Toyota AE86

Toyota Corolla Levin
Sprinter Trueno (AE86)
Toyota Corolla Levin; Sprinter Trueno (AE86);
	1983–1985 Toyota Corolla Levin GT-APEX coupé
Overview
Manufacturer	Toyota
Model code	AE86
Production	May 1983– Feb. 1987
Model years	1983–1987
Assembly	Japan: Toyota City (Takaoka plant); Japan: Higashi-Fuji plant, Susono, Shizuoka (Kanto Auto Works);
Body and chassis
Class	Sport compact; Hot hatch;
Body style	2-door coupé; 3-door liftback;
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Platform	E70
Related	Toyota AE85; Toyota Corolla (E70); Toyota Sprinter (E70); Daihatsu Charmant;
Powertrain
Engine	1.6 L 4A-C I4 SOHC (North America & Australia); 1.6 L 4A-GEU I4 DOHC; 1.6 L 4A-GEC I4 DOHC (North America);
Transmission	T50 5-speed manual; A42DL 4-speed automatic; A44DE 4-speed automatic;
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,400 mm (94 in)
Length	Corolla Levin:; 4,185 mm (165 in) (1983–1985); 4,200 mm (165 in) (1985–1987); Sprinter Trueno:; 4,205 mm (166 in) (1983–1985); 4,215 mm (166 in) (1985–1987); North America:; 4,285 mm (169 in);
Width	1,625 mm (64 in)
Height	1,335 mm (53 in)
Curb weight	900–1,045 kg (1,984–2,304 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor	Toyota Corolla Levin/Sprinter Trueno TE71
Successor	Toyota 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 mostly front-engine/front-wheel-drive fifth generation Corolla (E80) range—marketed by Toyota from 1983 to 1987 in coupé and liftback configurations.

The cars were light, affordable, easily modifiable, and had a five-speed manual transmission, a limited slip differential (optional), MacPherson strut front suspension, near 50/50 front/rear weight balance, and a front-engine/rear-drive layout—at a time when this configuration was waning industry-wide. In certain areas of the world (and optional in others) it was powered by a high revving (7800 rpm) twin-cam engine.

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."

The AE86 would go on to inspire the Toyota 86 (2012–present), a 2+2 sports car jointly developed by Toyota and Subaru, manufactured by Subaru—and marketed also as the Toyota GT86, Toyota GR86, 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.