Aside from it looking almost identical to its Subaru counterpart, we think there’s very little to complain about when it comes to the all-new Toyota 86’s design. It’s stylish, features sharp design elements, and looks every bit as sporty, albeit slightly less aggressive, than the last one.
That said, we still don’t think it’s the best-looking car to ever carry those two numbers. In our book, that title still belongs to the legendary AE86.
The AE86 from the ’80s didn’t just wasn’t just a good-looking car, either—it was timeless. Makes you wonder when Toyota is going to finally pounce on an opportunity to release a throwback to one of its most memorable cars.
Thankfully, because of digital artist Rain Prisk, we don’t have to rely solely on our imagination here. Prisk recently created his take on what a potential AE86-inspired modern 86 would look like, and the results definitely impress.
“The 2021 Toyota AE86. The new GT86 is coming out this year, so I started wondering what it would look like if it was made to look like the original AE86,” Prisk said in his caption. “The car has almost exactly the same dimensions as the previous GT86, it's just a little bit wider.”
We love that the side trim and thin headlights are retained, though, for practicality, the latter’s pop-up function is no longer around. There’s a bit more muscle around the shoulders, and the roofline and overall shape are streamlined for contemporary standards.
Frankly, all you need to do is slap on some Fujiwara Tofu Shop decals on the sides there and you’re set for an Initial-D revival. When do you think Toyota will finally turn to the AE86 for some design inspiration? Let us know in the comments.
