Why did Toyota call it the 86?

Toyota chose the 86 badge to weave a thread between a modern, affordable sports car and its storied past. The name signals homage to a legendary sibling in Toyota’s lineup and reflects a collaborative project with Subaru that produced a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive coupe sold around the world.

Origins of the project

The car that would become the Toyota 86 began as a joint development between Toyota and Subaru, built on a shared platform often referred to as the Toyobaru partnership. It started life publicly as the FT-86 concept and evolved into production models released under different names in various regions—Toyota’s badge in most markets and Subaru’s BRZ in parallel. The collaboration aimed to deliver a lightweight, driver-focused coupe that embraced traditional rear-wheel-drive dynamics while staying accessible to enthusiasts.

In Toyota’s communications, the project was framed as a modern, spiritual successor to beloved driver’s cars rather than a direct replacement for any single model. The aim was to recapture the tactile feel of engaging, affordable sport driving that defined a generation of Toyotas in earlier decades.

Why the number 86?

The numeric badge sits at the intersection of heritage, culture, and branding. While Toyota framed the car as a nod to a predecessor, the AE86, the choice resonated far beyond corporate circles and quickly became a shorthand for the car’s ethos among fans.

• The AE86 Sprinter Trueno/Levin from the 1980s—an affordable, lightweight, rear-wheel-drive Toyota that became a defining halo car for enthusiasts.


• The Japanese nickname “Hachi-Roku” (eight-six), which gave the car instant cultural traction among drift and tuning communities.


• A simple, memorable badge that could travel across markets without clashing with local naming conventions.


• A symbolic link to Toyota’s performance heritage, signaling a modern entry that still embodies the brand’s driving-focused spirit.

Together, these factors explain why Toyota settled on the 86 badge rather than a more typical alphanumeric name. The choice was about heritage, emotional resonance, and a clear signal to buyers about what the car represents on the road and in the showroom.

Market naming variations

Across the globe, regional branding vintage and marketing instincts led to slightly different names, even as the underlying car remained the same.

• Europe and the UK commonly used Toyota GT 86 (often written as GT86) to emphasize its performance focus.


• North America initially split branding between Scion FR-S (the US-market Scion badge) and the Toyota 86 after Scion was discontinued; many markets eventually consolidated under Toyota 86.


• Japan and several other markets typically marketed the car as the Toyota 86, reinforcing the direct link to the AE86 lineage.


• The Subaru counterpart continued under its BRZ badge, highlighting the joint development while maintaining distinct brand identities.

In practice, the 86 name serves as a global throughline that ties together separate market strategies, while the BRZ designation preserves Subaru’s parallel take on the same concept. The shared lineage remains a core part of the cars’ appeal.

The GR86 era and ongoing branding

Toyota’s ongoing evolution of the platform culmined in the GR86, the latest generation that carries Gazoo Racing branding. The GR86 preserves the lightweight, driver-focused formula of the original and adds improved power delivery, chassis tuning, and modern features, while keeping the accessible price point that helped the original model win fans worldwide. The move to GR branding reinforces Toyota’s performance-forward identity and links the 86 lineage to other Gazoo Racing models.

In sum, the 86 name is less about a numeral than about a narrative: a bridge from Toyotas of the 1980s to a contemporary, globally appealing sports coupe born of collaboration and driven by the joy of driving.

Summary

Toyota chose the 86 to honor the AE86 era and its cultural resonance among enthusiasts, using a simple badge that could travel worldwide. The car originated from a cooperative project with Subaru, yielding two market-facing identities (Toyota 86 and GT 86 in some regions, with the BRZ serving as the Subaru twin). Over time, the name has become a symbol of Toyota’s heritage-driven approach to affordable performance, now continued by the GR86 under Gazoo Racing branding. The result is a globally recognized lineage that blends nostalgia with modern driving dynamics.

Where did the term 86 someone come from?

