Toyota TRD aurion? Much to gloat about?

[RG]

Originally Posted by geckoGT

Have you driven a TRD or are you just guessing?

Judging by some of his other posts relating to non Ford vehicles in past threads, it's just a guess...

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[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by geckoGT

I really am quite impressed by ours, the build quality is impressive. Ours now has 95,000km's on it and I am sorry but it is ageing better than any of my BAI, BAII and BF vehicles. It has no rattles or sagging panels. The seats seem to wear a lot better as well.

The engine is a gem, pulls well from idle and if it was RWD many would be singing its praises. Let's face it, the real reason it did not take off in sales is because the Australian large performance market does not like FWD, no other reason.

Yours doesn't have 08 TRD or similar on the plates does it?

[zilo]

Saw another black one in perth yesterday,

stylish executive car without the looka- me, looka- me gawdy look.

It got up and boogied at the lights, easily flogged the kia rental i was in...

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

Yours doesn't have 08 TRD or similar on the plates does it?

No that is not us.

[Nikked]

A bit Euro, yeah?

[nstg8a]

I like that. That's the same as the one I followed through the car wash.

[FG50T]

Why do people say torque steer like it's a negative thing? It's a front wheel drive with no lsd and a lot of power? It's as normal as wheelspin on a xr6t.

[UberKnee]

They're really not a bad car. Just FWD is the devil to most Aussie car enthusiasts.

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by FG50T

Why do people say torque steer like it's a negative thing? It's a front wheel drive with no lsd and a lot of power? It's as normal as wheelspin on a xr6t.

Because oversteer is easier to induce , infinitely more controlable with throttle modulation , safer and a LOT more fun than understeering off into the boondocks with zero control over it . Just how many frontwheel drive dedicated racing cars are there ?

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by UberKnee

They're really not a bad car. Just FWD is the devil to most Aussie car enthusiasts.

Remove the words most and Aussies and this will be an accurate statement .

[Bossxr8]

They were actually quite good looking really.

Compare one of these to one of the current Aurion abortions.

[onemanempire]

Just been trawling through an old thread... on the TRD Aurion.

The below (by DFB FGXR6 at the end of this post) is the MOST accurate thing I have read so far, after 46 posts.

After owning one for a few weeks now I can advise on a number of things (positive) about my TRD that's a 2007 model with 120 kays on the clock.
The list is long...

The power delivery is very linear.
Torque steer demands your attention.. I can guarantee you won't be sending a text message to you other half while having your size 9 boot pinned to the firewall... and not bend it. That's a fact.

The gearbox is amazing in the respect of:
It is impossible to tell you have selected drive, from park when the engine is at operating temp. Smoothest trans engagement I have used... ALMOST. The smoothest was in a $220,000 V-10 M6 BMW. To be expected at that price point.
The downside to the trans is: it won't shift up when I command it. In "sports mode" it shifts up when it was callibrated to do so.. unlike the common dores or Falcons. My BA and FG up shifted upon command in sports mode, almost immediately.. as you guys know.

The ride is firm, not harsh. Considering the tyre size is 245/35/19 is to be expected I guess.
It does suffer from tram lining a bit.
Very comfy seats with excellent side support.
Brakes are fade free with excellent bite.
Steering is strange, heavy at lower speeds, and really light at higher speeds.. that doesn't make sense to me, but hey. It is what it is.

Did a major service last weekend which included:
oil + filter (need a special oil filter tool $24 to get the cartridge style cup off) unlike the good ol Z9 on the Falcs.
Cabin Filter
Air filter
Changed super charger oil
Fitted new plugs (rear bank was a learning curve, but do able)
Had the original Denso plugs fitted, didn't miss a beat. I changed them because the book recommends changing them @ 90,000 kms. I'm proactive, not reactive.


As DFB FGXR6 said, the engine / supercharger was developed by Prodrive.
Eaton TVS super...



Yes from memory they had a couple of units go bang early on, but never banged another after they reduced the rev limit.

It has no intercooler, as there was no room for it. Prodrive had just invented a new type of twin scroll TVS supercharger around the time the TRD was being developed that reduced the IAT's by changing the rotor angles to 120 degrees, reducing the drag, and friction, and most importantly, the inlet air temps (IAT's).

The brakes were designed by PBR Australia. The suspension was tuned at Sandown race track for a week. Has different shocks, springs, sway bars and a aluminum rear brace behind the rear bar for increased body stiffness.
I drove one when they were new, and I wanted one. I took it through the Gorge (read, big variety of high and low speed corners) and the TRD couldn't be faulted by me.
Yes, the traction control can be disabled for the current driving session via a complicated "pedal dance".



No I haven't tried it. Would be a waste of time, as the things lights up no problem until TC kicks in.


Just my two cents worth.

One Man

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

From memory, they reduced the rev limit from 6800rpm to 6200rpm after some early engine failures. I was assembled at a separate Prodrive factory in Melbourne.
The TRD Aurion got favourable reviews when new, most praise on the effortless power and capable brakes. They were an ok car, however the pricing placed them against the much more powerful, better looking and capable FPV/Ford and HSV/Holden rivals. The sort of buyer that would consider a Toyota in general wasn't likely to want a blingy supercharged, big wheeled and spoilered Aurion. The same thing happened to the 180kw Railliart Magna. For the price of one of those you could have a 220kw SS or XR8.It failed not because of its ability to handle 240kw at the front wheels, but because of its price and market conditions.

[onemanempire]

The links I posted for you tube failed...I'll try that again...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAmFQBmbErYCheers,One Man

[onemanempire]

and...how to disable the traction control One Man