, Woodbridge is one of my favourite tracks due to its "rally style" course with lots of surface changes, which makes for a great challenge. The new gearbox is just fantastic, the gear selection is light but positive and has really helped me get the best out of the car"

    16th Aug 2015, Round 4, TSS, Croft Race Circuit

    The team took the long trip north to the fabulous Croft Circuit, a favourite track among the drivers, the circuit is used by the BTCC and is super fast and challenging. Adrian says "I've often struggled at Croft and this time round I really wanted to try and get to grips with the high speed corners and finally get a win at this famous track"

    He needn't have worried the race day was fine and dry and the GT86R was just fantastic other than an overboost problem on the 1st run and a driver problem on run 3 (forgot traction off button!) the GT86R performed faultlessly all day pumping in fastest times to claim 1st overall :)

    Here is an "in car video" of the fastest run of the day :)

    30/08/15 - Javelin Sprint at Cadwell Park

    A one off extra event and an ideal test / practise session ahead of the final round of the Toyota Sprint Championship, we headed to Cadwell Park for the first ever time to learn the track and compete with some different cars. Adrian quickly got the hang of the track and was soon pumping in competitive times, 2nd overall by lunchtime he continued to improve his times, setting a 1:29.01 on the final run, still 2nd overall but to a Radical which was in a different class.

    and in car video on Adrian's fastest lap

    27/09/15, Round 5, TSS, Blyton Park Eastern Circuit

    A great event at Blyton saw our GT86R come home in 2nd overall, a mere 6 hundredths of a second from the no 1 spot which went to John Crabtree in his Celica GT4.  

     

    07/11/15, Round 6, TSS, Cadwell Park.

    The final! and what a showdown, it was very wet and this time we were ready, with a new spec lsd and wet weather Toyo proxes tyres the GT86R was transformed and Adrian could attack the track despite the challenging conditions, by lunchtime he had a healthy lead of nearly 3s but as it started to dry, the powerful GT4's were catching. Andy Bunney was quickest of them but Adrian managed to hold on to take the win by 0.48 of a second! 

    What a season, we count our best 5 scores and for the GT86R that was 4 outright wins and a 2nd giving Adrian the overall title!

     

    Here's an in car video of a challenging Cadwell Park :)

    Adrian reports -

    "Wow what a year, the racing has been so much closer this year, making this championship win, one to remember!

    We started off the season at Snetterton very poorly with a 6th overall in appalling wet conditions, we were caught out and had the wrong (dry) tyres. From round 2 on we have been very competitive securing 4 overall wins and a 2nd place.

    But the event to remember was Cadwell park the final round, it was another very wet day and very challenging! We had the correct (wet) tyres this time around and a more progressive Kaaz Super Q LSD making the car much more controllable in the slippery conditions. I was able to attack the track as I would in the dry and take the overall win, beating even the 4wd cars!

    I can't thank the whole team at Fensport, all our supporters and sponsors enough for helping to build / provide such a fantastic car" 

    Toyota GB www.Toyota.co.uk
    Cosworth www.Cosworth.com
    Ecutek www.Ecutek.com
    Samsonas www.Samsonas.com
    Avo Turboworld www.AvoTurboworld.com
    Rota Wheels www.RareRims.co.uk
    Toyo Tires www.Toyo.co.uk
    M Factory www.TeamMfactory.com
    Xtreme www.Xtremeclutch.com.au
    SuperPro www.SuperPro.eu.com
    Blitz UK www.Blitz-UK.co.uk
    BC Racing www.BC-Racing.co.uk
    Seibon Carbon www.SeibonCarbon.co.uk
    Summit Racing www.Summit-Racing.co.uk
    Millers Oils www.Millersoils.co.uk
    Samco Sport www.Samcosport.com
    Racecar Battery www.Racecarbattery.co.uk
    Javelin Trackdays www.Javelintrackdays.co.uk
    Stoptech Brakes www.Stoptech.com
    AEW Graphics www.AewGraphics.co.uk

     

    Fensport GT86R ... Race Project 2014

    After finishing 2nd overall in the Toyota Sprint Series last year, Team Fensport have been very busy over the winter "off season". The aim was always to make the car significantly faster at the end of each year so changes for the 2014 season had to include more grip before more power!!

    First and most obvious is the fabulous Blitz Aerospeed wide arch kit as used on the Blitz Racing project Time Attack car and also Ken Nomura's Blitz Drift car in Japan. The kit was shipped over and we were so pleased with the perfect fit straight from the box!

