The 86th 24 Hours of Le Mans takes place this coming weekend. To celebrate Toyota has dressed three 86s in Le Mans livery and is taking these cars to the French race.

Celebrating the past

The Japanese firm has been competing on and off at the famous endurance race for over 30 years, but it has still to taste success. In fact, the only Japanese firm to win at La Sarthe is Mazda.

Click here to read about the time we met the man who designed the rotary engine that powered Mazda to its Le Mans victory in 1991.

Each of the three 86s is inspired by famous Toyota Le Mans racecars. The first pays tribute to the Toyota TS010 of 1992, which was powered by a Formula 1-style 3,5-litre V10.

The second is the 1998 TS020, or GT-One 3 which competed in the distinctive red and white paint scheme of the Japanese flag. Completing the trio is a TS050-inspired wrap. The TS050 came agonisingly close to winning Le Mans in 2016.

Click here to have a look at the retro designs on Porsche racers taking part in this year’s Le Mans.

More than just looks

Each car has been lowered by 40 mm. Aftermarket alloys were chosen to mimic the designs of the original racing wheels. Stainless steel exhaust systems make all the right noises.

James Clark, Toyota GB Press Relations Manager, said: “The GT86 gives us a great canvas on which to pay tribute to some of the amazing Toyota race cars that have thrilled the crowds at Le Mans. We hope these new cars – all strictly one-off creations – will generate the same kind of enthusiasm as we approach this year’s 24-hour race.”