Motoring Icons: JDM Legends - Toyota Corolla AE86
24 Apr 2024|4,424 views
It is quite a feat for a car to achieve such fame. I don't think there are many cars as easily identifiable as the Toyota Corolla AE86. Okay, the majority of people probably wouldn't know its actual name, but they would likely recognise it as the 'Tofu car' from Initial D.
Being the star of Initial D, a Japanese manga that was adapted into an anime, and then a live-action movie starring Jay Chou, the AE86 was introduced to people from all walks of life. Hence, car lovers, manga and anime buffs, and fans of mandopop or movies in general are all likely to be exposed to it.
But Initial D isn't the only reason for the fame of this sporty economical car from Toyota; in fact, it was already a hot favourite in Japan well before the manga's conception. Here's all you need to know about the Toyota AE86.
Powertrain
Engine: 4A-GE 1,587cc in-line four Twin-Cam
Horsepower: 128bhp at 6,600rpm
Torque: 149Nm at 5,200rpm
Drivetrain layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
While the 3-door hatch is the one that most are familiar with, the AE86 was also offered in a 2-door coupe body style
History of Toyota AE86
While the AE86 of Initial D fame is a Sprinter Trueno 3-door hatch with pop-up head lights, the AE86 was also offered in a 2-door coupe form. Available alongside the Trueno was the Corolla Levin with fixed head lights.
While the fifth generation Corolla sedan had a front-wheel drive layout, the AE86 was still rear-wheel drive
The AE86's mechanicals are actually more closely related to the fourth generation E70 Corolla sedan
As part of the Corolla family of economy cars, the AE86 belongs to Toyota's fifth generation E80 Corolla lineup. However, the AE86's mechanicals are more closely related to the fourth generation E70 Corolla sedan.
You see, for the fifth generation sedan, Toyota has shifted to a front-engine, front-wheel drive platform. Meanwhile, the sporty AE86 coupe and hatch were the last rear-wheel drive Corollas to be made. As such, it was built upon the platform of the rear-wheel drive E70 Corollas. This dated platform meant the AE86 still features a utilitarian live-axle rear suspension that's more common on trucks.
Most undercarriage components will interchange between the AE86 and the E70 Corollas, but the AE86 isn't just an old Corolla with a shiny new dress - Toyota installed an exciting new powerplant within that pretty front-end. Introduced with the car, is the new 4A-GE twin-cam engine that made a respectable 128bhp and revved well over 7,000rpm.
Both Sprinter Trueno and Corolla Levin hatchbacks were sold in Singapore when they were new. However, the coupes never made it onto our shores. Like in their homeland and around the world, these cars were rather popular among car enthusiasts due to their great price-to-performance ratio and sporty design.
Initial D isn't the only reason the AE86 is well-loved - its sleek and beautiful design has captivated car lovers even before the conception of the series
Allure - the comic-book hero, economy sports car and the Drift King's favourite
Most people's dream cars tend to be something fast, exotic and prohibitively expensive - supercars from Porsche, Ferrari, Pagani and the like come to mind. But the venerable Toyota Corolla AE86 managed to become the dream car of many despite being low on power and economically priced when new. It makes little sense that a plebeian car as such could have such a cult following, and I chalk this down to a few factors.
Initial D's popularity has spawned many real-life replicas of Takumi's Sprinter Trueno, such as this local example
I've mentioned how Initial D is the main proponent of its fame. But in case you aren't aware, here's a quick run-down on Initial D - the series revolves around a teenage protagonist, Takumi, who is a genius driver that successfully conquered countless street races on mountain roads.
He does so behind the wheel of an AE86 Sprinter Trueno and managed to outdrive experienced drivers in much better cars. It is a story of an underdog, who kept winning despite odds heavily stacked against him. The intriguing thing is how a narrative that painted the car as a substantial handicap caused it to rocket to fame…
However, the AE86 predates Initial D by almost a decade, and it already had quite a following prior to the anime's popularity. A huge part of its draw comes from the affordable nature of this lightweight sports car. Combined with the peppy engine that featured modern technology such as electronic fuel-injection, a variable induction system, twin-cam, and a rear-wheel drive drivetrain with limited-slip differential, it isn't difficult to see why budding car enthusiasts quickly snapped up these cars.
'Drift King' Keiichi Tsuchiya's AE86 is world-famous
The AE86 quickly ended up in the hands of young drivers who are looking for affordable performance, and those who wanted to learn and practice drifting in the mountains. The famous Japanese race driver, Keiichi Tsuchiya (also known as the 'Drift King') is one of the most prominent AE86 enthusiasts around. In fact, a huge part of the car's fame must be credited to him - he was also the original inspiration for the Initial D series!
