Toyota Corolla (E80)

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 was available with either SOHC or DOHC engines. From 1985 to 1988, NUMMI in Fremont, California built a rebadged version of the Sprinter sedan sold by Chevrolet as the Chevrolet Nova. During calendar 1985, Corolla sedans and Sprinter-type 5-door hatchbacks (sold under both Nova and Corolla nameplates) were added, with the Toyota-branded US built cars gradually superseding imports from Japan and Nova hatchbacks being offered from the 1986 model year. All RWD coupe models continued to be imported from Japan, as was the Corolla FX hatchback launched for 1987 and replacing the 3-door AE86. 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)
• AE85 — RWD coupé 2-door, 3-door hatchback (SR5 w/ 4A-C)
• AE86 — RWD coupé 2-door, 3-door hatchback (GT-S w/ 4A-GE)

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:

• EE80 — FWD 4-door sedan /5-door liftback
• EE80 — FWD 3-door liftback
• AE82 — FWD 3-door hatchback
• AE86 — 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)

Gallery

References