This 600bhp Toyota C-HR Is A Shopping Car With A Massive Wing

If you had to name a current Toyota that could lap California’s Willow Springs Raceway faster than a McLaren 650S Spider or a Porsche 911 GT3, the quirky little C-HR probably wouldn’t be top of your list.

However, bring expert tuner Dan Gardner (aka DG-Spec) into the equation and things change. A lot. This is the C-HR R-Tuned, and according to the times on fastestlaps.com, it beat the Porsche and McLaren on that track – as well as the Nissan GT-R Nismo, for good measure.

Gone is the standard drivetrain, replaced with a fire-breathing 2.4-litre Toyota 2AZ-FE engine. Its four cylinders are blessed with forged Dezod internals and a titanium and Inconel valvetrain to withstand intense forces.

Add to that a DG-Spec Garrett turbo with the boost turned up to 11 (or 23psi, if you like) and you get over 600bhp. Absolutely mental.

Because it has so much torque, a simple and strong Toyota E-series five-speed manual gearbox does the business. Handling is boosted massively by an OS Giken limited-slip differential. Brembo brakes some 14 inches across do the stopping. DG-Spec Motion Control Suspension race-spec dampers make sure that this is no straight-line one-trick pony.

The tyres are hefty and semi-slick 275/35/R18 Toyo Proxes RR. Grip is aided further by around the huge rear wing and front splitter, which provide 130kg of downforce at ‘triple-digit speeds.’ It’s a proper little weapon, but don’t expect to see it making production any time soon…