Aftermarket companies such as Impulse.co.ltd are dedicated to developing parts for the AE86 despite it being a car of such vintage
The unyielding love for the AE86 has resulted in strong aftermarket support from various specialised companies. TODA Racing, a Japanese engine specialist, still offers performance parts for the 4A-GE engine. There are also companies such as Impulse.co.ltd that design and produce all kinds of parts, including dry-carbon fibre components for the AE86. With plenty of dedicated companies developing and creating parts for the AE86, its popularity can be affirmed.
The AE86 was a popular choice in various classes of motorsports
Cultural significance - from drifting, rallying, track duties to street machines
The AE86 was a popular choice for all kinds of motorsports duties as it is a lightweight, rear-wheel drive platform. It competed in Group A and Group N racing and competed in rallies as well.
There was even a GT300 AE86 that competed in JGTC, though this was a dedicated race car with a turbocharged 3S-GTE engine along with extensive modifications done to the car. Needless to say, the AE86 is also an extremely popular car in the world of drifting, with a few examples that competed in Japan's D1GP drift championship.
With plenty of performance parts available, there are many nicely modified examples of the AE86
With plenty of aftermarket parts available till today, the AE86's performance can be substantially improved upon with modification. Notable examples of highly-tuned AE86 include Keiichi Tsuchiya's own unit that has a highly-modified 20-valve 4A-GE from the later AE100 generation with individual throttle bodies and various other supporting modifications - this car is proven to be faster than much more powerful cars in the twisty touge roads with the Drift King behind its wheel! Impulse.co.ltd also has a full carbon fibre-bodied AE86 that has been built to an extremely high standard.
Want to live out your Initial D dreams? Not so fast…
While there are still a handful of black-plate AE86 left on Singapore's shores, there aren't any that's currently for sale. And the last time a unit was available, the asking price was absurdly high, with depreciation encroaching into the territories of used European sports cars.
With the car being old enough to be registered under the classic vehicle scheme, you can still import a used example from overseas and register it; though you wouldn't be able to drive it every single day. In fact, there is currently a unit available!
But before you pull the trigger, you should remember that this is an old and dated car, which will probably require a fair bit of tinkering. Furthermore, while it hits above its price point when new, its performance is hardly anything to shout about these days. If you do go for it, remember to keep your expectations managed - don't live in the fantasy world of Initial D or you might be sorely disappointed.
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It is quite a feat for a car to achieve such fame. I don't think there are many cars as easily identifiable as the Toyota Corolla AE86. Okay, the majority of people probably wouldn't know its actual name, but they would likely recognise it as the 'Tofu car' from Initial D.
Being the star of Initial D, a Japanese manga that was adapted into an anime, and then a live-action movie starring Jay Chou, the AE86 was introduced to people from all walks of life. Hence, car lovers, manga and anime buffs, and fans of mandopop or movies in general are all likely to be exposed to it.
But Initial D isn't the only reason for the fame of this sporty economical car from Toyota; in fact, it was already a hot favourite in Japan well before the manga's conception. Here's all you need to know about the Toyota AE86.
Powertrain
Engine: 4A-GE 1,587cc in-line four Twin-Cam
Horsepower: 128bhp at 6,600rpm
Torque: 149Nm at 5,200rpm
Drivetrain layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
While the 3-door hatch is the one that most are familiar with, the AE86 was also offered in a 2-door coupe body style
History of Toyota AE86
While the AE86 of Initial D fame is a Sprinter Trueno 3-door hatch with pop-up head lights, the AE86 was also offered in a 2-door coupe form. Available alongside the Trueno was the Corolla Levin with fixed head lights.
While the fifth generation Corolla sedan had a front-wheel drive layout, the AE86 was still rear-wheel drive
The AE86's mechanicals are actually more closely related to the fourth generation E70 Corolla sedan
As part of the Corolla family of economy cars, the AE86 belongs to Toyota's fifth generation E80 Corolla lineup. However, the AE86's mechanicals are more closely related to the fourth generation E70 Corolla sedan.
You see, for the fifth generation sedan, Toyota has shifted to a front-engine, front-wheel drive platform. Meanwhile, the sporty AE86 coupe and hatch were the last rear-wheel drive Corollas to be made. As such, it was built upon the platform of the rear-wheel drive E70 Corollas. This dated platform meant the AE86 still features a utilitarian live-axle rear suspension that's more common on trucks.
Most undercarriage components will interchange between the AE86 and the E70 Corollas, but the AE86 isn't just an old Corolla with a shiny new dress - Toyota installed an exciting new powerplant within that pretty front-end. Introduced with the car, is the new 4A-GE twin-cam engine that made a respectable 128bhp and revved well over 7,000rpm.
