Recently I drove a white GT86 ‘Black-line’ Edition over here in Sydney, and when I was behind the perfectly contoured wheel, and strapped into the well-trimmed supportive bucket seats, I couldn’t help but imagine myself winding my way through a foggy mountain touge pass in Japan. Unfortunately for me, I had to make do with the Royal National Park ‘Nasho’ just south of Sydney. 

There’s all sorts of memories triggered by such an experience. The first being the countless news stories you hear about your average punter taking out a kangaroo or two on such roads, and the second, the certain fact that you’re somehow living within an Initial D episode — tofu strapped in, cup of water in the cupholder, and teeth-bearing piston-powered opponent's hot on your tail, pushing for touge dominance. 

Toyota in the UK have also made this connection and have portrayed this feeling with the new GT86. It has a lot of character for a late-model vehicle, and is truly the modern AE86. So, what better way to celebrate this than to replicate the old with the new. Apply the decals, produce the comics, and embed and immortalize it into its very own Initial D episode. 

Take a look at the gallery below and let us know what you think on the modern-take GT86 Initial D machine! 

René Vermeer

Dutch, French, or just a Kiwi, René isn’t quite sure, but he does know he has a passion for Japanese vehicles like no other. A well-seasoned Gran Turismo player dating back to his single-digit days, René has a comprehensive knowledge of a wide range of performance vehicles and has owned more than 30 performance cars here in New Zealand, ranging from Nissans to Hondas. A lover of photography, you’ll find him either peeping under someone’s bonnet to snap a detailed shot, or on the side of the racetrack, perfecting his panning.

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