Toyota turbo kit close to completion
MR2 and Elise are among potential beneficiaries
Toyota's in-house tuning arm has almost finished developing a turbocharging kit for the Toyota MR2. The kit may also fit similarly-engined cars such as the Lotus Elise 111R.
If the project leaps all the hurdles ahead of it, it could bring some 200bhp to the four-pot 1.8-litre VVTL-i Toyota engine, whose stock figures are 138bhp at 6,400rpm and 125 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm in the MR2 (top right). In the Elise 111R however, Lotus' tuning team already wrings 189bhp at 7,800rpm out of it (bottom right).
According to the MR2 Roadster Owners Club (MR2-ROC -- link below), the turbo project has been running for one and a half years under the control of Bonengel, principal engineer for Team Toyota Europe (TTE).
The search for more power originally looked both supercharging and a V6, though both were discounted at an early stage: the V6 was both too expensive and not available to existing owners, while the supercharger was dismissed simply because turbo sounds so much better than supercharger.
The MR2-ROC reckons that, "The outcome of all this development will be a kit, suitable for installation on existing cars. Although recommended as a dealer fit option, it will not currently be a requirement. As per all of TTE's parts, a full three year warranty will be provided, including any consequential damage if, in the unhappy event it can be shown the kit caused the problem.
"The exact contents of the kit are still under discussion and so no price has yet been set. Friedel pointed to the turbo and supercharger kits available for the Corolla and Yaris respectively, suggesting that the price point could be around €5,000 (about £3,450), possibly reaching €5,800 (about £4,000) including fitting.
"TTE distributes worldwide, and this kit would be no exception. When asked about emissions, the target is that once fitted, the kit will meet the same Euro-3 environmental standard as the stock car currently does. This will mean that it should have no problem in passing CARB Certification, although there was no explicit answer that this will be applied for."
However, it still has to go through Toyota's internal approval process, about which Bonengel is confident, and it could be on sale by summer next year.
About Team Toyota Europe
The Team Toyota Europe (TTE) name started life back in 1972 when Ove Andersson partnered with Toyota to compete in the RAC Rally the following year. Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) bought out Andersson Motorsport in 1993, renaming the company Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) but retained the successful TTE livery. After a successful year of rallying in 1999, TMC boldly chose to move out of the Rally arena and embark in the top level of motorsports: Formula 1. TMG still supports some sixty rally teams using Toyota cars as well as twenty-five GT4s.
A low pressure, small turbo should be good at getting a bit more out of the Lotus fitted engine without taking throttle response away.
Something around the power of the VXR220 would be good without being too much of a handful on the roads.
Tuners could always take on upping the power further if people wish to alter the handling of the car and get ultimate performance, (In a straight line)
smele said:
"while the supercharger was dismissed simply because turbo sounds so much better than supercharger. "
Urr, does that mean sound as in exhaust/engine sound or as in a turbo sounds like a better idea?
Another 40 BHP in an Elise would be getting quick.
...exactly - what's all this nonsense about turbo sounding 'better'???? If anything, the word 'supercharger' sounds better. And they are pretty nice on cars as well due to lack of lag, unless you really need monster booost....
Unless, of course, they want dump-valve boy-racer nonsense
Also, although I understand why they have gone down the route of presumably fitting a spacer/decompression plate, it annoys me that they don't do a better job and fit low compression pistons. Seems 200bhp is the magic target to reach these days.
Regards John S
The 1ZZ-GE is the 140bhp lump in the MR2.
The 2ZZ-GE is the 190bhp lump in varius lotuses (lotii?) and the Celica T sport.
Same block.
I've never understood why the 2Zz was never fitted to the MR2. It would go like stink.
Supercharger kits available for both from Blitz, but want JDM spec ECUs.
I know a man who has sucessfully custom supercharged both engines. If anyone is interested...
Mr E said:
I've never understood why the 2Zz was never fitted to the MR2. It would go like stink.
what toyota, putting decent powered engines into uk spec mr2's...
never going to happen, they'll always release the underpowered girly cars here and let the japs have the real toys, supercharged mk1, turbo mk2..
sirtophamhat said:
Mr E said:
I've never understood why the 2Zz was never fitted to the MR2. It would go like stink.
People do it, I remember reading about it a while ago on some owners forum. Amazing, they almostmanage to bring the FI kit to market before the car is discontinued in the US.
I have a 2ZZ in my MR-S (import), The only one in the UK so far. I believe two greeks have done it and also about 10 in the US.
You know there are about 10 turbo kits readily available for the Roadster ranging from around 180 - 220 hp. You can see them on my site www.angelfire.com/space/mr-s
>> Edited by GT300 on Friday 10th December 07:42
My 2002 MR2 Spyder is having the engine changed to a 2ZZ as I write this, by a Houston area expert who has done 5 such engine swaps already. I've ridden in two of them and they are the car the MR2 Spyder always should have been.
I hear the engine swap guy may be putting out a book soon, detailing step by step how to do the engine swap on the Spyder. After all ... not everyone can make the trip to Houston TX to get this done ...
GT300 said:
Mr E said:
I've never understood why the 2Zz was never fitted to the MR2. It would go like stink.
People do it, I remember reading about it a while ago on some owners forum. Amazing, they almostmanage to bring the FI kit to market before the car is discontinued in the US.
I have a 2ZZ in my MR-S (import), The only one in the UK so far. I believe two greeks have done it and also about 10 in the US.
You know there are about 10 turbo kits readily available for the Roadster ranging from around 180 - 220 hp. You can see them on my site <a href="http://www.angelfire.com/space/mr-s">www.angelfire.com/space/mr-s</a>
>> Edited by GT300 on Friday 10th December 07:42
I may be a month late (
) but I was referring to a factory kit, not aftermarket.gokrt said:
The information concerning the 1ZZ and 2ZZ, above, is correct. The stock Spyder engine is the 1ZZ, and the Elise engine is the 2ZZ. The 2ZZ also shows up in the Celica GT-S, as well as a sport version of the Matrix, and (in a tuned down version) a Sport version of the Corolla.
My 2002 MR2 Spyder is having the engine changed to a 2ZZ as I write this, by a Houston area expert who has done 5 such engine swaps already. I've ridden in two of them and they are the car the MR2 Spyder always should have been.
I hear the engine swap guy may be putting out a book soon, detailing step by step how to do the engine swap on the Spyder. After all ... not everyone can make the trip to Houston TX to get this done ...
I actually live in Houston and interested in swapping engins in my 2001 spyder. I am currently in need of an engine and would like to upgrade, but have few connections. Please contact me with the information needed to make this swap, if you don't mind. My email address is: karmahouston@msn.com.
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