    The Blitz kit allows for an 120mm track width on the rear and 110mm on the front. The arches have been cut out to provide more space for the new Rota 18 x 9.5" wheels which are clad in 265 wide Toyo R888's all round. Additional aero parts include custom front and rear canards, TRD aero fins, a higher rear wing and custom rear diffuser.

    With the new found grip the team have also increased spring rates on the BC Racing external reservoir coilovers.

    Also upgraded is the Avo turbocharger to the stage 3 Avo  billet version which offers the same incredible response alongside a 20% increase in airflow.

    The car has also been re mapped using Ecutek software to get the most out of the 108 ron race fuel, along with electronic "in gear" boost control which helps with traction in the lower gears.

    An M Factory Carbon propshaft has been fitted to reduce rotational mass.

    2014 Tech Spec

    Engine: 
    Standard internals. Avo Billet turbo kit with custom 3" Blitz Nur Spec exhaust. Fensport Lightweight Pulley kit. Mapped by Fensport using Ecutek and Race Rom. Millers Nanotec 0w30 oil. Hel Oil cooler. Mishimoto radiator, Samco hoses.

    Drivetrain:
    Helix lightweight steel flywheel, Helix uprated clutch cover and 4 paddle cerrametalic clutch plate, M factory carbon propshaft, M factory 4.4 final drive and 1.5 way plate LSD. Standard Gearbox.

    Chassis:
    BC Racing external resevoir coilover kit. S Wave adjustable camber arms, adjustable rear suspension arms,  and front roll centre adjuster. SuperPro polyurethane bush kit. Summit 3 point strut brace and 4 point lower brace, rear anti roll bar braces.

    Brakes:
    Front: Stoptech 4 pot calipers and 328mm discs with Ferodo DS2500 pads
    Rear: Stoptech grooved discs and Stoptech pads 
    Hel brake lines and Millers racing brake fluid.

    Body:
    Blitz Aerospeed wide arch kit with side skirts. Custom front and rear canards, custom rear diffuser. carbon rear spoiler and carbon mirrors. Seibon carbon bonnet and boot lid. Perspex windows.
    Track increased 110mm front and 120mm rear.

    Wheels & Tyres
    Rota Grid Drift 9.5 x 18 with Toyo R888 265/35/18 tyres.

    Safety:
    FIA weld in cage. Corbeau Revolution seat. Luke 3" harness. Electric cut off, Racecar lithium battery, plumbed in extinguisher.


    26/04/14 Pre season test at Blyton Park

    We headed off for their first test of the season just 1 day before the first round of the 2014 Toyota Sprint and GT86 Trophy series. Testing went fantastic with only shock absorbers, ride height and tyre pressures being adjusted in time for the 1st event.

    27/04/14 Round 1 Toyota Sprint Series

    We couldn't of asked for a better start to the new season, after just 1 run, Adrian was reporting back and saying the car had incredible grip, great power and perfect balance.

    This car deserves a kiss!!! The car ran faultless and went on to win on it's debut.

    As the summer has progressed so has our modifications, and after a broken driveshaft on round 2 we invested in some heavy duty drive shafts, since then we haven't had any problems since.
    TRD heavy duty engine and gearbox mounts are now installed to cope with the increased engine torque. A Racer X alloy sump which is baffled internally and also increases oil capacity has been installed along with a low temp thermostat.

    Then it was time to find out how are engine tuning was developing, so we headed off to Ecutek for a power run on their dyno, and here is the result :)

    We have had a fantastic year with our GT86R, finishing 1st overall at 5 rounds of the Toyota Sprint Series and securing the overall championship :) Other than a broken driveshaft, the car has run fault free all year and we are so looking forward to 2015!

    2015 will see some further changes, it's always our plan to keep developing the 86 platform, so stay tuned for 2015 updates :)

    A huge thank you to all our supporters and sponsors, for their support, and for making it all possible :)

    Toyota GB www.Toyota.co.uk
    Ecutek www.Ecutek.com
    M Factory www.TeamMfactory.com
    Rota Wheels www.RareRims.co.uk
    Toyo Tires www.Toyo.co.uk
    Custom Cages www.CustomCages.co.uk
    Avo Turboworld www.AvoTurboworld.com
    SuperPro www.SuperPro.eu.com
    Blitz UK www.Blitz-UK.co.uk
    BC Racing www.BC-Racing.co.uk
    Seibon Carbon www.SeibonCarbon.co.uk
    Summit Racing www.Summit-Racing.co.uk
    Helix Autosport www.Helix-Autosport.com
    Millers Oils www.Millersoils.co.uk
    Samco Sport www.Samcosport.com
    Racecar Battery www.Racecarbattery.co.uk
    Javelin Trackdays www.Javelintrackdays.co.uk
    Stoptech Brakes www.Stoptech.com
    AEW Graphics www.AewGraphics.co.uk

     

    Fensport GT86R ... Race Project ... 2013

    January: A new year and lots to do!! We are continuing to develop the GT86R in preparation for this years Toyota Sprint Series.

