Thursday 6th November 2008

And Now for Something Completely Different

Toyota's surreal homage to Can-Am past

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Just like the old days... (???)

With no V8 musclecar heritage to build on, Toyota has looked elsewhere for inspiration to show off its sporty credentials at the SEMA show.

Enter the Yaris Club, Toyota Racing Development’s quirky homage to the late 1960s when Toyota Japan was planning an assault on the US Can-Am series with the Toyota 7 racing car.

The Toyota 7s only ever raced in Japan as their proposed Can-Am challenge was axed when two factory drivers were killed during testing – but that’s no reason not to like the racey little Yaris Club.

Powered by a TRD supercharged four cylinder motor making 166bhp, the one-off special looks lots of fun with its stripped out interior and a custom-built tonneau turning the car into a singe-seat speedster.

The stripey red and ‘vintage white’ paint job lends a suitably racey feel, and the chassis has been upgraded with lowered sports suspension and larger brakes.

To put the driver in the mood, there’s a Sparco seat and harness, along with race-inspired steering wheels, shifter knob and pedals.

[Fury1630]

Hmm
One-man car
Two-man windscreen

??

[mikee boy]

That's quite nice actually.

[bob1179]

It looks like a large rollerskate...

[ceebmoj]

I like it.

Having said that I like the look of cars that have a Torrey cover over the passenger seat.

[matmoxon]

Fury1630 said:

Hmm
One-man car
Two-man windscreen

??

look at a picture of a standard Yaris, it's like that so they don't have to make bespoke wings by the look of it, bit lazy but never mind, it looks good I think

I recon that will be great fun to drive if they have a good chassis setup.

Matt

Edited by matmoxon on Thursday 6th November 12:47

[Gruppe1875]

That looks pretty good!

[Skinner.Daddy]

It's the love child of a yaris and the Veritas RS3

[zac510]

Homage my arse - where's the mid-mounted twin turbo v8 and massive rear wing?

[tonytifoso]

zac510 said:

Homage my arse - where's the mid-mounted twin turbo v8 and massive rear wing?

Your bottom has a "mid-mounted twin turbo v8 and massive rear wing"............................respect!

[anonymous-user]

"turning the car into a singe-seat speedster"

Singe-seat eh? It must be st hot...

[durbster]

Hmm, I think the Fire Brigade have made a few of them.

[dougc]

Looks interesting in a Renault Sport Spider, 206 Cup sort of way.

Think its a bit much to call it an homage to a CanAm racer though.

[Mr Gear]

Cor, looks nice, but needs 660bhp: http://www.fensport.co.uk/fensportcars.htm

[entropy]

Needs to be chavved with a massive rear wing, then it'll look like a proper homage to Can Am

[Frimley111R]

Do Toyota make any sports cars any more? In the UK their range is possibly the dullest of any major manufacturer.

[SleeperCell]

If only they put the engine in the back and made it a mid engined, rear wheel drive, then it would be completely awesome instead of just a bit quirky.

[zac510]

Frimley111R said:

Do Toyota make any sports cars any more? In the UK their range is possibly the dullest of any major manufacturer.

They've got that LF-A coming, that looks pretty st hot.

[molineux1980]

SCROMIT (Scream & vomit)

[Mr Fenix]

Not a bad effort from Toybota, I'd like to see more power and mid mounted engine before going all gooey inside.

[compact_23]

Didn't the guy who runs Digimods originally do this design? Or one very similar??

EDIT -

I think I was thinking of these two combined

http://digimods.co.uk/images/Virtualcarimages/cars...

http://digimods.co.uk/images/Virtualcarimages/cars...

Edited by compact_23 on Thursday 6th November 16:39