The term "86" is believed to have originated in the restaurant and hospitality industry, meaning an item is no longer available or a customer is being refused service. While its exact origin is debated, the most widely accepted theory is that it was a slang term used by bartenders to indicate an item was sold out, and the word later evolved to mean getting rid of something or refusing service. 
Popular theories on the origin of "86"

• Restaurant slang: The most widely accepted theory is that "86" originated in the restaurant and hospitality industry, with the first written explanation appearing in a 1933 glossary of soda-fountain lingo. 
• "Out of stock": In this version, "86" was used to tell servers that a menu item was sold out. 
• Refusing service: The term later expanded to mean refusing service to a customer, such as when a patron becomes too drunk and is "eighty-sixed" by a bartender. 
• 86-proof liquor: Another theory suggests that bartenders would serve a less potent, 86-proof liquor to inebriated customers, a practice that became known as "eighty-sixing" them. 
• 86 Bedford Street: Some theories point to a specific location, like a bar at 86 Bedford Street in New York City that had hidden exits. 

Other, less likely theories include

• Military jargon: Some have suggested a connection to the military, such as Article 86 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which deals with Absence Without Leave (AWOL).
• The 86th person: This theory states that the term came from soup kitchens during the Great Depression, where the 86th person was out of luck. 

Why are BRZ and 86 the same?

The Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ are nearly identical because they were developed through a collaboration between the two automakers, sharing the same platform, engine, and manufacturing plant. This partnership allowed both companies to reduce development costs while creating a rear-wheel-drive sports coupe with a boxer engine. The main differences are in the branding, some tuning, minor exterior design tweaks, and available features.
 
This video explains the differences between the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ: 37sWhen Hann Meets CarsYouTube · May 9, 2025
Shared features and development

• Collaboration: The sports cars were a joint project between Subaru and Toyota to create a small, affordable, rear-wheel-drive sports coupe. 
• Platform and manufacturing: They are built on the same platform and manufactured on the same assembly line in a Subaru factory in Gunma, Japan. 
• Engine: Both cars feature a horizontally opposed ("boxer") engine, which is a Subaru design. 
• Drivetrain: They share the same rear-wheel-drive layout. 

Minor differences

• Exterior styling: While the overall shape and many body panels are shared, each car has a slightly different front fascia and other minor cosmetic differences. 
• Tuning: Toyota and Subaru have made some minor adjustments to the suspension tuning and electronic control units (ECUs) to give each car a slightly different feel, but their basic handling is very similar. 
• Features: The specific features and trim levels available can vary between the two models. 

What does the FT 86 stand for?

• 6y ago. It was the name of the concept car before it was released. Full meaning is "Future Toyota 86"

Why is the Toyota 86 called 86?

The Toyota 86 is called the 86 because it is a spiritual successor to the 1980s Toyota AE86 Corolla Sprinter Trueno/Levin, and the "86" comes from the chassis code of that iconic car. The number also appears in the modern car's specifications, such as the bore and stroke of the engine both being 86mm and the exhaust diameter being 86mm. 
Legacy of the AE86

• Chassis code: The original AE86 was a popular rear-wheel-drive sports coupe. Its chassis code is where the "86" originates. 
• "Hachi-Roku": Japanese enthusiasts affectionately called the AE86 "Hachi-Roku," which translates to "eight-six". 
• Cultural impact: The AE86's popularity, partly due to the manga and anime series Initial D, helped cement its legendary status among car enthusiasts. 

Connection to the new 86

• Spiritual successor: Toyota built the new 86 to capture the same spirit of the AE86, focusing on being a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive, affordable sports car. 
• Technical nods: In a nod to the original, the modern 86 has several specifications that use the number 86, including an 86mm engine bore and stroke and an 86mm exhaust diameter. 
• Marketing: When the Scion FR-S was rebadged as a Toyota in the U.S., Toyota chose the "86" name to align the model with the GT86 sold in other markets and to pay homage to the classic AE86.