Car enthusiasts who grew up reading manga comic series like Initial D will probably remember Takumi Fujiwara, who famously drove a modified AE86, honing his driving skills on mountain roads while moonlighting as a delivery driver for his father’s tofu shop. The car emerged as a star in its own right, influencing the emerging drifting scene and inspiring a live action movie and various arcade games. (It also quadrupled the used car value of the AE86! – Ed.)
To emphasise the new concept’s roots in pop culture, Toyota has commissioned UK-based manga artist Sonia Leong to design a series of panoramic backdrops that put the real GT86 into comic strip action scenes. Sonia has previously applied her graphic skills to create a manga film featuring the Toyota Aygo.
Created by Toyota’s UK special projects department, the GT86 Initial D concept re-imagines the world-famous AE86 Corolla. The coupe not only copies the manga car’s distinctive panda-style monochrome livery but uses new versions of the same Japanese market components that were featured so successfully on the original.
These include custom-made RS Watanabe alloy wheels, TRD suspension, a Fujitsubo exhaust system, Cusco strut brace, and a carbon fibre bonnet. Less obvious cues are the yellow-tinted fog lights, which hint at the Cibié spotlights fitted to improve Takumi’s night-vision, and the silver-painted engine cover that is a nod to the high-revving 20-valve ‘Silver Top’ 4A-GE engine installed during the series.
The thorough makeover is also evidenced by the inclusion of carbon fibre door handle protectors and mirror covers that give an effect similar to the black plastic material used on the AE86. In addition, mud flaps have been installed because they were on the original Initial D car, the boot lid spoiler has been removed, and the rear lenses have been tinted.
Joe Clifford from the special projects team commented, “Right from the start, the Toyota GT86 was developed as a car that would appeal to enthusiasts, whether in standard trim or as an exploitable base for further modifications. With this Initial D concept we not only acknowledge how important the AE86 was in influencing Toyota’s modern approach to sports cars but also demonstrate how the GT86 can be aesthetically and dynamically improved with relatively simple aftermarket accessories. But perhaps most of all, we just thought it was an achingly cool idea.”
