[ad_1]
Dubbed the original drift car, the AE86-badged Toyota Sprinter Trueno was a cultural icon in its heydays. Also nicknamed the ‘Hachi-Roku’ which sounds rather exotic but is Japanese for ‘eight six,’ the nameplate of this legendary JDM hot hatch had all the right ingredients to become a racing star.
Unlike its other siblings, this sportier and upmarket car carried a high-revving front engine under its hood. Attributes like a near 50:50 weight distribution, an extremely lightweight body, and rear-wheel drive made it a favorite among the drifters in Japan including the world-known drift king Keiichi Tsuchiya, who gave it a legendary JDM status. He used his AE-86 for drifting competitions cinching many a win and propelling the Hachi-Roku to hit the spotlight. A few years down the line, Initial D, a successful Japanese comic book series also took its popularity to the stars.
Being a JDM, the AE-86 can be easily modified although even the stock versions get a lot of respect in the drifting community. So here’s why the Hachi-Roku as in the Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE-86 makes for an excellent JDM “hot hatch” and why it makes perfect sense for a used car.
The Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE-86 Is An ‘Every Day’ Drifter
What makes the Hachi-Roku a cool JDM, and why do people swear by it so much? Produced for five years in the ‘80s, the AE-86 bore a fuel-injected DOHC 1.5-liter inline-four engine that made around 120-130 horsepower. You could get it in a standard 5-speed manual or even in an automatic transmission, and along with the tried and tested Toyota reliability, it came with good fuel efficiency and enough space to make it a decent everyday driver.
Not too many came out of the assembly lines, so it’s not the most common car or hot hatch around, but it earned legendary status in the world of drifting, thus making it a high-demand JDM.
It looks like a sporty family car and yet, with only a 2,130 lbs body and a high-revving front engine, it makes for a great track car as well. The Trueno AE-86 also boasts a 50:50 weight distribution and comes with a rear-wheel-drive, making it simply perfect for those who like to be on the track but prefer to drift as well given that its fun to drive and take on corners as well.
Getting one should not be too much of an issue given its popularity, as long as you approach the right channels to get one. Another cool bit is the values of this car generally keep on rising so once you’ve had your fun, it makes for a solid return on investment as well.
The Trueno AE-86 Belongs To The Corolla Family
One look at the Sprinter Trueno AE-86 would not impress you much given that it looks like just one Japanese car of the ’80s. Made from 1982 to 1987, the 1986 models had a few changes, which is why they look just a bit different. The differences were cosmetic only and lay in the corner lights, headlight trim lights, front and rear bumpers, tail lights, and grilles. The earlier models boasted retractable headlights which added even more character to the car and in a way, paved the way for sporty compact cars in the United States and Canada.
The AE-86 is a small car which means interiors with somewhat limited space. Squeezing in full-size adults in the back seat is a bit of a cramp given the limited legroom but then again, this is a car to take to the track and go crazy in, and not use as a road trip hauler.
Interestingly, the nomenclature is not as exotic as it sounds. The “A” in the AE-86 refers to the engine (the 3A and 4A) while the “E86” means the 6th revised version of the 5th gen (E80 series) of the E model. In 1987, the AE-86 retired and the front-wheel-drive AE92 took its place but could never reach that level.
The AE-86 Boasts An Impressive Performance Minus Horsepower Numbers
Given that the Hachi-Roku has only a 1.6-liter four-pot with an official horsepower rating of 123, you may not want to put the JDM through its paces. But you should know that its twin-cam engine came with amazing performance and revving capacity, so much so many kit cars began to use this very mill. Plus, it’s not just the engine. The base of any good sports car is a light engine married to a lightweight body and the Trueno AE-86 excels in this regard.
Many often fault its cornering, given that it’s a front-engine rear-wheel-drive but then again, that’s what makes the AE-86 a perfect drifter.
The good thing about this JDM is the reliability it offers as many Trueno AE-86s can run 200,000 miles without any major maintenance issues. The engine is simple and easily built on plus parts replacement is a breeze with aftermarket help.
If you look carefully enough, you can find one for $20,000 to $30,000 or so, but given the age of this car, it may not come with completely original parts. In any case, most don’t keep the Hachi-Roku in stock condition so that’s okay so as long as get it via the right channels.
Source: BringaTrailer
[ad_2]
Source link