Both Sprinter Trueno and Corolla Levin hatchbacks were sold in Singapore when they were new. However, the coupes never made it onto our shores. Like in their homeland and around the world, these cars were rather popular among car enthusiasts due to their great price-to-performance ratio and sporty design.
Initial D isn't the only reason the AE86 is well-loved - its sleek and beautiful design has captivated car lovers even before the conception of the series
Allure - the comic-book hero, economy sports car and the Drift King's favourite
Most people's dream cars tend to be something fast, exotic and prohibitively expensive - supercars from Porsche, Ferrari, Pagani and the like come to mind. But the venerable Toyota Corolla AE86 managed to become the dream car of many despite being low on power and economically priced when new. It makes little sense that a plebeian car as such could have such a cult following, and I chalk this down to a few factors.
Initial D's popularity has spawned many real-life replicas of Takumi's Sprinter Trueno, such as this local example
I've mentioned how Initial D is the main proponent of its fame. But in case you aren't aware, here's a quick run-down on Initial D - the series revolves around a teenage protagonist, Takumi, who is a genius driver that successfully conquered countless street races on mountain roads.
He does so behind the wheel of an AE86 Sprinter Trueno and managed to outdrive experienced drivers in much better cars. It is a story of an underdog, who kept winning despite odds heavily stacked against him. The intriguing thing is how a narrative that painted the car as a substantial handicap caused it to rocket to fame…
However, the AE86 predates Initial D by almost a decade, and it already had quite a following prior to the anime's popularity. A huge part of its draw comes from the affordable nature of this lightweight sports car. Combined with the peppy engine that featured modern technology such as electronic fuel-injection, a variable induction system, twin-cam, and a rear-wheel drive drivetrain with limited-slip differential, it isn't difficult to see why budding car enthusiasts quickly snapped up these cars.
'Drift King' Keiichi Tsuchiya's AE86 is world-famous
The AE86 quickly ended up in the hands of young drivers who are looking for affordable performance, and those who wanted to learn and practice drifting in the mountains. The famous Japanese race driver, Keiichi Tsuchiya (also known as the 'Drift King') is one of the most prominent AE86 enthusiasts around. In fact, a huge part of the car's fame must be credited to him - he was also the original inspiration for the Initial D series!
Aftermarket companies such as Impulse.co.ltd are dedicated to developing parts for the AE86 despite it being a car of such vintage
The unyielding love for the AE86 has resulted in strong aftermarket support from various specialised companies. TODA Racing, a Japanese engine specialist, still offers performance parts for the 4A-GE engine. There are also companies such as Impulse.co.ltd that design and produce all kinds of parts, including dry-carbon fibre components for the AE86. With plenty of dedicated companies developing and creating parts for the AE86, its popularity can be affirmed.
The AE86 was a popular choice in various classes of motorsports
Cultural significance - from drifting, rallying, track duties to street machines
The AE86 was a popular choice for all kinds of motorsports duties as it is a lightweight, rear-wheel drive platform. It competed in Group A and Group N racing and competed in rallies as well.
There was even a GT300 AE86 that competed in JGTC, though this was a dedicated race car with a turbocharged 3S-GTE engine along with extensive modifications done to the car. Needless to say, the AE86 is also an extremely popular car in the world of drifting, with a few examples that competed in Japan's D1GP drift championship.
With plenty of performance parts available, there are many nicely modified examples of the AE86
With plenty of aftermarket parts available till today, the AE86's performance can be substantially improved upon with modification. Notable examples of highly-tuned AE86 include Keiichi Tsuchiya's own unit that has a highly-modified 20-valve 4A-GE from the later AE100 generation with individual throttle bodies and various other supporting modifications - this car is proven to be faster than much more powerful cars in the twisty touge roads with the Drift King behind its wheel! Impulse.co.ltd also has a full carbon fibre-bodied AE86 that has been built to an extremely high standard.
Want to live out your Initial D dreams? Not so fast…
While there are still a handful of black-plate AE86 left on Singapore's shores, there aren't any that's currently for sale. And the last time a unit was available, the asking price was absurdly high, with depreciation encroaching into the territories of used European sports cars.
With the car being old enough to be registered under the classic vehicle scheme, you can still import a used example from overseas and register it; though you wouldn't be able to drive it every single day. In fact, there is currently a unit available!
But before you pull the trigger, you should remember that this is an old and dated car, which will probably require a fair bit of tinkering. Furthermore, while it hits above its price point when new, its performance is hardly anything to shout about these days. If you do go for it, remember to keep your expectations managed - don't live in the fantasy world of Initial D or you might be sorely disappointed.
Enjoyed reading this article? Here are more interesting reads
Motoring Icons: Commercial Heroes - Toyota Hiace H200
Motoring Icons: JDM Legends - Mazda NA MX-5
Motoring Icons: Homologation Specials - Toyota GR Yaris
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