Very few track battles are so closely matched and no one can predict for sure which one is going to be the fastest.

The latest generation of Mazda’s iconic roadster has the weight advantage as it is almost 200kg lighter than the Toyota GT86 which in turn has almost 40hp more than its brand-new rival.

And yes, the Mazda is a soft-top two-seater and the Toyota is a 2+2 coupe but let’s not kid ourselves here, these two are as direct rivals can be in the petrolhead community. Evo takes them on the Bedford Autodrome to find out which one is faster around the track, with the final outcome being really, really close.

So close I think, that it will raise an even louder debate around these two Japanese sports cars. See for yourselves on the video linked below.

VIDEO