The Toyota AE86 is nearly 40 years old. While not having enough power to compete against supercars and muscle cars, the AE86 – a.k.a. Hachi-Roku – is considered as an automotive icon that has charmed the hearts of young and old drivers alike. The AE86 is one car not to forget and ignore, with some fans and enthusiasts willing to spend a whole lot of money just to own one.
In the automotive world, only a few cars reach an iconic status. There's the 1968 Ford Mustang GT that Steve McQueen piloted in the classic car chase in “Bullitt." There's also the General Lee, an orange 1969 Dodge Charger used in "The Dukes of Hazzard" TV series. Eleanor was the elusive Mustang that appeared in the 1974 "Gone In 60 Seconds" film and its 2000 remake.
Nonetheless, the abovementioned cars were as famous as the actors (and characters) in the TV series and films they were featured in. The Toyota AE86 was in a similar situation, becoming a global drifting legend thanks to its protagonistic appearance in the Initial D manga and anime series.
The Car Was Called The Toyota Hachi-Roku
The Toyota AE86 was essentially a part of the Toyota Corolla E80 series (fifth generation). The name AE86 was derived from the internal code used during the car's development: "A" for the 4A series engine, "E" for the Corolla designation, "8" for E80 series generation and "6" for the variant (6th) within the generation.
Toyota sold the rear-wheel drive AE86 in two main variants -- the AE86 Corolla Levin and the AE86 Sprinter Trueno. The main difference was that the Sprinter had retractable headlights while the Levin had fixed ones.
The Toyota AE86 wasn't a powerful car to begin with. Serving as its core was the naturally aspirated 1.6-liter 4A-GE inline-four engine that originally delivered 128 hp of max output and 110 lb-ft of peak torque. This was soon down-rated to 118 hp and 105 lb-ft of torque. To compare, the upcoming 2022 Toyota GR 86 will offer 232 hp.
Shifting From Mountain Passes To Television
Because of its RWD configuration, lightweight nature, and well-balanced setup, the Toyota AE86 was a favorite among private teams competing in stock and group racing categories. It was also popular among Japanese street racers (hashiriya) who loved challenging mountain passes (touge) with their awe-inspiring drifts. The AE86 was further popularized by pro-racer Keiichi Tsuchiya, who is also known as the Drift King.
While the AE86 was already a star among groups of racers and drivers, it was just another car for the larger public. But that changed in 1995 when Shuichi Shigeno's street racing manga – Initial D -- was serialized in Weekly Young Magazine. Initial D was then adapted into an anime series of the same title in 1998. Initial D, essentially catapulted the AE86 into stardom status.
AE86 As An Underdog Legend In Initial D
Initial D is about the touge racing exploits of Takumi Fujiwara, whose extraordinary driving and drifting skills were honed by delivering tofu in a 1983 Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno 3-door GT-APEX hatchback (owned and initially tuned by Takumi's father Bunta). The 150-hp AE86 Trueno managed to defeat more powerful tuned cars such as Mazda RX-7 Type R (FD3S), Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II (BNR32) and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV RS (CN9A).
Already at its limit, the AE86's engine blew during a race against a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III GSR (CE9A). It was replaced by a Silvertop 4A-GEU mill sourced from a Toyota Racing Development Group A AE101. After defeating the Evo III in a rematch, Takumi and the AE86 campaigned with Project D, defeating various cars and setting downhill records in several mountain passes in Japan.
But Takumi's drive wasn't the only AE86 in the series. Proving to be a match against Takumi's Sprinter Trueno 3-door GT-APEX hatchback was Wataru Akiyama's turbocharged 1983 Corolla Levin GT-APEX and Shini Inui's Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX 2-door coupe.
What made Initial D so compelling is that it's essentially a Cinderella story, except that there are no magical moments and princesses. The AE86 was easily a car to be ignored: it's underpowered compared to other cars in the series. In addition, Initial D characters are essentially people with a passion for speed in unlikely places - something that many drivers could relate to. Finally, while the series centered on the AE86, it references various cars and even driving techniques.
A Global Superstar Thanks To Initial D
The Initial D manga eventually ended in 2013 while the TV series lasted until 2014. Two animated films were released. Commercial reception was overwhelming, with Weekly Young Magazine issues containing Initial D chapters grossing nearly $3 billion in sales revenue. DVD and film sales also reach millions of dollars.
But more than sales, Initial D served as the launchpad for the AE86's stardom: it essentially immortalized the car. The AE86 has become a car to collect and drive. While quite a number of drivers have tuned their AE86 to their taste, some owners have transformed theirs into replicas of the Initial D AE86.
Because of the popularity of the AE86, Toyota decided to build a spiritual successor – the Toyota 86 (also called GT86 and soon to be named GR 86). Toyota even created a one-off GT86 Initial D concept complete with the "Fujiwara Tofu Shop" letterings.The modern 86 even made a cameo appearance in Initial D, driven by a future Takumi. Interestingly, Takumi became a rally driver after Initial D, winning the British Rally Championship. He served as a mentor to a young racing genius driving a Toyota 86 in the new manga series MF Ghost.
Source: Toyota, Anime News Network