Initial D Meets the Modern Age

For years, the Toyota GT86, and Subaru BRZ have been described as spiritual successors to the legendary AE86 Corolla. Light, rear-wheel drive, affordable, and built for drivers, the lineage has always been obvious. But at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon, Osaka-based tuner Result Japan has taken that idea to its logical extreme. Its new Neo86 widebody kit doesn’t just nod to the past, it practically time-travels straight out of Initial D and into 2026.

The headline feature is impossible to miss: fully functional pop-up headlights, paired with a flattened hood, black bumpers, amber markers, and yellow fog lamps. Finished in the iconic panda-style black-and-white livery and sitting on genuine Watanabe wheels, the Neo86 instantly recalls the legendary AE86 Trueno made famous by Initial D. It’s nostalgia done with confidence, not irony, and that’s what makes it work.

More Than Just an Anime Cosplay

Unlike many tribute builds that stop at a fascia swap, Result Japan has gone all in. The Neo86 replaces every panel ahead of the windshield, adds aggressively flared fenders, new door panels, extended side skirts, and a wide rear bumper capped with a subtle ducktail spoiler. The result is a much wider, lower stance that looks every bit like a period-correct ’80s tuner special, just scaled up for modern proportions.

Crucially, the kit avoids tipping into parody. The black accents visually slim the body, the rear spoiler balances the puffed-out arches, and the proportions remain cohesive even without the panda paint. Built from fiberglass-reinforced plastic, the kit is serious hardware, though buyers should know installation requires cutting the original bodywork. This is a one-way transformation, not a reversible weekend mod, but that commitment is part of the appeal.

RESULT JAPAN

Tokyo Auto Salon Debut

Under the skin, Result Japan appears to have left the car mechanically stock, retaining the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter boxer’s roughly 200hp output. Purists may applaud the restraint, while others will inevitably imagine turbo kits and suspension upgrades to match the aggressive new footprint. Either way, the aftermarket support for the ZN6 platform means owners won’t be short on options.

The Neo86 will make its public debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon, running January 9–11, with pre-orders opening at the show. Even better, Result Japan has hinted that availability won’t be limited to Japan, suggesting global buyers may soon get a shot at building their own modern-day hachi-roku.

RESULT JAPAN