This Lifted ‘Dakar’ Style GR86 Build Is Unpredictably Cool Indeed!

Though renowned as a track and drift car base, a lifted, all-terrain redux based on the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ is indeed rare - almost unheard of.

With the Toyota GR86 – and its Subaru BRZ twin, for that matter, track and drift car builds are indeed a dime in a dozen to say the least. What is rare – borderline unheard of, even – is a lifted, off-road build that looks almost fit to be a recce car in the Dakar Rally.

This week, Japanese tuners Kuhl made waves online with its unique ‘Dakar’ or ‘Safari’ style build based on the affordable (relatively speaking) rear-wheel-drive (RWD) sports coupe shared by both Toyota and Subaru – aptly christened as the Kuhl Outroad GR86.

Japaneses tuners Kuhl have brought that vision to life with its Outroad GR86 tuning kit, and the firm is set to show this build publicly at the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon 2026 (TAS 2026) this month.

If you always fancied sporty off-road specials like what the Porsche 911 Dakar and Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato are, then this build by Kuhl arguably makes that vision a whole lot more attainable – sans all-wheel-drive (AWD), of course.

Set to debut publicly at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2026 (TAS 2026) happening later this month, the Kuhl Outroad GR86 brings more than just an aesthetic makeover – it has the beefed up chassis and powertrain tune-up to match, in fact.

Critical here is a custom coil-over suspension set that brings a massive 3-inch (76.2 MM) ride height lift. An optional hydraulic lifters furhter adds 1.5 inches (38.1 MM) for a total lift of 4.5 inches (114.3 MM).

Firstly, Kuhl attained a 3-inch (76.2 MM) ride height lift through a custom coil-over suspension system. Additional 1.5-inch (38.1 MM) of ground clearance also comes from an optional hydraulic lifter, which brings a total lift of 4.5 inches (114.3 MM) when fitted.

Besides the suspension, the basic Outroad GR86 kit devised by Kuhl includes a rugged-looking new front and rear bumper set matched with 25 MM-wide wheel arch fender extensions, customary side steps, rear under-spoiler, as well as a rear spoiler.

Optional items even include forged 18-inch wheels, beefed up brakes, roof rack carrier, as well as the boot glass spoiler set pictured.

Other tasty bits available in the catalogue include forged 18-inch wheels, upgraded brakes, roof rack carrier and boot glass spoiler. However, take note though that the items listed in this para are cost-options – you’ll have to pay more for each.

Optionally available too is a turbo kit with matching tuned ECU, uprated oil cooler and oil pan. This brings output up to 290 hp from the stock figure of 228 hp. This option also stands as the priciest in said catalogue at a reported sum of ¥1.26 million (RM32,520).

Optionally available too is a bolt-on turbo kit complete with ECU, oil-cooler and oil pan. This bumps up the output from stock 228 hp to a meatier 290 hp figure.

Sans powertrain tune, the basic kit and aesthetic options noted reportedly costs about ¥4.16 million (RM107,722). Factor in the GR86 model’s starting RRP of about ¥2.94 million in Japan, and the total cost for to build one starts at ¥7.1 million (RM183,976).

It will probably cost over triple that in Ringgit terms, but that’s still a drop in the ocean versus the multi-million Ringgit figures commanded by the arguably comparable Porsche and Lamborghini off-road specials mentioned.