MEHL BROS NORTHSIDE 4X4
I suppose that its time to fill you all in on the spoiler at the bottom of ‘Silvers’ blog (if you haven’t already read it, check it out here ….). One morning while I was sitting at my desk I received a call about a TRD supercharged engine for sale. Initially, I had no interest in sale.. until suddenly a light bulb lit up and I called the owners of ‘Silver’, the extra cab Hilux which has featured in a previous blog. Although the extra cab was was running perfect and the customers very happy, we decided that the opportunity to have a turbocharged 1GR-FE and a supercharged one together in one family would be too cool an opportunity to pass up.
We started out by test driving the TRD engine in the donor vehicle and running it up on the dyno. On 35” tyres, it made 170RWKW, which was only slightly more than Silver was already making N/A. This figure was with an overdrive kit, Beaudesert 2.75” exhaust system and headers and XEDE chip. Based on the other TRD engines we have worked on in the past, we knew there was quite a bit of potential in this one over what it was already making. It also had really low K’s which was great and the car it came out of was pretty tidy. And the best bit, is that it came with the automatic transmission. It was only after much convincing that we were allowed to use the auto since the customer was a strictly manual only man.
The swap over of course began with us removing the engine, transmission, ECU and wiring loom from the donor vehicle, and the standard 1GR-FE engine, manual box, ECU and loom from Silver.
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As the TRD engine is dimensionally the same as the original (with some changes in the internals), everything bolted up nicely when we swapped it over.
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The automatic transmission is definitely a creature comfort which was well received in this project. The supercharger obviously makes the engine a lot torquier in comparison to when it was N/A and the auto just multiplies it.
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We initially contemplated running the XEDE chip supplied with the engine while getting it up and running but quickly decided that the Unichip, as always, would be the way to go. The Unichip on this vehicle controls fuel, timing and throttle (power/torque limiting). On the mild tune (for economy), we have used throttle control as one of the tuning parameters to limit the available power. The tunes are high octane, low octane, economy and valet mode. Because this vehicle is destined to go on some trips in the future, we wanted to ensure that we had the ability to cater to lower quality fuel if need be.
To better stop with the extra power, we upgraded the brakes to those off a Prado 120 Series. Prado brakes are much larger and have increased surface area; providing more friction. Due to their increased size they also have better heat dissipation. We chose to use RDA dimpled and slotted rotors and RDA extreme series pads. The Prado 120 Series calipers have also been rebuilt. This brake package was complimented with stainless braided brake lines. The Toyota Hilux is already a reasonably stable vehicle, but the upgraded brakes compliment this with an added element of safety. Overall the vehicle handles impeccably and feels not just capable and comfortable to drive but incredibly safe.
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Jamie took Silver out for its début testing trip one weekend to Toowoomba. The results were incredible, smooth drive with an abundance of power and torque. There were several V8 Cruisers trawling the streets on Saturday night in Toowoomba looking for some other vehicles to drag. After lining up next to them at the lights, they quickly heard the whine of the supercharger. It was all over then, and they didn’t want to play any more. One of our best findings on the trip is that for such powerful and responsive car, the fuel economy was fantastic at around 12L/100km on the way back.
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As a company who generally avoid conversions, we were shocked at how much we liked this one and now every staff members wants one! It is certainly unique being an automatic, supercharged extra cab and we don’t know of another one like it.
2016 Toyota Hilux Revo TRD Sportivo — 2016 Bangkok Live
Toyota’s range of TRD Sportivo models at the 2016 Bangkok International Motor Show also includes the Toyota Hilux Revo. The Toyota Hilux Revo TRD Sportivo is available only in extended cab and double cab body styles.
The Toyota Hilux Revo TRD Sportivo’s standard features include chrome front grille with Black Line, TRD Sportivo rear bumper, carbon kevlar front console with red line, synthetic leather and black fabric seats with red stitches and TRD logo, black door panel with carbon kevlar and synthetic leather, leather steering wheel with red stitches, black parking brake with red stitches on the cover, TRD Sportivo floor mat and red seat belts.
