GTP Cool Wall: 1983-1987 Toyota Sprinter Trueno & Corolla Levin

[White & Nerdy]

1983-1987 Toyota Sprinter Trueno & Corolla Levin nominated by Yauma9

(Let's see you try to find a picture of an unmodified hatchback...)

(This appears to be a U.S. model Corolla Sport, used to illustrate the coupe model)

Stats:
Production: 1983-1987
Style: 2-door coupe, 3-door hatchback
Engine: 97 ci/1,587 cc 4A-GE inline 4 (rated 128 HP/130 PS & 110 lb-ft, later downrated to 118 HP/120 PS & 105 lb-ft)
Transmission: T50? 5-speed manual, possibly A42DL? 4-speed automatic
Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive
Related: Toyota AE85
AKA: Toyota Corolla, Toyota Sprinter, Toyota Corolla Sport

My take? Unsurprisingly, only vaguely cool, if that. It's a small, inline-4 car, albeit RWD, though at least it isn't as annoying cute as a Miata. Yes, I'm aware of Initial D, no, I don't care. NBC crime dramas make cars cool, maybe a couple other things can make cars cool, but somehow I'm just not seeing this car as any cooler because of Initial D.​

 

[Slash]

Meh. I have nothing else to say.

 

[ThrasherDBS]

Okay, I'll be that guy.

Initial D has painted this car in a much more positive light to me. Yes, I am aware that it's just a cartoon, but still, I feel as though I appreciate a certain "charm" to this car because of it.

I don't really see too many of these cars (well, the Corolla we got in the United States that is) but I haven't really seen a stereotypically riced out one in person. It catches my attention in a positive way when I do see one.

And it's also a Toyota. I have little reason to believe that it doesn't have the reliability that Toyotas tend to be known for.

COOL

 

[Murcie_LP640]

Never seen Initial D, and never cared for it.

However the AE86 Sprinter is definitely cool. Lightweight, Rear-wheel-drive and the 4AG[Z]E motor is a proper gem of an engine. In much the same way as the MX-5, the Sprinter can be pretty much anything you want it to be, though of course it's a little more practical than the MX-5 and it's also mostly used as a drift hack.

The only problem is because of the dorifto/Init D tax, they're overpriced.

 

[ImmalovemaGTR]

For me, Sub Zero... this is one of the best japanese cars in my opinion... it looks good, has enough power, RWD, famous drift car... what do you want more?

 

[JrDarknes]

Sub-Zero, I will always love Toyota's no matter what and I love the AE86. It just looks to sick especially when it has the spoiler tip on it. I bet it feels like a go-kart.

 

[homeforsummer]

Cool.

A car that in its day would probably have been considered uncool, simply because it was a Toyota Corolla. It then disappeared into obscurity for most of us but Initial D and drifting have brought it into the enthusiast's consciousness and its age, looks and talents can be better appreciated. Perfectly placed to benefit from the retro boom too, all of which makes it cool.

Misses out on sub-zero because they're scene-taxed to oblivion, which means you'll pay over the odds for even the shoddiest examples. That, and about 50% of owners think they're delivering tofu up a Japanese mountain, which is akin to every DeLorean owner making jokes about flux capacitors and 88 mph.

 

[TheCracker]

Meh, down graded to Uncool due to it's connections with Drifting and Initial D.

 

[AudiMan2011]

Cool. Ignoring the obvious Initial D connection, the AE86 was one of the best driver's cars of it's time. A revvy twin-cam engine and chuckable chassis make it a huge barrel of laughs even compared to today's cars.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Looks ok but there is something odd about it that I can't put my finger on. Fairly quick for the '80s. Reliable as it's a Toyota.
I'd never drive or own one though. It just doesn't do anything for me. Meh.

 

[Rage Racer]

Sub Zero. Don't even ask me why.

 

[TheCracker]

Why?

 

[homeforsummer]

the AE86 was one of the best driver's cars of it's time.

That's not strictly true. It was never rated that highly in its day - Toyota's own MR2 was often decreed the better driver's car.

I've a copy of Evo where Chris Harris drives Toyota GB's immaculate AE86 too, and says it essentially only makes sense when you're going sideways. I'd not completely agree (I've driven the exact same car) but it's certainly a car that feels better in comparison to new ones than perhaps it did in comparison to its contemporaries. Worth remembering that those rivals in-era included some of the best hot hatchbacks ever produced.

 

[Joey D]

Seriously uncool. It's a car that's fawned over by drifters, Weebos, and people obsessed with anime. I'm sure it's not a bad car for something from the 80's but it's right up there with one of the most uncool cars I can think of.

