Toyota is paying tribute to the AE86 Sprinter Trueno by unveiling a special 86 concept inspired by the popular automotive manga and anime racing series Initial D. The concept is dressed in the same white and black motif that instantly triggers fans’ affinity for the popular car which was a character unto itself.
The current 86 coupe is a modern interpretation of the AE86 from the 1980s with which it shares some important philosophical and technical similarities. For example, and apart from their names, both are rear wheel drive with four cylinder engines that aren’t exactly the last word in power, but make up for it with an emphasis with fun and very ‘chuckable’ handling in addition to both being relatively affordable to the average driving enthusiast.
The car from Initial D was one highly modified and designed to drift, portrayed rather realistically in the manga and anime and inspired by the Drift King Keiichi Tsuchiya’s real-life AE68, gaining a fan base around the world and transforming it into a cult icon, even adopting the same TRD carbon fibre hood and Fujitsubo exhaust as Tsuchiya’s own car.
The concept also has a carbon hood, Fujitsubo exhaust and Watanabe F8 wheels in black. The body and exterior bits have also been changes to better match the fictional car from Initial D, as has the suspension.
It is quite a sight, especially to fans of the series, and a sign that Toyota really does appreciate the cultural impact its cars create. In creating the various manga-inspired backdrops and action shots to showcase the car, Toyota tapped artist Sonia Leong to integrate the concept into kind of environment and scenes that fans know and love.
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