HKS TRB-03 SETS NEW TSUKUBA RECORD

For time-attack cars, Tsukuba Circuit in Japan is the benchmark for fast. Post a solid lap time there, and you’ll have ultimate bragging rights, which is why tuning house HKS has stopped at nothing to reclaim the record, they last held with the CT230R, developing the TRB-03 ( Tsukuba Record Breaker), based on a GT86. HKS has spent 13 months testing the TRB-03 on and off the track, making multiple modifications towards its target. Of note was the change from supercharger to turbo on the 2.5-litre 4U-GSE heart. Previously, the TRB-03 had been equipped with an extensively modified HKS GT supercharger kit, but that has been binned in favour of an HKS GTIII-5R snail that helps to make upwards of 600kW at the wheels. It also features a ton of aero designed by Andrew Brilliant of AMB Aero.

Under Suzuki ran a 50.366-second lap in the Scorch Racing S15 in December last year, to set a new record. That record was superseded by the TRB-03 the same month, with 50.259s on semislicks. However, HKS was not so naive as to think that Suzuki would not attempt to knock HKS off the throne, so continued to push the car’s ability, and that has resulted in a crazy 49.445-second lap time — the fastest ever of its kind at Tsukuba.

As a result, debate has arisen among timeattack fans, with many arguing that the previous records were set on semi-slicks as general practice. However, the latest lap time saw the TRB-03 shod with Advan A005 rubber — a slick compound tyre. Whether HKS used it to be faster or due to a safety concern is unclear, but, regardless, the time has been recognized and sets a new benchmark for the circuit.

We’re just waiting for Suzuki to respond.