Toyota AE86

  • Toyota Corolla Levin
  • Sprinter Trueno (AE86)
1983–1985 Toyota Corolla Levin GT-APEX coupé
Overview
ManufacturerToyota
Model codeAE86
ProductionMay 1983[1]– Feb. 1987
Model years1983–1987
Assembly
Body and chassis
Class
Body style
LayoutFront-engine, rear-wheel drive
PlatformE70[4][5]
Related
Powertrain
Engine
Transmission
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,400 mm (94 in)[2]
Length
  • Corolla Levin:
  • 4,185 mm (165 in) (1983–1985)[7]
  • 4,200 mm (165 in) (1985–1987)[8]
  • Sprinter Trueno:
  • 4,205 mm (166 in) (1983–1985)[2]
  • 4,215 mm (166 in) (1985–1987)[9]
  • North America:
  • 4,285 mm (169 in)[10]
Width1,625 mm (64 in)[2]
Height1,335 mm (53 in)[2]
Curb weight900–1,045 kg (1,984–2,304 lb)[7][11]
Chronology
PredecessorToyota Corolla Levin/Sprinter Trueno TE71
SuccessorToyota Corolla Levin/Sprinter Trueno AE92

The AE86 series of the Toyota Corolla Levin and Toyota Sprinter Trueno are small, front-engine/rear-wheel-drive models within the front-engine/front-wheel-drive fifth generation Corolla (E80) range—marketed by Toyota from 1983 to 1987 in coupé and liftback configurations.

Lending themselves to racing, the cars were light, affordable, easily modifiable and had a five-speed manual transmission, a limited slip differential (optional), MacPherson strut front suspension, high revving (7800 rpm), twin-cam engine with oil cooler (e.g., in the US), near 50/50 front/rear weight balance, and importantly, a front-engine/rear-drive layout—at a time when this configuration was waning industry-wide.

Widely popular for Showroom Stock, Group A, and Group N, Rally and Club racing, the cars' inherent qualities also earned the AE86 an early and enduring international prominence in the motorsport discipline of drifting. The AE86 was featured centrally in the popular, long-running Japanese manga and anime series titled Initial D (1995–2013)—as the main character's drift and tofu delivery car. In 2015, Road & Track called the AE86 "a cult icon, inextricably interwoven with the earliest days of drifting."[12]

The AE86 would go on to inspire the Toyota 86 (2012–present),[13] a 2+2 sports car jointly developed by Toyota and Subaru, manufactured by Subaru—and marketed also as the Toyota GT86, Toyota FT86, Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ.

In November 2021, Toyota temporarily restarted the production of a limited number of parts for the AE86, with dealers beginning to take orders for new steering knuckle arms and rear brake calipers. Rear axle half shafts have also been scheduled for new production. Toyota has also announced that this reboot is temporary, and parts will only be available as long as stocks last.[14][15]

  1. ^ "Toyota Family Tree". toyota-global.com. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
  2. ^ a b c d e "75 years of Toyota - Sprinter Trueno 5th". www.toyota-global.com. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  3. ^ Hsu, Ben (2020-12-09). "The legendary Toyota plant that built the AE86, Mark II, and Century is now closed". Japanese Nostalgic Car. Retrieved 2021-11-14.
  4. ^ Lye, Gerard (2020-11-26). "TAS 2020: Toyota 86 Black Limited Concept and AE86 Sprinter Trueno GT-Apex Black Limited on display". paultan.org. Malaysia. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  5. ^ Hsu, Dan (2011-06-08). "EVENTS: 2011 Toyotafest Part 06". Japanese Nostalgic Car. US. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  6. ^ "Australian Toyota Sprinter AE86 brochure 1983-10". Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  7. ^ a b "Toyota Corolla Levin AE86 Japanese brochure". www.banpei.net. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  8. ^ "75 years of Toyota - Corolla Levin 5th". www.toyota-global.com. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  9. ^ "1986 Toyota Sprinter Trueno". japanclassic.ru. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  10. ^ Marcus, Frank (2018-05-17). "Feature Flashback: 1984 Toyota Corolla SR5". Motor Trend. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  11. ^ "US E80 Corolla catalogue". club4ag.com. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  12. ^ Sorokanich, Bob (2015-08-25). "Understanding the Allure of the Toyota AE86". Road & Track Magazine. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  13. ^ "Toyota Sports Car Heritage | Toyota 86 Predecessors". Arabia MSN Autos. Retrieved 2012-06-12.[permanent dead link‍]
  14. ^ Gilboy, James (2021-11-01). "Toyota's Making New Parts for the AE86 Corolla Again". The Drive. US. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
  15. ^ Pattni, Vijay (2021-11-02). "Toyota is building new parts for the old AE86 Corolla". Top Gear. UK. Retrieved 2021-11-15.