Toyota is also offering special accessories for the TRD Sportivo variant. These include LED daytime running lights, TRD Sportivo front skirt, TRD Sportivo side skirt, sport bar and bedliner, TRD Sportivo sticker. The standard features and special accessories vary as per the body style and trim level.
The Toyota Hilux Revo TRD Sportivo is powered by a 110 kW (150 hp) 2.4-litre diesel engine. The GD series engine produces 400 Nm of torque when had with the 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission, or 343 Nm of torque when had with the 5-speed manual transmission.
New Toyota Hilux TRD Sportivo introduced in Bangkok
Toyota Motor Thailand has just introduced its new Toyota Hilux Revo TRD Sportivo variants at the ongoing 2016 Bangkok Motor Show. The sportier exterior and interior kit is featured on the Hilux Double Cab Prerunner, Smart Cab Prerunner and Smart Cab 4×2 variants there.
Pricing has not yet been revealed, but as pictured here, the TRD Sportivo additions introduce a slew of new items to the latest Toyota Hilux pick-up range. Up front, there’s a new TRD-specific front bumper and a black, chromium front grille.
Other standard items include a set of 17-inch six-spoke spinning alloy wheels and a TRD Sportivo rear bumper. Additionally, buyers may spec-up their pick-ups further with a TRD Sportivo front skirt, LED daytime running lights, a unique sport bar and bedliner combo, and TRD Sportivo decals.
Inside, higher-spec TRD Sportivo variants feature synthetic leather seats, while the dashboard and door cards feature carbon kevlar-look materials with red trim highlights. The red stitching and synthetic leather extends to other areas in the cabin, including the steering wheel, gear level, parking brake and centre console box.
The sportier iteration of the Hilux also gets a special TRD Sportivo suspension, but apart from this, maintains the rest of its mechanicals.
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TRD Sport Therapy : For The New 2016 Toyota Hilux Revo
Purva Jain Jul 04, 2015 For Toyota Hilux Images User Reviews
KUALA LUMPUR: By seeing this off-road prototype of 2016 Toyota Hilux Revo TRD Sport, one thing is surely clear that a lot of effort has gone in crafting this sport master piece by Toyota. Unveiled at the Bangkok International Auto Salon 2015 ,which commenced on June 24-28 in Thailand, 2016 Hilux enjoyed its world premiere. The truck display looked like one stage prior to production.
As far as the engine is concerned, the new Hilux has got new turbocharged engines, the 2.8 liter 1GD-FTV and a 2.4 liter 2GD-FTV from the GD family, which will give it an enhanced performance. Also both Euro 4-compliant oil burners feature common-rail direct-injection, variable-nozzle turbos and exhaust gas recirculation. A stop/start system is also coupled with the engine.
The 2.8 liter version has 177 hp at 3,400 rpm and 450 Nm between 1,600 and 2,400 rpm as its output numbers, when paired with the new six-speed automatic transmission. As for the 2.4L variant, which spews 150 hp at 3,400 rpm and achieves a peak torque of 400 Nm between 1,600 and 2,000 rpm with the six-speed automatic gearbox.
The new Hilux, has got a very bold aura, which is contributed by a thicker and stronger frame, TRD front grill and sump guard, bumper cover, sport bar, overfenders and a spoiler on the tail gate. The wing mirrors have a carbon cover, which adds to the masculinity of this beast. Areas such as safety,comfort and convenience have also received a raise in the new Hilux.
This truck, which featured accessories like bespoke black grille, a front guard, tailgate spoiler, carbon fiber mirror caps, body graphics, side steps, shift knob, interior trims, off-road suspension, rear stabilizer bar, brake caliper kit, and a sports exhaust system with a carbon fiber pipe and provides the owner with six-speed intelligent manual and auto gear box, surely garbed the spotlight of the auto show.