The officially licensed product closely resembles the classic AE86 Sprinter Trueno from the Japanese street racing manga series
January 17, 2025 at 20:03
- Japan’s Camshop introduced a new tissue box shaped after the classic Toyota AE86.
- The scale model mirrors the Sprinter Trueno from the Initial D manga and anime.
- It can house both regular and wet tissues, and costs the equivalent of $50.
The Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno is one of the most desirable Japanese classic cars from the ’80s, further popularized by its appearance in the “Initial D” street racing manga and anime series, as well as the 2005 live action movie. And while finding an original AE86 without spending a small fortune might require some serious detective work, there’s a more attainable version available through Japan’s Camshop. It’s a scale model, yes, but with a twist, as it doubles as a wet tissue box for your bathroom.
This model comes officially licensed by both Toyota and Kodansha, the latter being the company behind Initial D. The black-and-white exterior, paired with black alloy wheels, is a dead ringer for Takumi Fujiwara’s legendary ride, the one that spent more time drifting and delivering tofu than, well, anything else. And if you’re picky about your details, you can even choose whether the hood is black or white, letting you customize it to your Takumi-loving heart’s content.
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While no one really expects a great level of detail from a tissue box, the Sprinter Trueno was also designed for display, so it looks like a proper scale model. Tiny details such as the headlights, taillights, door handles, exhaust pipe, and even the brake calipers, have all been faithfully reproduced, making it a surprisingly accurate homage to the original.
At the end of the day, the 270 mm (10.6 inches) model is still, you know, a tissue box. But it’s one with style. It’s designed to hold both regular and wet tissues of standard or smaller sizes, all neatly accessible through a hatch on the roof.
Camshop
The original Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno was in production from 1983 to 1987, alongside its mechanically related sibling, the Corolla Levin. Both cars shared a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, which, for those in the know, could be paired with an optional limited-slip differential for that extra dose of drifting goodness.
According to the Camshop listing that was discovered by Top Gear Philippines, the AE86 Sprinter Trueno tissue box will set you back ¥7,700 (around $50) in Japan, and it’s expected to hit the shelves in early February 2025.
Besides the Toyota AE86, those in the market for car-shaped tissue boxes can alsochoose from other car-shaped tissue boxes, including the Suzuki Jimny, Nissan R34 GT-R, Toyota Hiace, and VW Type 1 Bus. Which one would you go for?