Toyota GR86 Battles Its AE86 Ancestor, Turns Out You Don't Need Tons of Power To Have Fun

Keep in mind, these two cars are famous for very different reasons, as they are nothing alike in most aspects of their core identity. The new GR86 is a modern car meant to offer young enthusiasts a solid entry point into the community, as second-hand models can be picked up relatively cheaply. It has fantastic modding support, it's affordable, it has a peppy enough engine to be enjoyable without getting into trouble, and it drives the rear wheels with an option for a manual gearbox.

On top of that, there's rarely, if ever, any gatekeeping or elitism from owners of these kinds of cars. When it comes to the GR86, everything goes, from stance to bosozoku, liberty walking, widebody kits, and performance modifications.

On the other hand, the AE86 Corolla is a car that has gotten extremely expensive as it surged in popularity due to the success of the 'Initial D' manga series . And it's not only costly to buy for what's effectively a 40-year-old RWD Corolla with cars going as high as $40,000, but also complicated to maintain, as parts are hard to come by and expensive.

The community behind this car is also a bit wearier of mods that aren't deemed tasteful, as with any hardcore fanbase. Then there's the attention this car can get just driving around, which can be an unwanted side effect for some people. These things can be daunting for new enthusiasts, placing these two cars into different leagues.

But what about the performance? Is that something they have in common? The short answer would be yes, as this quarter-mile battle will illustrate. But the cars get that performance from slightly different factors.

The old,  AE86 Corolla completes the quarter mile in 20 seconds, crossing the line going 70 mph (113 kph), which is achingly slow for modern standards. We're talking speeds that could be put to shame by average grocery-getter cars. But it's light and nimble, and it drives the rear wheels via an LSD-equipped gearbox. The 112 bhp (114 PS) and 97 lb-ft (132 Nm) the engine produces are enough to make it feel fun and pleasant to drive.

Of course, the new GR86 goes faster, albeit not by much, only improving the time by about 2.5 seconds, crossing the line in 17.58 seconds while coincidentally going 86 mph (139 kph). This is also reasonably slow by modern standards. It's also hilarious when you consider the new car's 2.4-liter boxer engine has just a bit over twice the grunt, at 228 hp (231 PS) and 184 lb-ft (250 N-m) of torque, showcasing how much of a difference weight can make.

Overall, the result is what can be expected from this contest. But it does show that you don't need tons of power to enjoy the driving experience. These two cars that are universally considered enthusiast vehicles and fun to drive, yet are achingly slow. However, they let you go through all the gears and hear the engine, which is highly engaging and fun, especially on twisty backraods.