    Roll cage installation, a full FIA International Spec multipoint cage by Custom Cages has been installed.

    The roll cage and interior were finished in time for the car to be on display at the Autosport International on the Summit Racing stand along with new Summit adjustable rear suspension arms, strutbrace and underbracing:)

    Next modification is the Turbocharger!! Our preferred choice is the Avo Turboworld kit and we're pleased to announce Fensport as the European distributor for Avo, we will be working closely with them and developing the kits for EU spec cars and conditions.

    We are using the Ecutek software to control boost electronically, the Race Rom maps have allowed us to control boost in gear , against throttle as well as have a full 'closed loop' system. A 3 bar map sensor has also been added along with an overboost fuel cut. Boost is set to 0.5bar.

    Another addition for this season is a M Factory 4.44 final drive along with a 1.5way plate lsd, both will help the rear differential get all the extra power to the ground!

    Also changed this year is the front brakes, which has helped to save rotaional and unsprung weight, we have opted for the excellent Stoptech 4 pot front calipers with a 328mm discs.

    Another area we are always improving is weight reduction, so a full perspex window kit has been fitted including side and rear windows. The doors are lightened now the roll cage is installed, the rear parcel shelf has been trimmed down.

    The car has been prepared for the 2013 Toyota Sprint Series, now running in Pro Tuner class and up against some very powerful 4wd opposition.

    28th April

    The 1st round of the Toyota Sprint Series held at Blyton Park Circuit saw the Fensport GT86 claim 1st in class and 5th Overall.

    The team suffered brake problems on the day, earlier in the week the decision was taken to disable the abs system and it cost the team dearly with front brake lock up! Lesson learned don't disconnect the abs!! Despite the brake problem the team were very happy with the car's handling and balance. The power is fantastic and now the brakes are fixed we are really looking forward to Round 2 at Woodbridge on the 19th May where we plan on getting that perfect run!

    10 - 18th May

    After the first round the power has been increased, boost is now up to 0.75 bar with more mapping and high octane race fuel. A full 3" Blitz prototype exhaust has been manuufactured in house from the turbo to the back bumper. Power is now approx 320bhp.

    19th May

    Back out on track, this time at Woodbridge a nice open long track we needed the extra power to keep up with the 4wd cars, and the GT86 didn't dissapoint with 2nd palce overall :) 

    21st May - 8th June

    After our second place we were pleased but know we have to push harder, we are after a win this season and a good overall result in the championship.

    The next round of modifications begins ....

    A stiffer actuator has been fitted to increase boost response, boost is left at 0.75 bar but the new actuator helps the spool up time in the lower gears. Wider 245 section Toyo R888 tires are fitted to help with traction and put the power down. A new lighter intercooler and alloy front bumper bar reduces front end weight.

    And new Seibon carbon front splitter and an extra pair of canards help to generate more front downforce. Also fitted is a Seibon rear boot lid to help reduce more weight.

    Toyota Sprint Series Round 3, held at Barkston on a purpose built tight and twisty sprint track. We finished 2nd overall and closed the gap to the more powerful 4wd cars, missing the win by just 0.28 of a second.

    10th June

    Next job was to get the car on the dyno and test our power modifications were heading in the right direction, 334.9bhp and 266 ft-lbs with beautiful smooth power and torque curves :)

    Also fitted now is the beautiful carbon fibre bonnet from Seibon, as well as adding extra cooling for the engine bay, it also weighs 1.2kgs lighter than the standard bonnet.

    27th June

    Huge thanks to Autocar and Toyota GB for hiring Bedford Autodrome and producing a stunning video of both our street and race GT86's going up against a standard GT86 and also a Mclaren MP4-12C for comparison. We had a fantastic day and the GT86R emerged as the victor :) :)

    Fensport GT86R vs Mclaren MP4-12C - Autocar review of the Fensport GT86 turbo cars

    Fensport GT86R ... Race Project ... July 2012 ... the begining!

