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Autocar pits McLaren MP4-12C against turbo Toyota GT86

The Toyota GT86, in all of its forms, is one of the best-handling cars money can buy, a trait that can put a smile on the faces of all but the most jaded car enthusiasts. But if good handling isn't what they're looking for, then what is? Our first guess would have to be more power, something the 200-horsepower Toyota would benefit from. Autocar tries out that theory by driving two turbocharged GT86s on track, then pitting the more powerful one against the 616-hp McLaren MP4-12C in a track battle.
The first GT86 turbo Autocar's Steve Sutcliffe drives makes around 255 rear-wheel horsepower and a bucket-load more torque than the stock car. That's plenty of power to either have a lot of fun or get into a lot of trouble. But the GT86 that Sutcliffe tails in the McLaren is race-prepped, stripped to the bone and wears slicks to harness a heavy-hitting 335 hp at the wheel. Weighing in at under 2,500 pounds, the Toyota can't overcome the MP4-12C's power-to-weight ratio of 5.3 pounds per horsepower, but it comes pretty close.
Enjoy a lot of chasing and drifting fun in the video below!

Toyota enters Rally America with modified RAV4

Rally cars are typically based on production hatchbacks, but Toyota is hitting the Rally America series this year with the RAV4 you see here. Entering the 2WD-Open Class (yes, it's front-wheel drive), this specially prepared RAV4 rally machine is being revealed at the Monster Energy Supercross Championship finale this weekend in Las Vegas. It retains the stock powertrain, including a 2.5-liter inline-four with the same 176 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque as the small crossover you can pick up at your local Toyota dealership. Only it's been unburdened of more than 500 pounds of excess weight and fitted with a roll cage, BFGoodrich all-terrain tires and an upgraded TEIN suspension at both ends. The resulting machine will be driven by Ryan Millen, son of the legendary Rod Millen and brother the Rhys. This isn't the first time Ryan is driving off-road for Toyota either, having won the Baja 1000 last year in a Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Toyota Flexes RAV4 Muscle with New Rally America Series Entry Renowned Off-Road Driver Ryan Millen to Drive RAV4 Rally Car in 2015 Rally America 2WD-Open Class TORRANCE, Calif. (May 6, 2015) – Toyota unveiled its RAV4 rally car at the Monster Energy Supercross Championship finale this weekend at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. Ryan Millen, who won the 2014 Baja 1000 in a Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, will drive the RAV4 rally vehicle at various rally races including some of the 2015 Rally America 2WD-Open Class season. The muscled-up RAV4 was unveiled live between races to all in attendance and was on display in the pits throughout the event. A RAV4 competing within a professional racing series is rare. It is even rarer to see the unibody-construction, Small-Sport Utility Vehicle (SSUV) go head-to-head with Rally America's modified street cars. Toyota's entry into Rally America is a modified 2015 Toyota RAV4 LE. The vehicle sports a stock transmission and a stock 2.5-liter, four-cylinder, double-overhead cam engine that pushes 176-horsepower and 172-pounds of torque. Millen and his crew removed more than 500 pounds of stock weight, while adding a roll cage, BFGoodrich all-terrain DOT 215/75R15 tires, and upgrading to a front and rear TEIN suspension. "I've driven just about everything Toyota has to offer," said Millen. "And I've been very impressed with the RAV4's tight, compact body and smooth handling.

Toyota's hydrogen fuel cell Mirai isn't good enough to be a Lexus

It looks like the first hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle from Lexus will be faster than previously advertised, but it will get to the market slower than expected. It's all part of the paradox involved with Toyota looking to broaden its fuel-cell technology beyond the Mirai. Either way, the first Lexus fuel-cell vehicle is slated to start sales by the end of the decade, said Auto Express, citing comments from Alain Uyttenhoven, head of Lexus Europe. Uyttenhoven noted that it'd take an SUV to provide enough space to accommodate the packaging for the Lexus fuel cell powertrain. That comment may imply that the hydrogen-fueled powertrain from Lexus will offer similar performance to that of the Lexus RX450h hybrid SUV. That model delivers 300 horsepower and boasts a 0 to 60 mile-per-hour time of about seven seconds. Such a mill would be a departure from what we'd previously reported on Toyota's plans to expand its fuel-cell technology to its Lexus luxury badge. With Toyota believed to be planning to unveil as many as three fuel-cell models in time for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the Japanese automaker said early last year that it may have a Lexus fuel-cell vehicle available as soon as 2017, while reports suggesting the model would be a Lexus LS-based sedan. Additionally, the Mirai's fuel-cell powertrain had been believed to be the platform for the proposed Lexus fuel cell from the moment that model started sales in California last year. Apparently, though, the Mirai's 152-horsepower powertrain, coupled with a full-tank range that would be about 20 percent less than the 300-mile Mirai, isn't up to snuff for Lexus duty. Related Video: News Source: Auto Express via Hybrid CarsImage Credit: Jonathon Ramsey / AOL Green Lexus Toyota Hydrogen Cars mirai