This Modified Toyota MR2 Is An 850-HP Hillclimb Winning Monster

The Toyota MR2 may need been a preferred mid-engine sports activities automotive for the model, however it was not a powerhouse mannequin. Pieter Zellie doesn’t specify the “few” modifications he has made to his two-door Toyota to make it quicker, however they had been sufficient to permit him to win the Knysna Simola Hillclimb in South Africa.

The automotive makes use of a modified turbocharged 3.5-lite engine that powers the rear wheels, whereas a lot of his rivals used all-wheel-drive race automobiles. The engine makes a reported 850 horsepower (625 kilowatts). The ground of the Toyota, which Zellie calls “over-designed,” is constituted of carbon fiber and Kevlar and actually helped enhance the automotive’s aerodynamics, which “reworked the automotive.”

Zellie started racing in 1996 after he purchased a Cobra, hitting the drag strip and setting information. He then moved to trace racing. What began as a pastime has became far more than that, with even his wife becoming a member of him on the race observe. He now spends his time enhancing the automotive, which he says helps maintain him sane.

That features having his crew full its personal R&D for the car, together with the aerodynamics. The automotive has improved by greater than two seconds with aero upgrades – and the automotive has but to spend time in a wind tunnel. That’s why he believes there’s extra room for enhancements with its aerodynamics.

The automotive additionally had a novel firewall that wanted particular approval from the FIA, whereas Pirelli tires with a particular hillclimb compound offered its grip. Zellie says he’s all the time beloved velocity, and the mid-engine MR2 race automotive is an extension of that enjoyment. It doesn’t sound like improvement is stopping as Zeelie additionally believes the MR2’s engine has much more potential, too, making much more horsepower and torque, although he didn’t elaborate. Perhaps 1,000 hp is feasible?