Toyota AE86 legend lives on, added to Heritage Parts Program

Toyota will be adding the much-revered AE86 to its Gazoo Racing Heritage Parts Program. The project re-manufactures discontinued parts for classic Toyota models and sells them as new. It focuses on models beloved by enthusiasts so that they can keep their cars on the road.

Toyota announced its induction into the Heritage Parts Program just three days after the second-generation Toyota 86 debuted in Japan. Currently, there are only a few parts available, left and right rear brake calipers and steering knuckle arms. Rear axle shafts will join the lineup in December.

However, Toyota warns that the parts will have limited production runs. For the ones available now, Toyota will make them for one year, until November 1, 2022, then never again, so it would behoove owners to buy them while they can. Pricing in Japan runs on the steep side, approximately $866 for each caliper and $144 for each steering knuckle arm. The parts will be available from Toyota dealerships in the U.S. as well, but stateside pricing has not been announced.

Built from 1983 to 1987, The AE86 was known by many names around the world. In the U.S., it was called the Toyota Corolla GT-S, in Europe it was called the Corolla GT, and in its home market it was called either the Corolla Levin if it had fixed headlights, or Sprinter Trueno if it had pop-ups. To simplify things, enthusiasts simply called it by its chassis code, AE86, or 86 for short. That name was revived in the rest of the world when the Scion FR-S debuted in 2012, and then applied to the Toyota 86 when the Scion brand was discontinued in 2016.

However, what really endeared the lightweight, rear-wheel-drive AE86 to enthusiasts was its incredible handling, high-revving fuel-injected 1.6-liter twin-cam four, and four-wheel disc brakes. The formula made it an ideal weapon for Japan's twisty mountain roads, where underground drifting was born. That following exploded into mainstream popularity when the popular comic and animated series "Initial D" portrayed the illicit street races and made the AE86 its star. Overseas, it was known as a successful rally car in Europe and an SCCA racer in the U.S.

The AE86 joins the 2000GT, A70 and A80 Supra, and FJ40 Land Cruiser in the Heritage Parts Program. As with all the models, Toyota has an online form for owners to request the next batch of parts to be revived.

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