    Our GT86 Racing Project is well under way, read on to see how we have modified our GT86 from a standard road car to a turbo charged race car ....

    Toyota GB supplied the car to us on the 12th July 2012, we are working with Autocar magazine who will cover the story in a series of features starting with the standard car and following its progress and modifications to compete within the Toyota Sprint Series.

    Autocar's Steve Sutcliffe will join Fensport's Adrian Smith as the lucky drivers who will be the first to race the GT86 in the UK :) The pair will be competing on the last 3 rounds of the Toyota sprint series in preparation for a full championship assault in 2013.

    Diary - Planned modifications and timescales 2012

    12th July 2012

    GT86 Delivery :)

    14 & 15th July

    Car on display at Marshalls Toyota Peterborough, GT86 Launch and Open Day

    16th July - Development Commences

    The first steps to modifying the new car was to measure all the suspension and understand how it all works, a BC Racing coilover kit was installed without springs so we could measure bump steer, toe & camber change etc and get a real understanding of how the suspension works. This is very important to learn on a brand new car so later we can alter the handling to suit.

    Whilst working on the suspension it was soon very apparent that there is a lot of tension within the standard rubber bushes. As well as having no adjustable camber on the car. These were areas we wanted to improve.

    Next step was to install different offset wheels to attain the correct fitment with the widest possible track without fowling the arches.

    Parts fitted so far

    • BC Racing Coilover kit 5kg front and 5kg rear springs, 32 way adjustable.
    • SuperPro polyurethane bush kit (releases the tension in the suspension arms, whilst keeping correct location)
    • Racecar Battery, an amazing 1.6kgs, has saved nearly 12kgs off the front of the car.
    • Ultralite Atec wheels (painted pearl white) 8 x 17 ET35 perfect fitment and the correct size for our tyres.
    • Toyo R888 GGG tyres 225/45/17
    • Carbon mirrors and rear wing
    • Blitz panel filter and Blitz high pressure radiator cap
    • S Wave Camber adjustable rear arms
    • Remove interior trim, stereo and airbags, replace steering wheel with a Momo suede wheel, we have still kept the steering angle sensor so all traction and stability controls work as standard. Install Recaro race seat. Trim around the driver has to stay at the moment until a roll cage is fitted.
    • Corner weight and wheel alignment
    • Weight is down to 1120kgs with 1/2 tank of fuel :)

    12th August - 1st event - Toyota Sprint Series

    Fensport GT86 stuns the competition and takes 1st overall in it's very 1st event :)

    To be the 1st to race the GT86 in the UK was a very proud moment for both Steve & Adrian, Adrian was 1st up and immediately set the pace, Steve only a few tenths behind. Both drivers were amazed by the sheer pace of the car, the corner speed was immense and both continued to push as hard as possible. The new handling characteristics were very obvious both inside and out of the car.

    Both drivers were also driving a standard GT86 to compare the differences between them. The Fensport GT86 was an astonishing 4 seconds quicker over 3/4 of a mile track proving the modifications have made a substantial difference!

    The final result was Adrian winning 1st overall, and Steve taking 3rd overall :) What a debut for the Fensport GT86, it has now earned it's new name Fensport GT86R :)

    Read more Fensport GT86R First Britsh Win

    13th August

    Modifications resume and the Fensport team have certainly been very busy!

    In preparation for the next round of the Toyota Sprint Series, the Fensport GT86 has undergone another massive transformation including....

    • K Sport Front 8 piston, 330mm brake kit.
    • Prototype Blitz Nur Spec single exit exhaust (7kg lighter than std system)
    • Rear aero underneath to reduce drag
    • Whiteline heavy duty front and adjustable rear anti roll bars
    • BC Racing external resorvoir coilovers with seperate bump and rebound damping, 6kg rear springs and 5kg front springs.
    • Samco intake and radiator hoses
    • Helix uprated 4 paddle clutch and lightweight flywheel, clutch clamping force has been increased from 540kg to 1000kg. The standard clutch was always a weak link when racing!
    • Corner weighting has revealed the new weight of 1090kgs with 1/4 tank of fuel :)
    • Front Canards have been added to increase downforce in the higher speed corners.

