Toyota C-HR R-Tuned for SEMA is a Serious Track Weapon

Continuing a tradition of unexpected builds that includes the Sleeper Camry, Sienna R-Tuned, Land Speed Cruiser, and others, Toyota has unveiled another wild SEMA car: the C-HR R-Tuned. This highly modified compact crossover managed to turn a 1:25.22 lap around the big track at Willow Springs International Raceway—a time that beats more than a few supercars.

Toyota’s C-HR show car carries on the spirit of the Sienna R-Tuned from 2015 as a vehicle you wouldn’t expect to be quick around a race track. Dan Gardner of DG-Spec, the same outfit that delivered the Sienna R-Tuned, set out to see how fast a C-HR could go around a race track. He wanted the car to be four-cylinder-powered and retain its front-wheel-drive setup—the only way you can get a C-HR in the U.S. While those two goals were achieved, this CUV is far from stock.

A 2.4-liter 2AZ-FE engine was chosen, but DG-Spec didn’t leave it as is. The engine commonly found in Camrys and Scions received forged internals, a beefed-up valvetrain, and an enormous Garrett turbocharger pumping out up to 23 psi of boost. The powerplant makes more than 600 hp, according to Toyota. Sending all that power to the front wheels is a Toyota E-Series five-speed manual transmission. Other go-fast goodies include a custom intercooler, AEM engine management system, custom downpipe and 3-inch cat-back exhaust, custom 4-inch cold air intake, OS Giken limited-slip differential, custom coilover suspension with remote-reservoir shocks, and 18×9-inch wheels wrapped in supremely sticky Toyo Proxes RR DOT competition tires. The front splitter and hatch-mounted rear wing were designed by a Toyota aerodynamicist, and together they produce 300 pounds of downforce at speed.

All together that amounts to a vehicle that can do 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds and lap Willow Springs’ main 2.5-mile road course in 1 minute, 25.22 seconds. Gardner points out that’s quicker than all but five production car laps listed on Fastestlaps.com, most of which were set by our own Randy Pobst. Which cars did the C-HR R-Tuned beat? The Lamborghini Aventador SV, McLaren 650S Spider, Ferrari 488 GTB, and Porsche 911 Turbo S are just a few. Granted, this C-HR is so heavily modified that it’s essentially a race car at this point. But its lap time is quick by any standard, let alone for a front-drive four-cylinder.

Watch the C-HR R-Tuned set the lap in the video below. And if you’re in Las Vegas for the SEMA Show, you can catch it at Toyota’s show stand today through November 3.

Source: Toyota

The post Toyota C-HR R-Tuned for SEMA is a Serious Track Weapon appeared first on Motor Trend.

from Motor Trend http://ift.tt/2yiBtAa