My list of most desirable Japanese cars starts as follows: 1: Lexus LFA. 2: Toyota Corolla AE86. 3: Anything else, really.
Of the two cars I’ve specified, one is a highly-engineered masterpiece of Japanese engineering and a high-revving performance icon. The other? Well, it’s a Lexus.
Yes, of course, the two are worlds apart. Even attempting a comparison would be like comparing apples to… a Michelin Star apple strudel. The AE86, in all its raw, unrefined glory, stands in stark contrast to the pinnacle of Lexus’ engineering might.
Toyota’s humble rear-wheel-drive ’80s hero is, in its own right, more iconic than the howling V10 LFA. In fact, the AE86 might have done more for tuning culture than any other car… ever.
When I think of the AE86, a few examples come to mind: the Fujiwara Tofu Shop Trueno, Keiichi Tsuchiya’s TEC-Art’s-built road car, and Darren MacNamara’s NFS/Speedhunters competition drift machine. These cars – and their drivers – represent the spirit of the Hachiroku in all its over-steering glory.
And the rowdier, the better. Especially when motorsport-prepped. I couldn’t get enough of D-Mac’s AE86 in Need for Speed: Shift as a kid. After all, the Corolla’s motorsport and rallying pedigree is legendary.
So when Jamie McToldridge – yes, ‘Players Jay‘ – decided to build a time attack car, what did he pick? An AE86 Corolla Levin, naturally. And, like with all of his builds, no half-measures were taken.
The car was stripped down to a bare chassis and then prepped for competition from the ground up. Any unnecessary brackets in the interior and engine bay were removed, and most of the interior was gutted.
The front windscreen remains glass, but the side and rear windows have been swapped for weight-saving Lexan equivalents.
An Andy Robinson 6-point roll cage was welded in, and the entire interior was sprayed in satin silver. The only things left inside are the upper dashboard, a single Cobra bucket seat, and a Tilton pedal box. No passenger laps here, thank you.
The suspension pickup points were stitch-welded for extra rigidity, and the entire suspension setup was upgraded. KW Competition 2-way coilovers, valved and rated for track use, feature at all four corners, paired with Hardrace anti-roll bars and tension rods.
Spherical bearing drop links front and rear are paired with rose-jointed axle links, while the front also sports a pair of aluminium wheel hubs and an upper strut brace.
On the ends of those hubs you’ll find Forge Motorsport front brakes and OEM rear discs behind a set of Motegi Forged MR171 wheels.
These 15×9-inch wheels, wrapped in 224/40R15 Nankang CSR semi-slicks, fit perfectly beneath the TRD N2-inspired wheel arches and add a nice touch of old-school JDM flair with serious dish and lightweight construction.
As far as race cars go, this one’s a stunner. I’ve always been a sucker for the AE86’s clean lines, and the N2 wide arches have been my favourite look for the Hachiroku for as long as I can remember.
Painted in Porsche Fashion Grey, with a carbon fibre bonnet and tailgate, Jay’s Corolla is dripping with personality – the stickers dotted around the car help with that too.
A bespoke diffuser and front splitter complete the exterior – both functional aerodynamic devices with proven performance gains on track.
The base engine – a 20-valve 4A-GE from an AE111 – is a great starting point for a responsive and rev-happy build. Its OEM pistons and rods remain – the engine is staying N/A – but the block has been decked, and the cylinder head machined, ported, polished, and fitted with a pair of Toda Racing camshafts. ARP hardware keeps everything tightly together.
Fueling the engine are Jenvey 45mm throttle bodies, a custom intake manifold, and a 4-to-1 one exhaust manifold, leading to a custom exhaust.
A Setrab oil cooler, upgraded oil pump, and Forge Motorsport race radiator keep temps in check, while coil-on-plug and crank trigger conversions enhance reliability.
Out back, an ATL fuel cell hints at the upgraded fueling system, with a Facet lift pump, Sytec high-pressure pump, Bosch regulator, and BMRS fuel lines. Everything is managed by an Ecumaster Black ECU, with CAN-bus and GPS, along with a custom wiring loom from OBD Works.
Power is sent to the rear wheels via the original T50 5-speed gearbox, fitted with a lightweight flywheel and a custom Helix clutch. The rear axle has been rebuilt, now housing a Cusco limited-slip differential.
While it still has licence plates, this is as far removed from a road car as you can get in the UK while remaining road-legal. It might be overkill for a back-road blast, but when I asked Jay how it did at its first Time Attack series event outing this year, he simply messaged me a photo of his fastest lap trophy.
Jay has earned a reputation for building some of Europe’s most iconic stance cars, particularly in the VW scene, but this AE86 feels like a breath of fresh air. After all, lap after solo lap on the track must be a welcome change from wrangling Volkswagen Golfs around a show field.
Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn, mariochristou.world
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