Panda; Toyota AE86 Trueno

SPECIAL FOR A REASON In a world dominated by 0-60 times and horsepower figures, Kak’s Toyota AE86 provides a breath of fresh air. Sold in Japan from 1983 to 1987, the front-engine, rear-wheel-drive Toyota AE86 was packaged with a 1.6 litre, inline-four powerplant known as the 4A-GE. However, the AE86 was no ordinary car for Toyota to produce. In the early 1980s, the Japanese auto industry pivoted away from the front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and instead heralded front-wheel-drive as the new black. The controversial AE86 emerged as a dark horse from Toyota, and with the help of the Japanese manga series and anime; Initial D, the AE86 became an instant cult classic, predestined to inspire generations of car enthusiasts to come. OLD-SCHOOL CHARM Today, the AE86’s desirability stems from the fact that it provides a window back into a simpler time, offering an analogue purity that’s unattainable in cars of today. For a society craving a sense of nostalgia and authentic