Fifth Generation E80 1983-1987

Fifth Generation E80 1983-1987

July 9, 2009, 4:54 pm
Filed under: History | Tags: AE85, AE86, Corolla, E80, FX, FX-16, GT-S, Levin, Liftback, Sprinter, SR-5, Starlet, Toyota, Trueno

1983-1987 Toyota Corolla

The Corolla E80 was the fifth generation of cars sold by Toyota under the Corolla nameplate.

The fifth generation is generally regarded as the most popular Corolla when measured against its contemporaries, and some 3.3 million units were produced. This model, from 1983, moved the Corolla into front wheel drive, except for the AE85 and AE86 Corolla Levin / Sprinter Trueno models (SR-5 / GT-S in USA) which continued on the older rear wheel drive platform, along with the three-door “liftback” (E72), three-door van (E70) and five-door wagon (E70) of the previous generation, that were still being produced.

The front-wheel-drive wheelbase was now 95.6 in (2428 mm).

It was the first Corolla to top the New Zealand top-10 lists, ending Ford’s dominance of that market. A “short” hatchback range, called the Corolla FX in Japan and the Corolla Compact in Germany, arrived in 1984, on the front-wheel-drive platform. The three and five-door hatchbacks resembled the Corolla sedan with a truncated rear deck and trunk. Although there was a five-door liftback model of the basic Corolla, the FX-based hatchback was sold alongside it. The Corolla FX replaced the Toyota Starlet in North America.

A DOHC 16-valve engine, designated 4A-GE, was added in 1983 on the rear-drive cars. It was a 1.6 L (1587 cc) I4 and produced an impressive 124 hp (92 kW), turning the Levin/Trueno (Japan), Corolla GT coupé (Europe) and Corolla GT-S into a popular sports car. The 3 door FWD hatchback with this engine was known as the Corolla FX-16. This engine was also combined with the front-drive transaxle to power the mid-engined Toyota MR-2.

The Sprinter sports cars, in two-door coupé and three-door liftback forms, were notable for the line’s first use of pop-up headlamps, which the equivalent Corolla Levin sports models did not have.

Japan

Japanese market engines:

• 3A-U — 1.5 L (1490 cc) I4, 8-valve SOHC, carb, 83 hp (62 kW)
• 3A-LU — 1.5 L (1490 cc) I4, 8-valve SOHC, carb, transverse mount, 83 hp (62 kW)
• 4A-GEU 1.6 L I4, 16-valve DOHC, EFI, 130 hp (97 kW)

Japanese market chassis:

• AE81 — FWD, 3A-LU engine, 4-door sedan (DX, GL, SE), 5-door hatchback (SX)
• AE85 — RWD, 3A-U engine, 2-door coupé (Levin SE, Levin GL), 3-door liftback (Levin SR)
• AE86 — RWD, 4A-GEU engine, 2-door coupé (Levin GT, Levin GT-APEX), 3-door liftback (Levin GT, Levin GT-APEX)

North America

The American specification Corolla was built at the US NUMMI plant. It was available with either SOHC or DOHC engines. From 1985 to 1988, NUMMI built a rebadged version of the Corolla, sold by Chevrolet as the Chevrolet Nova. Nova’s successor, the Geo Prizm was another rebadged Corolla selling in the United States from 1989 to 2002.

North American market engines:

• 4A-C 1.6 L I4, 8-valve SOHC, carb, 90 hp (67 kW)
• 4A-GE 1.6 L I4, 16-valve DOHC, EFI, 112 hp (86 kW)

North American market chassis:

• AE82 — FWD sedan, 2-door/4-door, hatchback (Std, LE, LE Ltd, SR-5) 3-door (FX/FX16)
• AE84 — 4WD 5-door wagon (Std, DX)
• AE86 — RWD coupé 2-door, 3-door hatchback (SR5 and GT-S)

Europe

European market engines:

• 2A 1.3 L, 8-valve SOHC, carb, 69 hp (51 kW)
• 4A 1.6 L, 8-valve SOHC, carb, 84 hp (63 kW)
• 4A-GE 1.6 L I4, 16-valve DOHC, EFI, 121 hp (86 kW)
• 1C 1.8 L, Diesel, Mechanical Injection, 58 hp (43 kW)
• 2E 1.3 L, 12-valve SOHC, carb, 75 hp (56 kW)

European market chassis:

• E80 — FWD 4-door sedan /5-door liftback
• E80 — FWD 3-door liftback
• E82 — FWD 3-door hatchback
• E86 — RWD 2-door coupé /3-door hatchback

Australia

Australian market engines:

• 2A-C 1.3 L, 8-valve SOHC, carb,
• 4A-C 1.6 L, 8-valve SOHC, carb, 78 hp (58 kW)
• 4A-GE 1.6 L I4, 16-valve DOHC, EFI, 115 hp (86 kW)

Australian market chassis:

• AE80 — FWD 4-door sedan /5-door hatchback
• AE82 — FWD 4-door sedan /5-door hatchback /5-door Seca Liftback
• AE86 — RWD 3-door hatchback (badged as Toyota Sprinter)

Also called	Toyota AE85 & AE86 Corolla Levin /Sprinter Trueno Toyota Corolla Sprinter
Production	1983-1987
Assembly	Toyota City, Japan Fremont, California (FX) Santa Rosa, Laguna, Philippines Durban, South Africa, Thames, New Zealand
Layout	Front engine, front-wheel drive / rear-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Engines	1.3 L I4 2A 1.3 L I4 2E 1.5 L I4 3A 1.6 L I4 4A 1.8 L I4 1C diesel
Transmissions	3-speed automatic 5-speed manual
Wheelbase	95.6 in (2428 mm) FX: 95.7 in (2431 mm)
Length	167.5 in (4255 mm) FX: 160.0 in (4064 mm)
Width	65.1 in (1654 mm) FX: 65.2 in (1656 mm)
Height	52.3 in (1328 mm) FX: 53.0 in (1346 mm) FX16: 52.8 in (1341 mm)
Curb weight	1047 kg (2304 lb)
Related	Daihatsu Charade Toyota Celica Toyota Tercel Toyota Cressida Chevrolet Nova

1987 Corolla hatchback (New Zealand)

Corolla FX hatchback (US)

Corolla SR5 coupe (US)

Corolla Coupe (UK)

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