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Toyota GT86 Races Original AE86 with Drift King Keiichi Tsuchiya

Seven. This is how many times Toyota mentions the AE86, or Hachi-Roku (eighty-six in Japanese) as friends call it, in the press release for the GT86. From their designations to their philosophy, these cars really are like father and son, so we started asking ourselves - what if the two were to take part in a father-son battle?
Toyota GT86 Races Original AE86 1 photo
Photo: screenshot from Youtube
The answer comes straight from Japan. To be more specific, this family fight arrives from what aficionados know as Best Motoring (in Japan) or Hot Version, which has become know as GT Channel in international waters.

And who better to deliver some conclusions if not Keiichi Tsuchia. Many known him as the Drift King, but you should know the man also holds a 1995 Le Mans class victory, which he took home while behind the wheel of a Honda NSX.

After all, this AE86 is Tsuchia's (famous) car. The Hachi-Roku of the mid 80s was not about power, but rather about balance. Still, its front-engined, rear-wheel drive setup, its decent power-to-weight ratio, compact dimensions and affordability turned it into a massive hit among high-octane fellows.

Toyota's GT86 follows the same values, but translates these three decades later, so which one is better?

Well, there are two ways of answering that questions. The first comes via the stopwatch, but, perhaps more importantly, the experience behind the wheel is also revealed here. The showdown in the video bellow happily brings both these answers and we hav to mention one or two things before we let you watch the clip.

The GT86 they used was tuned by Power House Amuse, but the modifications mainly target the suspension, as well as a moderate weight reduction program, so they won't invalidate the overall conclusion on the car.

Do pay attention to the driver involvement, to how big of a puzzle piece the man being the wheel is in each of the cars.

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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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