Father & Son: AE86 and Toyota FT-86


At long last, Toyota is bringing out the nostalgic guns. Accompanying the Toyota FT-86 Concept‘s arrival at the Geneva Motor Show last week comes these official images. Unless you’re steeped in Toyota history you might have missed the significance of the concept’s 86 designation, but here’s visual proof of where Toyota is going with this.

And where it’s going is straight to the Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno, twins that make up the legendary AE86 chassis code. Toyota Europe president Andrea Formica even made direct mention of the Supra, Celica and MR2 in his speech.

If you look closely though, this family portrait is doctored. For one thing, “AE86” never appeared anywhere on the original hachiroku, except in its VIN. Instead, the door decal should say “Twin-Cam 16-Valve.” The term “AE86”Β  was only popularized after the car caught on like wildfire with enthusiasts, who adopted the chassis code as shorthand for Corolla Levin/Sprinter Trueno.

But enough nitpicking. It’s good to see Toyota drawing attention to a different type of acceleration, and to see Japanese companies drawing on their extensive heritage like Nissan did recently. But next time, Toyota, don’t rely on Photoshop. We at JNC will gladly bring them together for real.

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18 Responses to Father & Son: AE86 and Toyota FT-86

  1. banpei says:

    I don’t know how the shoot ended, but AEU86 user Onyx was looking for a spotless AE86 some time ago:
    http://www.aeu86.org/viewtopic/official-toyota-footage-preparation-need—read/t/9804
    My best guess is that the hachi in the picture is the Dutch hachi since the license plate is a wide model (netherlands/germany) and not a small (belgian) model. He is unknown on the forum, so I can’t supply any pictures of that particular car.

  2. Nigel says:

    I am waiting to drive this car. I remember one year Ford let you test drive the Focus on “mini” auto cross course’s. Toyota needs to try this also.

  3. Bo says:

    funny to call the AE86 as a “father” πŸ˜€ they`re two kiddies racing around the block πŸ™‚
    had nothing to do at work or today (ok, i was too lazy to work) and did a wallpaper:
    http://bit.ly/dmJQmo

  4. Jesse says:

    All that is wrong with the automotive world just got a little bit worse.

  5. BlownArrow! says:

    Pictures are nice, but I having a hard time with liking this new toyo-aru.
    Can’t put my finger on it yet.. but something about it bothers me… πŸ™

  6. Sr-FairladyZ says:

    Um.. WHERE IS THE MIDSHIP RUNABOUT in that picture?! Tisk Tisk Toyota!

  7. Sarcasmo says:

    Geez.. can’t satisfy some of you guys. Stop weeping, already.

    At least Toyota is TRYING to put a sporty coupe into its already LAME lineup. Boohoo the AE86 is gone… get over it. I owned 2 of these fine cars.

    Rejoice at some RWD sporty goodness. πŸ™‚

  8. Alan says:

    A cheap, light, focused, RWD sports car.

    Man that totally sucks. I was hoping for another bloated, beige appliance.

  9. Ben says:

    Jesse – care to elaborate? Isn’t the addition of a cheap RWD coupe a good thing?

  10. Kev says:

    Here’s a vid that looks like it was shot at the same location. On a walkaround, I’d have to say I approve of the looks of this thing.

  11. xmizanx says:

    wow.. it is really awesome
    for new FT86

  12. kingtoy says:

    DAMN, they put that fake Toyota in with some really great Toyota legends……. i’m depressed now.

  13. Alan says:

    anyway…

    as an AW11 (that other vintage Toyota with an engine engineered and sometimes built by a different manufacturer) owner and lover I am saddened by it’s absence.

    If this thing is even close to as good as it promises to be I’ll be buying one, real talk.

  14. Neville says:

    Come on!!!! It us a Subaru Engine!!!
    it’s engine is produced from Subaru Fuji Heavy .Co .Ltd….
    Get that Fake Legends out from my mind!!!

  15. datsunfreak says:

    What do you guys have against Subaru? I don’t understand all this negativity about this car just because it has a boxer engine.

    If it’s priced right, I will be buying one. For serious.

  16. Alan says:

    Neville,

    the 4AGE is a Yamaha copy of a Cosworth motor. The entire freaking 2000GT was engineered by them.

  17. Exiv96 says:

    I know that place ! It’s a warehouse/former railway terminus inside the Tour & Taxis complex in Brussels, Belgium. And only a few hundred meters from where I work…

    You can see some photos of the hall here : http://tchorski.morkitu.org/5/tet-01.htm

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