600 Horsepower Toyota C-HR R-Tuned Driven!
Who is responsible for this madness?
Well, check out the list of sponsors and brands plastered on the side. Jokes aside, the C-HR R-Tuned is a one-off vehicle built in conjunction with Toyota and DG-spec. If that name sounds familiar, it should, DG-spec are the team behind the Sienna R-Tuned, the minivan that could hand most sports cars a beat down on a race track. Now, Dan Gardner and his team at DG-spec are back with the C-HR R-Tuned, a build so insane it makes the Sienna R-Tuned seem tame.
Under the hood is a 2.4-liter 2AZ-FE Toyota engine, which is turbocharged. It’s a custom DG-spec turbo kit featuring a large, single Garrett turbocharger. It’s mated to a 5-speed manual transmission pulled from an previous-generation Camry. With 23 PSI of boost force-fed through it, the 2AZ four-banger is doling out a very impressive 600 horsepower.
But it’s more than just a monster motor.
Unlike most SEMA builds, this Toyota is built to drive, and fast, too.
Sending 600 horsepower to the front wheels is a big ask, so DG-spec have fitted the C-HR R-Tuned with an OS Giken clutch-type limited-slip differential. Unlike a gear-type helical differential, a clutch-type unit is loaded with many small clutch packs which can be removed and modified to change the action of the differential. This is a useful way to tune the handling and power delivery of the car.
Working with that fancy diff is a highly-customized suspension, using a mix of OEM Toyota and aftermarket components. For example, in order to get the required negative camber to optimize the tire wear, DG-spec cribbed several rear suspension arms from a contemporary Toyota Prius, which happened to be the right size, length and fit to do the job. Obviously, Prius parts only get you so far, so adjustable MCS coil-over suspension, with remote reservoir dampers have been utilized here. A custom front big brake kit, with parts from Brembo, has been assembled for the R-Tuned. Though, the rear braking system uses the OEM components with an uprated brake pad to handle to continual punishment doled out on track. Surrounding those brakes are 17-inch Enkei PF01 wheels, which are shod in Toyo RR competition tires.
It’s a serious machine
It may be laughably fun, and jawdropping to drive, but the engineering behind the C-HR R-Tuned is serious. Toyota is also serious, the brand is making a major effort to revitalize itself and the driving dynamics of it’s vehicles. Toyota wants consumers to look at their cars and think “fun,” not “catatonically boring,” and vehicles like the C-HR, and it’s insane R-Tuned cousin go a long way in that regard.
It may not be a full on resurgence of the 1980’s, but Toyota is bringing back a lot of fun to the table. Vehicles like the 86, the new Corolla hatchback, and the C-HR are proof of that. If they can turn an entry-level compact SUV into this, one can’t help but wonder what the new Supra is going to be like…
Stay tuned for our review of the standard Toyota C-HR, the affordable city car we can all afford to buy. It will be out soon.
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