Here’s local drifter and longtime HR member Beau Jones cutting it up in his SR86 on the last ever drift meet at Oran Park before they bulldoze it all away for new housing developments. Smashing his gearbox early in the day, Beau wasn’t about to pack it up and run home, instead he stuck to going flat chat in only second and third gear for the remainder of the day. It’s a sad day and it will mean the death of one of the best drifting circuits in Sydney and a good amount of Sydney’s drifting trackdays too. If you like what you see (and hear) and want more grassroots Aussie drifting, head over to his website DriftKulture and soak it up.
In extra FT-86 news is another nifty feature from those tech-heads at Polyphone Digital. On display at the Toyota stand at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon is the Toyota FT-86 G’s Sports, which boasts an even sharper exterior and a world-first “GPS-track day” unit co-developed with the creators of the Gran Turismo franchise and automotive technology giant Denso.
So what’s so special about the unit, you ask? From what we’ve learned, you will be able to drive your real FT-86 around a real track — the Nurburgring, for example — and then remove the memory card from your car, plug it into your PS3 unit and either “watch” your lap virtually or race against yourself, as your real car appears as the “ghost car” that you battle against.
The GPS unit was tested in a fully race-prepped Lexus IS F at the Nurburgring last October. If you look closely at the FT-86’s dashboard in previous press photos, you will see an outline of Fuji Speedway, a lap timer and an altimeter — which hints at where Toyota is going with this technology.
Word from inside Toyota is that they plan to roll out the technology on “most” future models, with the first of course being the FT-86 in late 2012. Also, as has been previously reported, the Gran Turismo developers are also working on launching a 3D version of GT5 as soon as 3D TVs become available on the market. We’ve taken a quick demo spin of the 3D version, which looks fantastic in early builds. Of course, that assumes GT5 will ever be finished. Latest intel we have is late summer of this year at the earliest.
Since Tokyo Auto Salon is happening right now in Japan, we thought a special weekend update was in order! The boys over at 7TUNE have the scoop on the latest FT-86 devleopment – the FT-86 G Sports Concept. It’s a turbocharged special tuned edition of the ‘revival hachiroku’, the FT-86 Concept. Is this the first time a concept has had its own tuner version before the actual car was released?
Adam from 7TUNE writes:
G’s and Toyota have been kind enough to offer me a closer look at the car so a feature is to follow but for now, let your minds wander over the huge proposition this car represents to the future of the aftermarket tuning industry.
Check the rest of the pics at 7TUNE and the live walk-around video from GT Channel after the jump.
Something of an enigma, Yamashita Koichi’s red Run Free trueno is certainly a hachiroku I, like many other AE86-heads hold in high regard. Anontio @ MotorMavens is also one of these guys:
It’s just crazy to think that after all these years (13 years to be exact), this red AE86 Sprinter Trueno 3-door from Running Free still inspires me.. and I hope that’s a feeling that stays with me forever.
Antonio has a full rundown feature of the car, going part by part, from his time spent with machine in 2005. Jump on over to MotorMavens and have a read. Some pretty interesting parts you may have missed from our previous story on the car from SPEED magazine.
It seems everyday you come across another must-have part for your AE86, but then sometimes you see other tasty items that aren’t so functional, but still super cool. These DISM Trueno 1/24 Die-Cast replicas are one such item!
This wonderfully detailed and fully finished 1/24 1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 can be “tuned” to your heart’s desire, with extra parts in the form of an alternate hood, exhaust system, interior with roll cage, steering wheel, and much more. Also includes an alternate set of wheels and tires. Ride height can be adjusted to three positions, wheels can be offset to two positions, camber can be set from 0 to 10 degrees, and the steering is positionable. That’s a lot of features at a great price!
They arent wrong on the last bit. I already own a few of these and can certainly vouch for their quality! Can’t wait to pick this beauty up? See here for the Trueno and here for all the “mini-cars” on sale at HLJ (amongst them racing spec 2000GT’s and Hakosukas!)
Yeah, you read it right. Toyota and Auto Salon are calling on all budding car designers to come up with a modified rendition of the awesome new look Toyota Corolla. It doesn’t matter if you want to use photoshop or even pens and pencils; this is your chance to come up with your own killer concept! And entry is free!
The winning designer will receive a true money-cant-buy prize, including a trip for two to the massive SEMA 2010 event held in Las Vegas, USA! The trip includes return economy airfares, accommodation and $1,000 spending money! Not only that, but they will build your creation and show it off across Australia in 2010.
So all you photoshop kings out there, get your asses over there now, boot up that Adobe CS4 and get in the draw to win big!
Mike and the boys over at 86ers have the drop on the new range of RAYS wheels that have just been announced before Tokyo Auto Salon next weekend. The TE37V are to be sold with us old car lovers in mind. You see, the V stands for vintage and the wheels are of course 114.3 in 4 stud drill pattern and will be offered in 7.5 up to 10-inches wide in two colors only. That’s not all, the total weight of the 10-inch variety are only a measly 5.3kg EACH!
Here at HR, we are all about gathering info and sharing the love of the global AE86 community. So when we heard of the newest hachiroku community movement in Japan we were really excited!
Good friend of NZ AE86 maniac (and HR’s buddy) Keisuke, Hug-o at GarageRS is equally as crazy about hachirokus and evidently also as talented with getting things sideways. Hug-o’s Levin hatchback wears some pretty tidy dress–up parts for what most people would deem ‘too-nice’ for a drift car, but we love any AE86 that looks this clean and goes this hard!
Hug-o has compiled a bunch of his best photos of a recent trackday venture over at his blog, GarageRS – so check it out and let him know which one is YOUR favourite!
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