There are many ways people find themselves slipping into the car community. It could have been passed down from your family, something you found on your own, or one of the many shows or movies celebrating cars or racing. But for those obsessed with going around a corner sideways and smiling, the show Initial D is the cult classic to capture that very feeling. A show where delivering tofu on touge roads of Japan birthed a drifting legend behind the wheel of the previously humble Toyota AE86 Trueno. Since its release, that car has become an icon spanning far past the show’s fanbase. Many of those who haven't watched the show know the Toyota AE86 is one of the unofficial mascots for drifting.
It's become so popular that it can be hard to find one in good condition and unmodded. And as more people fall in love with Initial D, demand keeps climbing, and supply remains painfully fixated. But fear not, for Alibaba is here. Yeah, never thought I'd be saying that either. A Chinese company called JiangSu Aodun heard the cries for Toyota AE86s and answered. Now, for the price of $9,500 per body, you can buy a replica unibody shell of the legendary car. Just to be clear, this product is not affiliated with Toyota in any official capacity. And don’t push the button just yet; this isn’t a perfect system. Since it's priced per body, JiangSu Aodun requires a minimum purchase of five bodies. So in reality, you’d be looking at $47,500 before the “to be negotiated price” of shipping and tariffs, which in total is considerably more expensive than an AE86, which usually goes for around 15-30 thousand USD, depending on the model.
But make no mistake, JiangSu Aodun is a real company that's said to have good OEM relationships, working with some of the biggest auto parts suppliers in China. So while it does wear the “Made in China” badge, based on the information we know now, this looks like a good route to creating that dream build of a drift car.
And let’s not forget, the original AE86 wasn’t some technical masterpiece with exceptional build quality. It was still, in fact, a cheap Toyota when it was released. Even in Initial D, it was made fun of for being underpowered and junky. So even if the body is a little subpar compared to the claimed quality, you’d still be in line with the original quality of an actual AE86.
This body is also built to be modded, and what goes into this body is completely up to the buyer. Whether they want to go original or build out something new, it's literally an empty shell waiting to be filled with the dreams and more money of a drifter. So grab four like-minded enthusiasts, sell off the spare 4 bodies, or just build out five AE86s. If you were waiting for the opportunity to create a dream build for a classic Japanese car, or five, but lacked the right car in the right condition, this might be it by way of Alibaba.