Great looking, affordable (unless you live in Singapore), and from what we’ve heard and read, a riot of a drive, the latest GR86 has become the go-to choice for young (and young at heart) drivers worldwide. Naturally, with such widespread acclaim, a plethora of aftermarket options have surfaced for this platform, giving owners the opportunity to customise and take their cars to the next level. And where better to showcase these enhancements than at the Tokyo Auto Salon?
As we navigate through the array of Hachirokus worth admiring, here’s a handpicked selection of our favorites from the event. With the abundance of 86s filling the halls of Makuhari, it’s almost as if we’ve stumbled upon the Toyota GR86 show!
For enthusiasts who appreciate a cleaner aesthetic, the GR86 from SARD impeccably strikes the right balance by staying true to the original lines while incorporating an array of performance add-ons onto the ZN8 platform. Aptly named the GR86 GT1, SARD’s demo car is equipped with a plethora of components developed through SARD’s extensive experience in racing. It doesn’t hurt that it looks pretty good too!
Prioritizing performance over pristine aesthetics, Kansai Service’s ZN8 still maintains a purposeful look without veering into over-the-top territory!
On the other hand, HKS presented a wild and wide ride that simultaneously showcased some impressive upgrades under the hood.
Reinforcement and chassis specialist Cusco chose to let the underlying enhancements do all the talking.
Blitz also had some lovely bits on display for the GR86 to give it some extra oomph!
Catering to a street-style aesthetic, Aimgain, renowned for their slammed VIP rides, showcased two variations of their GT-S kit that features a more aggressively redesigned front fascia that seemingly takes inspiration from the latest Crown and Prius’s design language,
One version retained the standard fenders, while the other adopted a bolder approach, showcasing extravagant over-fenders that embraced a significantly wider set of wheels. Which do you prefer?
While some might say they’re overplayed, over-fenders were still rather popular with the aftermarket crowd as this GR86 from Valenti shows.
As anticipated, INGS offered some strikingly dramatic aero options for those seeking additional visual (and aerodynamic) impact!
Street cars weren’t the sole focus at the show; there were also several track-focused cars on display. Take, for instance, this carbon-neutral-fueled GR86 from Rookie Racing.
With MF Ghost gaining popularity through the new anime series available on Prime, in addition to the original manga, there were several ZN6 GT86s at the event inspired by the series. Each car showcasing a different state of tune, mirroring the various stages within the manga.
And of course, we can’t forget the original 86s that started it all, like this beautifully built AE86 Coupe showing Bridgestone’s reissue of their SUPER RAP wheels. A set I’d really love to have to fit on my 2002.
Having said that, although I admire the original’s timeless lines and simplicity, the exorbitant prices, which I find rather absurd, make little practical sense to choose one over their modern counterparts, the ZN6 and ZN8, unless purely driven by nostalgia. What do you think/
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