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Tuning show’s head-turners
The builder of a race-spec Toyota C-HR, which Toyota has claimed to be the world’s quickest SUV, believes it could set a new front-wheel-drive lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Called the C-HR Tuned, it was unveiled at this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas.
The C-HR R-tuned, built by Californian concept vehicle specialist Dan Gardner Spec, was commissioned by Toyota to showcase the sporting potential of the SUV. Although it retains the front-wheel-drive layout of the road car, albeit with a limited-slip differential, it features a 2.4-litre Toyota 2AZ-FE engine with a Dgspec Garrett turbo and an output of 591bhp. That power is controlled through a new Toyota E-series five-speed manual gearbox.
The C-HR R-tuned also features custom Brembo brakes and an adjustable front splitter and rear wing, which combine to produce around 135kg of downforce.
The C-HR lapped the 2.5mile Willow Springs course in California in 1min 25.22sec, the fastest front-wheel-drive time set at the track, according to records, and ahead of such cars as the Porsche 911 GT3 and Mclaren 650S Spider.
Dan Gardner told Autocar that although the brief from Toyota was to create a concept to display at SEMA, he wanted the machine to prove its performance credentials.
“The Toyota NGA platform the C-HR is built on is really stiff, so we worked on developing the handling characteristics,” he said. “We wanted to make a supercar killer. The whole point is that it doesn’t make sense.”
The firm started the build late last year and Gardner estimates around 10,000 hours of work has gone into it. Gardner said he would love to take the C-HR R-tuned to the ’Ring for a lap record bid.
“The car was built for SEMA, and Toyota has no plans for it from now on,” he said. “But it’s the real deal. Personally, it would be a dream to take it to the Nordschleife. I have no doubt it could set the frontwheel-drive record there.”