Forgotten Legends: The Toyota Corolla "Twin Cam"

If you were a car guy or girl in the 90’s and early 00’s, you will affectionately remember the moniker that referred to an entire Corolla lineage. A persona centred around the legendary "Twin Cam" 4AGE under the bonnet.

This gutsy little 4-cylinder 1.6L motor had been available between the strut towers of the AE86 Corolla Sprinter since 1983. A rear-wheel-drive configuration that drove both drifting and manga folklore under the colloquial reference, Hachi-Roku; or “Eight-Six”.  Sadly, that variant was a Japanese market-only affair.

Not to say there weren’t locally delivered Sprinters, but we had to make do with the asthmatic 4AC setup. Sadly, the days when you could get a shell for a song and do the transplant are long gone. Nowadays, finding a decent local version, let alone the real-deal AE86 is an expensive rarity. But I digress.

The “Twin cam” arrived in Australia around 1986 as the power plant of choice for the hotter versions of the local AE82. The boxy design was a radical departure from previous iterations, and was available as a sedan, lift-back and hatch. The latter two are the focus here, as they both featured the naturally aspirated 4AGE.

The AE82 "Twin Cam" Corolla debuted the 4AGE on Australian shores

Horizontally mounted in the bay with a 5-speed bolted to the side, the front wheel drive layout was another departure. As a 5-door it presented good occupant and storage space, owing in part to the sharp boxy lines. Inside saw minor revisions to seating, steering wheel and other furnishings. At the core, it was the rock-solid and dependable option in terms of durability, fit and finish.

But it was the way the thing drove that really set the scene for the hotch hatch in Australia. Outputs were a meagre-for-today-standards 86kw, but it was the peaky power delivery that made this a cult favourite. An open diff made youthful hooliganism easier than getting a good launch.

The AE82 "Twin Cam" interior was basic, but solid

It’s claimed by various sources that it could deploy the sprint to the tonne in about 9 seconds, complete with a signature wail courtesy of its 6600rpm peak power delivery. Redline numbers are unclear, but some claim the fuel cutout was up past 7500rpm – not an unbelievable number.

The adage of driving a slow car fast versus a fast car slow was likely coined for this vehicle. It needed to be driven to get the best out of it, the perfect setup in my eyes.

In 1989 the AE90 series was launched, bringing with it a smoother flowing design, updated amenities and increased size. The range remained unchanged with a sedan, hatchback and the newly branded lift-back "Seca" continuing to feature. Whilst vanilla variants such as the CS and CSI were available, it was the new AE92 SX which was most relevant to the enthusiast market.

The AE92 SX Seca and Hatch

Under-bonnet revisions armed the new model with 100kw, with drive remaining though a 5-speed manual via the front wheels. It was this updated model that cemented the Corolla as a fun alternative to competitors such as the Pulsar ET Turbo, which was on its last legs at this point.

In fact, it would outsprint the Pulsar to 100km/h despite remaining naturally aspirated, with power right out to its 6800rpm sweet spot. Deeper bucket seats with red details featured inside, with hard wearing cloth featuring amongst other relatively spartan interior coverings.

In 1991 the GTi variant was added to the lineup. Available only as a hatchback, it deleted the alloy wheels for steelies with hubcaps along with the velour interior of the SX. Both were efforts to reduce weight. It also featured slightly larger brake hardware, a colour-coded spoiler and is perhaps the most revered variant to own as an enthusiast.

The GTi was the final and most reversed iteration of the "Twin Cam"

A core memory from younger years was a tidy example owned by a neighbour. It had a glorious sound from the intake, which was only out-done by the exhaust; both aftermarket parts which were prevalent for this sort of machinery at the time.

Which is a hint to the popularity of the engine when it came to modifying. From said basic breathing mods, right through to head transplants for the Jap-spec 20V architecture, and individual throttle bodies. Much of the exploratory work was already done overseas, with everything right through to a wild twin-charge kit by tuning powerhouse HKS available. The kit deployed both a turbo and supercharger, force feeding air and fuel to improve power across the rev range.

A rare sight in Australia, I recall helping a friend on a stand at the now defunct Auto Salon circa 1998. One of his customers owned a thoroughly reworked red SX hatch which possessed the kit. It was a feast for the eyes and from memory, for the tuner.

With the Global Financial Crisis knocking on the door, these creations, along with any semblance of fun disappeared from Toyota’s stables for many a year.

Nowadays good examples of the venerable “Twin Cam” are increasingly hard to find. Whilst it’s hard to tell what they’re selling for, asking prices at the regular haunts are very strong. Thankfully though, passionate communities remain devoted to maintaining both these vehicles today.

One thing is for sure, they will forever be a part of Australia motoring culture.

With thanks to the AE9X Owners Australia Facebook Group for supporting with clarity and information