At a glance, the original Toyota 86 and the newer GR 86 look firmly modern, but their DNA can be traced straight back to the legendary AE86 Trueno of the 1980s. Both cars stay true to that formula with rear-wheel drive, light weight and a focus on driver involvement. What has been missing all this
At a glance, the original Toyota 86 and the newer GR 86 look firmly modern, but their DNA can be traced straight back to the legendary AE86 Trueno of the 1980s. Both cars stay true to that formula with rear-wheel drive, light weight and a focus on driver involvement.
What has been missing all this time is one of the Trueno’s most iconic features, its pop-up headlights, and that is exactly the detail Japanese tuner Result Japan has decided to bring back.
Rather than building a traditional restomod, Result Japan has taken a different route by giving today’s Toyota 86 a heavy dose of retro flavour. The result is the Neo86 body kit, which transforms the car’s appearance while keeping its modern underpinnings intact.
Up front, the standard nose is replaced with a flatter bonnet, fully functional pop-up headlights and a redesigned bumper that looks straight out of the late twentieth century. Finished in black, the bumper integrates yellow indicators and fog lamps to strengthen the throwback look.
The retro theme continues down the sides, where wider front and rear arches are highlighted by glossy black bolt-on extensions. A front chin spoiler and matching side skirts add a sportier edge without straying from the classic inspiration. On the show car, a black-and-white colour scheme is paired with period-style wheels that closely resemble the AE86’s original eight-spoke alloys, tying the whole look together.
Despite the dramatic front-end changes, the Toyota 86’s familiar, smooth body lines remain largely untouched. At the rear, Result Japan has made a few subtle tweaks to balance the design, including a ducktail spoiler, aftermarket LED tail-lights and a reshaped bumper that frames a twin-exit exhaust setup.
Under the skin, the Neo86 package leaves the mechanicals standard, making it a purely visual transformation. The Toyota 86 continues to run its naturally aspirated 2.0-litre flat-four boxer engine, delivering 197hp to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic gearbox. For buyers who want more than just looks, the kit can also be paired with additional performance or suspension upgrades.
Result Japan has confirmed that the Neo86 will not be a Japan-only affair. The company plans to sell the kit globally, and it has been designed to fit a broad range of related models, including the Toyota 86 and GT 86, the Scion FR-S and the first-generation Subaru BRZ. For enthusiasts who have always wanted modern reliability wrapped in classic Trueno style, this might be as close as it gets.