Photos by THE aSTIG and Philip Aragones
Stivo Racing is an aftermarket company that specializes in the development and distribution of performance upgrades for the Car of the Year for 2012* – the Toyota GT86. *Awarded by Top Gear Magazine and other publications and car awards groups, worldwide.
Though they do develop aftermarket parts such as exhausts and suspension systems applicable to a wide variety of other vehicles, they are definitely pioneers when it comes to advancements for Toyota’s latest iteration of the venerable Hachi-Roku.
Read on and allow us to give you a tour of the inner workings of Stivo Racing’s very own *Project 86*…

Our photoshoot started early in the morning, right before the sun came up. Yes, that’s real fog in the background. Perfect ambiance for a morning drive into the vast openness of the highway.
But as this was a photoshoot, frequent stopsovers for photos were mandatory. The GT86 didn’t hesitate one bit and was never shy to gaze into the camera with its piercing eyes and spiteful grin.
Philip Aragones was at it with his legendary HDR style photography, with beautiful lens flare to add spice into the picture.
I whipped out my strobes went to work…
So off we went for some fun under the sun.
We stopped at a different locations for more photos…
At one point, the heavens opened up and blessed us with glorious light!
Hallelujah!
Is this car drool-worthy or what? Car p0rn aside, let’s go ahead and take a look some of the upgrades on Stivo Racing’s Project 86…
This shot gives you an idea of what upgrades you’ll find. Custom Pinoy Rides is proud to be part of it! Haha!
First off, the wheels. Stivo’s 86 currently rolls on 17×8 offset 45 Rota Titan Wheels – one of the latest models to be released from the Rota factory. And behind the wheels are Hawk HP Plus Brake Pads.
The wider wheels give the stock tires a more stretched look. Wait, stock tires? You read that right. Why? Coz that’s part of what gives this car its fun factor! Check out what Jeremy Clarkson has to say about it, and why it was declared the car of the year.
The car sits on one of the latest developments from Stivo Racing – Stivo Comfort Coilovers. The car’s ride height is currently set for balance between performance and practicality. Looks good to us!
Looking at the car from the rear, it features a Stivo Ducktail Spoiler. It also gives you a glimpse of the Stivo Racing Exhaust Tips. I love that burnt stainless tip, giving it a titainium-like finish. It’s unfortunate that during the time of this shoot, the actual Stivo Racing Full Exhaust system has been removed as it was the prototype system that was initially installed on this car. The Stivo Racing Exhaust System, as featured in the 2012 SEMA Show, is now being mass produced for export, and of course for our local market too! Find out more about the Stivo Racing Exhaust System here.
Inside, you’ll find that nothing has been changed. Why should you? It’s already one of the most driver-centric cars ever made! And if you read the latest local Top Gear magazine, you’ll find that even the seats have been given praise as being the best you can find in any car, at any price range.
Would you still need aftermarket gauges when the instrument cluster on the GT86 is already as good as it is?
Under the hood, they’ve upped the ante in performance by installing an Airaid Cold Air Intake. It sure looks super clean together with the low-slung Toyota-Subaru D-4S Boxer Engine.
That’s all for now folks! But rest assured, we’ll keep you posted on more updates and performance upgrades from none other than Stivo Racing. Hope you’ve enjoyed the photos! And stay tuned for more!
Find out more about Stivo Racing here: http://www.stivoracing.com/