 

[GranTurismo916]

Sub-Zero, although I don't care for drifting and I've never watched Initial D (is that even the show it's in?). I just like the car a lot.

 

[Roger the Horse]

As a massive frickin' weeaboo, I can confirm that any front engined car closely associated with a Japanese comic book or cartoon is almost certainly cursed to the realms of serious uncoolness.

If the engine was behind the rear wheels, this would be a different story...

Also, Initial D sucks. REALLY sucks.

...it's just a cartoon...

You have spoken about something in a demeaning sense purely on the grounds of it being animated. YOU AND I ARE NOW MORTAL ENEMIES, YOU PRETENTIOUS MORON!

 

[Bopop4]

Sub-zero because it's one of those cars that you'd get into a crash trying to look at it for as long as possible.

Also, available 20V Blacktop swap.


Also, 80's Japanese sports cars are cool, liftbacks only add to it, and then factor in two-tone...

 

[Sage Ages]

Cool.

I like it, but I'm not really a fan of it's worshippers. I never even heard of Initial D until a little over a year ago.

 

[AudiMan2011]

There's also the AE86 owned by Keiichi Tsuchiya. Possibly another connection that either hurts or boosts the car's reputation.

 

[skynyrd]

I like it. The first picture waaay more than the second, however. It looks interesting in that wedgy, 80s kind of way. I'm aware of Initial D (watched about 90% of it, actually) and drifting, and I think the massive love this car gets among certain crowds is just silly, but I'm not shallow enough to let that color my own opinion of the car. Lightweight, a fair amount of power, rear wheel drive...I bet it's fun to drive. It's a cool little car.

 

[Adamgp]

It was a "meh" car until it was in a Japanese cartoon and the drifting/tuner crowd tried to hype it up.

Never see them any more since they all pretty much disintegrated into piles of rust.

Seriously Uncool.

 

[Cano]

(I've driven the exact same car)

Awesome 👍

As for the car, ugh. If there is a case of extremes because of the crowd surrounding the car, I think this takes the cake. Even more than the Supra. It can't be denied that it's apparition in Initial D is a big part of the car's culture and the one that most people asociate with it, but the car kinda gained to appear there for being such an icon in Japan and other parts of the world becuase of it's affordability and tuneability and all that crap we've read about once and again. It's not its apparition in a manga series that relegates it to such negative opinion by a number of people, but how that manga/anime series became so popular and mainstream to the point of making the car hated by it's detractors and hyped by ignorant fanboys (case in point: the 240Z also starred in a popular -albeit never as popular as Initial D- anime/manga franchise and I don't think anyone here would think it's seriously uncool).

As for drifting, well, it's mostly the originator of a (inter)national sport/culture, it's going to be polarizing in that point too.

Car culture rant aside, altough I fully understand how fanboys can ruin the appeal of this car to practically anyone, I've never let such stuff decide on my part if a car is cool or not. The 'Roku get's a very solid cool for me because I've always liked them and would drive one in a heartbeat.

 

[C_Raccoon23]

Cool. I like it for what it is.

Would give a sub-zero if the car wasn't brought up with Initial D so much.

 

[Bopop4]

There's also the AE86 owned by Keiichi Tsuchiya. Possibly another connection that either hurts or boosts the car's reputation.

That just makes it better, especially when you watch videos of him and that car racing down a mountain, bouncing the car from one turn to another.

 

[Badasp5.0]

Very cool but not subzero.

 

[Turtle]

Sub-Zero. I just love this car. I'd probably take an AW1 MR2 or an NA Miata over it, but I would still take one given the chance.

I used to like Initial D, but now, not so much. It's too bad that this car has to pay the crazy Int. D tax, good luck finding one in my area under 5 grand. That's even worse than the stupid prices of first-gen Miatas.

I want one with a 20v Black Top

 

[Ridox2JZGTE]

Instant Sub Zero, ever since the early 90's I've fallen in love with the AE Corolla series Partly due to Tsuchiya-san and then Initial D, then I drove one with mild modification.

I really like the wide body kit :

The real Shigeno AE86 with the owner :

That just makes it better, especially when you watch videos of him and that car racing down a mountain, bouncing the car from one turn to another.

These :


The classic Touge run by Dori Dori never cease to amaze me

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

Uncool. Overpriced because tofutax, lack-luster performance, solid rear axle and beaten to hell and back with at least one major accident in it's history.

 

[MoLiEG]

Seriously Uncool... AND OVERRATED...

Bone Stock is beyond ugly and slow, and despite it has strong connections with the early days of drifting and it even is the co-star of a manga/anime series... it has to be one of the most awful cars ever... not even with a body kit this car looks good...

 

[Clark]

Subzero if it's an original one in completely standard specification.

Uncool if it's modified in anyway.