A “remade” Toyota GT86 is about to be launched in the UK.

This is not a cosmetic facelift, Toyota insists. “When it comes to dynamic character we’ve remade everything,” the car’s chief designer, Tetsuya Tada said.

A priority for Tada-san’s development team was to further improve the handling of the front engine/rear-wheel drive coupe. This has included tuning the electronic control systems, resulting in a new selectable ‘track’ mode that lets the driver tap into the GT86’s full potential by adjusting the level of stability and traction control, including a ‘fully off’ option.

“The biggest point I wanted to improve was the car’s responsiveness – on and off acceleration, turning in and turning out, and the speed and naturalness of its reactions,” said Tada-san.

“This has partly come from modifying the dampers and springs, but the biggest point of influence has been in aerodynamics and the way this affects the suspension.”

New features that are not just about aesthetics, but serve a dynamic purpose include the new ‘teeth’ featured along the bottom edge of the lower grille in the redesigned nose section, which help smooth the airflow There is also a new, deeper rear bumper design and aero-stabilising fins have been introduced on the side of the car.

Inside there’s a new three-spoke steering wheel, the smallest yet deigned for a production Toyota (diameter 362mm). The wheel’s cross-section has also been precision-calculated to provide the best possible grip and feel. Auxiliary audio and display controls have been added to the wheel and, as a finishing touch, the centre boss features silver 86 logo.

A new 4.2-inch TFT multi-information display is included in the instrument binnacle’s triple-dial arrangement with a switchable menu that provides journey distance and fuel economy information plus more performance-focused data, such as power and torque curves, stopwatch and a G-force monitor.

Revised UK model range

The 2017 GT86 is offered in a simplified range that features two versions: GT86 and GT86 Pro, both of which are powered by the 197bhp 2.0-litre ‘boxer’ engine with six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

The GT86 rides on new, 10-spoke 17-inch alloys with a machined finish.

Equipment features include adaptive LED headlights, cruise control, electric, heated door mirrors with a folding function, aluminium sport pedals, high-performance brake discs and pads, hill start assist and smart entry with push-button start.

The GT86 Pro adds heated front seats, leather and Alcantara upholstery, a leather driver’s armrest and a suede-effect finish for the dashboard and door trims. It also gains a rear spoiler, finished in matt grey (if customers prefer, this can be deleted at no extra cost).

Both versions feature the Toyota Touch 2 multimedia system with Bluetooth, 6.1-inch touchscreen and DAB tuner. As an option, the system can be upgraded to Toyota Touch 2 with Go, adding satellite navigation, connectivity giving access to on-line services and social media channels, and three years’ inclusive map updates.

Key options include black cloth upholstery with red inserts on the seats and door trims for the GT86, and a similar treatment for the part-leather and Alcantara seat and door coverings in the GT86 Pro.

The new 2017 Toyota GT86 goes on sale at the beginning of October priced between £25,945 and £28,695.