    16th September

    Toyota Sprint Series, Round 4, Croft Circuit

    A fantastic result at Croft Circuit for our GT86R, 1st in class and 3rd overall against some stiff opposition with much more power :) Adrian's fastest time was 92.76 just 1.1 seconds off of 1st place. The car was also driven by Matt Saunders from Autocar and Matt put in a very creditable drive to 4th overall with a 95.59s. Both drivers also drove a standard GT86 in the 'Street Class' Adrian finishing 9th overall. The Fensport GT86 proved its modifications once again by being 6.8 seconds faster than the standard car over just 1.7 miles :)

    Thank you to Brian for the on track pictures :) Motorsport photography at Saidro.com

    17th September

    Modifications resume in preparation for round 5 of the Toyota Sprint Series

    Fensport lightweight crank pulley, Fensport oversize alternator to reduce alternator speed, and Fensport oversize water pump pulley to reduce water pump speed. All the pulleys together save nearly 2kgs off the rotational mass.

    Lightweight Carbon propshaft saves 4.65kgs off the rotational mass.

    Ecutek ecu mapping - Fensport are now an authorised Ecutek tuner for the GT86 and BRZ, the first maps have been done and showing 218bhp and 171 lb/ft torque :) Our modifications listed above and our mapping using the Ecutek software has gained approx 25 bhp and nearly 20 ft/lbs , nicely extending the torque and power curves

    Also added is the fantastic Race Rom features which provide Full Throttle Shift, Launch Control and Auto Blip on downshift.

    20th October

    Toyota Sprint Series, Round 5, Snetterton circuit

    After our last round of modifications, new power output and lighter weight we were looking forward to the final round of the Toyota Sprint Series. Using 1 and 3/4 laps of the new "100 circuit" we knew it would be tough to keep up with the more powerful turbo and 4wd cars!!

    The morning started very wet and damp which is not so good for us, the key to quick lap times in a GT86 is corner speed, and with the slippery conditions we were some way off the 4wd turbo cars, however it started to dry and by lunchtime Adrian was leading the class and managed to sneak up to 2nd overall, before being knocked back to 3rd by Jonny Milner in his MR2 Turbo. Matt Saunders from Autocar Magazine was also driving the car and was getting progressively quicker. By run 7 and with fully dry conditions it was Adrian in 3rd and Matt in 4th, with 1 run to go, both GT86 drivers pushed the car and driver limits, both improving their times and Adrian snatching 2nd overall Jonny and Matt 4th. A fantastic result considering the much more powerful opposition.

    3rd & 4th November

    Our Fensport GT86R will be on display at the Silverstone Motorsport Show on the Toyo Tires stand, pop along and take a look.

    After the show the car will be stripped and modified further in preparation of a full championship in next years Toyota Sprint Series.....

    2012 Summary:

    What a fantastic start to our 1st year with the GT86, After competing in only 3 rounds we have finished an impressive 1st at Barkston Heath, 2nd at Snetterton and 3rd at Croft, against a wave of 4wd turbo competitors. In the last race at Snetterton we finished a mere 0.44 seconds behind a 400 BHP Celica GT4.

    We have absolutely fallen for the GT86, a fabulous car even in standard form, the Fensport car is now on a another level, handling is sublime and almost a game changer, the low centre of gravity coupled with wide track and our suspension modifications have produced a simply stunning car to drive. All of our modifications have been documented above and we have done our best to keep the car real, just sensibly priced bolt on parts have been used and we feel that the future for the GT86 is very bright indeed :)

    We are very much looking forward to the winter break so we can continue our GT86 development programme which is expanding at an incredible rate, with many parts for both road and race cars in the pipeline, be sure to check back soon.

    We would like to thank the following sponsors, for their support, and for making it all possible :)

    Toyota GB www.Toyota.co.uk
    Ultralite Wheels www.Ultralitewheels.com
    Toyo Tires www.Toyo.co.uk
    Custom Cages www.CustomCages.co.uk
    SuperPro www.SuperPro.eu.com
    Blitz UK www.Blitz-UK.co.uk
    BC Racing www.BC-Racing.co.uk
    Summit Racing www.Summit-Racing.co.uk
    Helix Autosport www.Helix-Autosport.com
    Millers Oils www.Millersoils.co.uk
    Samco Sport www.Samcosport.com
    Racecar Battery www.Racecarbattery.co.uk
    Javelin Trackdays www.Javelintrackdays.co.uk
    Stoptech Brakes www.Stoptech.com
    M Factory www.TeamMfactory.com
    Seibon Carbon www.SeibonCarbon.co.uk