Vehicles on Toyo tyres receive top 10 positions in the Toyo Tires Hot Tuner Challenge $75k–150k class.
Vehicles shod with Toyo tyres have taken podium honours at the hotly anticipated re-launch of Motor Magazine’s Toyo Tires Hot Tuner Challenge.
Hot Tuner features several price-oriented classes: sub-$75k, between $75k and $150k and $150k-plus.
The cream of Australia’s tuning community creations are assessed on classic performance indicators, including 0–100km/h acceleration time, quarter mile time, 100km/h–0 braking time, a dyno test and a track test.
International racing driver Warren Luff took care of circuit testing, while ANDRA Champion Darren Morgan performed the drag driving and master of stunt, rally and drift, Jack Monkhouse, was on hand for sideways vehicle testing.
The $75k–150k category was highly competitive, with 13 of Australia’s best tuned cars contesting the title.
Outright victory went to Harding Performance’s extensively modified Golf R, while the Lotus Exige S prepared by Simply Sports Cars claimed second place.
Simply Sports Cars Lotus Exige S
Wearing Toyo Proxes R888 in 215/45/ZR17 front and 275/35/ZR18 rear on wider, lighter wheels, the fettled 213kW Exige S impressed Warren Luff on track, lapping Sydney Motorsport Park’s south circuit in a blistering time of 1:03.2.
With fewer modifications than the class winner, the out-of-the-box track performer Exige was surgically sharpened, with carefully selected parts complementing rather than redefining Lotus’s design.
Luff said that the Exige felt planted and composed.
“These cars are nimble and edgy on the limit, and these guys have done a great job of extracting a bit more performance,” he explained.
“The one thing you notice is how much torque the engine has – through the tight stuff you can use third gear instead of revving the engine in second, which is nicer to drive and less edgy than you’d expect. They’ve improved the handling without making it nervous.”
City Performance Centre Mercedes A45 AMG
The Lotus was not the only Toyo-shod car at the top end of proceedings.
Claiming fifth place was the City Performance Centre Mercedes A45 AMG, also wearing Toyo Proxes R888s.
The sticky 19 inch R888’s propelled the 225kW, black on black AMG to 100km/h in 4.2 seconds. Getting around the track in 1:04.40, Warren Luff complimented the CPC Merc’s lateral grip and well-thought-out suspension set-up.
KPM ‘Streetfighter’ HSV Clubsport
KPM’s ‘Streetfighter’ HSV Clubsport claimed sixth place overall.
Driving to Sydney from Adelaide on Toyo T1 Sports, the KPM team put stickier Toyo Proxes R888s on the back before rolling the VF onto the track.
The fresh Toyo Proxes R888s had their work cut out for them, with the supercharged 6.2-litre LS3 monster spinning up a smoke screen-capable 410kW to claim first place in the dyno portion of testing.
Registering a very respectable 11.9 seconds over the quarter mile, the Streetfighter also managed to put a big smile on Luff’s face during circuit testing.
“That lowdown torque is the strong point of this car. Once the revs get up it really wants to break traction, but it’s surprising how well it uses the torque out of all the slow stuff,” he said.
“As for fun factor, this thing is right up there.”
Toyo Proxes R888 are a D.O.T approved track tyre solution. On-road handling, water drainage and straight line tracking add up to a competitive tyre that you can drive to the track, then use on it.
With the results of the Toyo Tires Hot Tuner Challenge’s sub-$75k and $150k-plus class to be published in the September edition of Motor Magazine, the outcome of the competitive $75k–150k class demonstrates Toyo Tires’ renowned performance on the track and the street when matched with high performance vehicles.
Toyo Tires Hot Tuner Challenge Results ($75k–150k class)
1. Harding Performance VW Golf R
2. Simply Sports Cars Lotus Exige S
3. Hi Torque Performance Holden VF SS-V
4. Tekno Mercedes A45 AMG
5. City Performance Centre Mercedes A45 AMG
6. KPM Streetfighter HSV Gen-F Clubsport
7. Evolve Technik Audi A5
8. Tunehouse HSV Clubsport R8
9. OzTrack Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8
10. Tunehouse Nissan 370Z
11. VAR Design BMW X5
12. Herrod Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8
13. Harrop Engineering HSV GTS (DNF)
