GTP Cool Wall: 1997-2000 Toyota Sprinter Trueno / Corolla Levin BZ-R (AE111)

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1997-2000 Toyota Sprinter Trueno / Corolla Levin BZ-R (AE111)

  • Total voters
    100
  • Poll closed .
Wiegert

Wiegert

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1997-2000 Toyota Sprinter Trueno / Corolla Levin BZ-R (AE111) nominated by @Murcie_LP640

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Body Style: 2-door coupe
Engine: Toyota 4AGE 1.6L I4 (20v Blacktop)
Power: 165 hp
Torque: 119 lb-ft
Weight: 1050 kg
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Drivetrain: Front-engine, front wheel drive
Additional Information: In mid 1995 Toyota introduced the AE111 chassis Corolla, available in Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno styles, they were essentially the same car with only very minor body differences. The Corolla Levin/Trueno was offered in a sports model with the 4AGE 20 valve engine, a 1,600cc engine with 5 valves per cylinder, variable valve timing and individual throttle bodies. Essentially Toyota's answer to Honda's VTEC engines, the 4AGE sends an impressive 121kW (165hp) to the front wheels from a 1,600cc non turbo engine via extremely efficient heads and lofty rpms.

The BZ-R was the top sports model of the range introduced in the mid-life update in 1997. Equipped with "Super Strut" suspension (essentially a hybrid between a MacPherson and multi-link setup), a limited-slip differential, and a 6-speed manual transmission, it made for a fun steer combined with the relatively light 1050kg kerb weight.​

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Strikes me as a cool little runaround car. Not necessarily outstanding but not visually offensive either.

Cool.
 
The styling of this car is a pleasure to look at, and in fact, it looks almost as nice as the second gen Supra. Cool name, and the oerformance figures ain't anything to complain about.

Cool.
 
It doesn't look all that bad, I kinda like the look of it.. Would've been cool
Performance doesn't bother me, as long as it's fun to drive and I'm counting on it being great fun considering it's a top of the range trueno/levin
Problem is that it's a FF, whereas the old Sprinters/Corollas were FR, which doesn't means drift times
Meh but only *just*
 
A decent looking machine that kept the 4AGE motor from the AE86. But it doesn't look like it can match the fun of the AE86 and is another target for the JDM fanboys brigade.

Just slightly uncool.
 
For me, cool. I've actually never seen one in the flesh, and I would love to do so.

But try explaining this car to someone who is not a car enthusiast. Uncool unfortunately.
 
AudiMan2011
A decent looking machine that kept the 4AGE motor from the AE86. But it doesn't look like it can match the fun of the AE86 and is another target for the JDM fanboys brigade.

Just slightly uncool.
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Eeeeeeh, sorta. While it's a 4AGE by name it's known as the black top - far more modern version.
 
GTP_Ingram
Might get a nod of approval from fellow petrolheads, but to everyone else it's a rather bland-looking nineties coupe. Uncool
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Yep. It looks too similar to the appliance-spec Corollas and Tercels of the time to get any sort of kudos from the general populace, I imagine.

I find them interesting, but not exactly cool. So, Uncool it is.
 
Not only bland, but also a bit tacky to be honest. Also it looks like a mini S14. As interesting as it is, it's uncool unfourtunately
 
It seems Toyota kept a lot of their better offerings out of the US market at that time. It is a shame. Would have liked to see a version of this, and the hotter 3SGE engine in Celica too. I am torn, the car is actually pretty cool. But Toyota keeping it (and other cool offerings) out of our market is seriously uncool.
 
Perfect everything until it comes to the drivetrain... front wheel drive...

It looks like it would be a really fun car to drive if it was rear-wheel drive.

With that, kinda balances out to a meh.
 
Can't say I'm a fan of the looks but the engine is cool.

Meh.
 
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Sp3edst3r
...Problem is that it's a FF, whereas the old Sprinters/Corollas were FR, which doesn't means drift times
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AudiMan2011
...it doesn't look like it can match the fun of the AE86...
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iName
Perfect everything until it comes to the drivetrain... front wheel drive...

It looks like it would be a really fun car to drive if it was rear-wheel drive.
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I love RWD as much as any AE86 fan, but the Corolla/Sprinter is a compact economy car. The AE86's RWD powertrain was only a delay of the inevitable, not a central pillar of the nameplate. The point being that this ought to be judged like any other sporty FWD compact, IMO.
 
I'm torn, I've always loved these for the engines and what they could do in touring. But it's as simple as others put it, it's boring and seems to try and be what others in Japan were doing at the time. Just a more condensed version of sorts. So while part of me says cool, the other part says not so much and thus it evens out to Meh.
 
Okay, what's the difference between the Sprinter and the Corolla?

Anyway, it's not very interesting looking car. It could be almost any bland and possibly bit depressing late 90s Japanese 2-door. Uncool.
 
The front end of the Levin has a whiff of Proton about it while the Trueno always looked like a tastefully styled 90s package. More so than any Civic or Mirage Asti, stock or otherwise. And virtually nobody here would recognise either one as being some sort of Corolla.

Barely reaches cool on balance.
 

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