Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX

Now, it’s time for me to talk about one of the famous (and also my favorite) Japanese vehicles of all time. It was well known as it appeared in the series “Initial D” as the car of the very skilled Fujiwara Takumi. The car was used as a tofu delivery vehicle and at the same time was heavily tuned for street racing in its pasts. It was also known as the “Drift King” Keiichi Tsuchiya owns a TRD-tuned and drift-spec car like this one. It was also known when it carried the name for defeating the highway monsters of Japan. It is the Toyota Sprinter Trueno.

It’s also known for carrying the nickname “86”, “AE86”. It’s brother comes under the Corolla category, the Corolla Levin. The Levin has the same body contour of the Trueno but doesn’t have the pop-up head lamps. Instead, it has the permanent open headlamps at front. According to Gran Turismo’s database, the AE86 series was considered to be the last lightweight Rear-wheel drive Sportscar of its time. The GT-APEX trim which can be found on the two cars, Trueno and Levin respectively, brings the two-tone color scheme that brought Trueno to its identity as “panda” due to its White main color and black as its contrast. Both cars carry the same “4A-GEU” 4-cylinder twin-cam 1.6 liter engine. The engine produces a maximum output of 130 PS (97 kW) and maximum torque 103 ft·lbf (140 Nm). Lower models such as the SR line-up carries a SOHC (Single Over Head Cam) and produces around 80 horsepower. SR line-up engine has the nick “3AU”. In Japan, the Sprinter Trueno and Corolla Levin comes in two body types, coupe (the one with the trunk, two door) and the hatchback (the one with the sloping back, when you open the hatch at the back the whole rear window comes with the hatch, two door).

So why the AE86? The Japanese vehicles have been known for producing quick and agile sports cars. Although the joy killer is that the laws limited the cars’ production power limited at 300 horsepower. So, the reason behind the same power output of Mitusbishi Lancer Evolution and Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 is their law. Although when the fit in tune-up parts, these machines get more exciting and better than the standard production vehicles in other countries. The AE86 suddenly became famous after the release of Initial D series. But it became more famous after being followed by more impacts that arrived. The D1 Grand Prix or the International Drift competition, started by the Japanese carried one exceptional driver whose name is Katsuhiro Ueo, who drove the one considered as the “Fastest Sprinter Trueno/86 in the world”. It defeated Nissan Skyline, Toyota Supra, Mazda RX-7 and other Japanese highway monsters. And since the agility of the rear-wheel drive chassis is so good, when the car is brought to a corner, it goes around it!

Although the car didn’t posses a high performance engine at the start, the vehicle can compete with the other fast cars in mountain passes with everything’s stock. It can outrun cars with its agile movement and high grip due to its layout, FR(Front engine rear-wheeldrive). Just like the story behind Porsche 911! They say that all you have to with the car is tune it up to 200 HP, and make the car as light as possible and tune-up the car’s suspension and it can defeat high-speed cars even in a straightway. So there you are, I’ve told you everything I know about this car(so far). Maybe I’ll tell more later.

Katsuhiro Ueo’s AE86 D-spec

Initial D’s Akina’s 86 in white and black with its famous R.S. Watanabe Rims.