The AE86 generation of the Toyota Corolla Levin and Toyota Sprinter Trueno is a small, lightweight coupe introduced by Toyota in 1983 as part of the fifth generation Toyota Corolla line-up. For the purpose of brevity, the insider-chassis code of "AE86" is used to describe the whole range. In classic Toyota code, the "A" represents the engine that came in the car (the 3A and 4A) and the E86 represents the 6th revision of the fifth generation (E80 series) of the E model which is the Corolla. The visual difference between the Levin and Trueno is that the Levin has fixed-headlights and the latter has retractable headlights. The export model name Corolla covers both variations. The AE86 (along with the lower spec 1,452 cubic centimetres (1.452 L) AE85 and 1587 cc SR5 versions) was rear wheel drive (unlike the front wheel drive CE80, EE80 and AE82 models), and is among the last rear-drive cars of its type, at a time when most passenger cars were being switched to front-drive. In 1987 there was a limited variant of the AE86 called "Black Limited" until the unit runs out and replaced also in 1987 by the front wheel drive AE92 Corolla/Sprinter range. In Japan, the AE86 was also known as the Hachi-Roku (ハチロク?), Japanese for "eight-six".
| Production | 1983–1987 |
|---|---|
| Assembly | Toyota City, Japan |
Body style(s) | 2-door coupé, 3-door hatchback |
Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel drive |
Engine(s) | 1.5 L 3A-U I4, 1.6 L 4A-C I4 1.6 L 4A-GEU I4, 1.6 L 4A-GEC I4 |
Transmission(s) | 5 speed manual, 4 speed automatic |
Wheelbase | 94.5 in (2,400 mm) |
| Length | 165.5 in (4,200 mm) |
| Width | 64.0 in (1,630 mm) |
| Height | 52.6 in (1,340 mm) |
Curb weight | 2,300 lb (1,000 kg) to 2,400 lb (1,100 kg) |
| Related | Toyota AE85 |