Australia: TRD Aurion engine exceeds performance targets
Click for gallery of the TRD Aurion
It's no secret that in Australia, the cars seem to, well, rock. You've got the Holden Commodores, the Ford Falcons, the rodded-up stuff from HSV and FPV, a dizzying selection of Utes, and a fair amount of imported goodies from Europe and Japan. While we make do with the utterly blandtacular Toyota Camry, our Aussie friends get not only the Camry, but the locally-built Aurion. We reviewed an Aurion Sportivo SX6 back in April, and determined it to be a "great Camry" with demonstrably better looks at the end of the day. Something better's on the way, however.
TRD unveiled its forthcoming version of the car at the Melbourne show back in March, and this week announced that the performance of the engine it's developed for the TRD Aurion has exceeded the targets set for it. The 3.5L V6 gets force-fed via Eaton's new twin-vortices supercharger, which makes its production vehicle debut in this application. TRD's Australian arm hasn't released hard numbers yet, but indicates that the engine's planned output of 235 kW / 320 HP is among the specs that have been exceeded. Acceleration times are also likely to be better than expected, and it's all wrapped in the sweet-looking package shown above. Naturally, we'll never see it here. Sigh...
[Source: Toyota Australia]
Gallery: TRD Aurion
PRESS RELEASE:
TRD AURION ENGINE EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS
The supercharged V6 engine in the upcoming TRD Aurion has exceeded its performance targets, according to TRD chief engineer Stephen Castles.
Mr Castles said this included the power output target of at least 235kW for the supercharged 3.5-litre dual VVT-i V6 engine.
He said final acceleration times are even better than predicted when development began two years ago.
The TRD Aurion will be the first production car in the world to use the new Eaton twin-vortices supercharger (TVS) which was packaged locally by Melbourne-based Harrop Engineering.
Mr Castles said TRD engineers continually set tougher targets during the development stage.
He said the impressive results were achieved while maintaining Toyota's high levels of quality, durability and reliability (QDR).
"The total engine performance is definitely one of the key positives of the TRD Aurion package," Mr Castles said.
"The TVS unit has performed really well and definitely helped deliver the engine performance we need."
Mr Castles said the manufacturing of supercharger components was simplified as the Eaton-designed unit does not require an intercooler.
Eaton's new design substantially reduces engine noise and - unlike a turbocharger - improves power and torque across the entire rev range.
Mr Castles said the quality of the standard Aurion V6 engine was vital to the success of the TRD Aurion program.
"It was a great benefit to have such a well-designed, sophisticated and well-built engine to work with from the start," he said.
The Perth-based Orbital Engine Company assisted TRD with vital testing and component development.
"Our engine calibration partner Orbital was surprised at how well the components stood up after putting it through some rigorous testing.
"We see the collaboration with key local suppliers as crucial to maintaining the Toyota DNA of QDR," said Mr Castles.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Proud Japanese 9:50AM (6/20/2007)
They set a target of only 320hp for a twin supercharged 3.5L V6??? Pathetic.
Japanese automakers are getting those sort of figures NA.
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PeterB 10:00AM (6/20/2007)
Um, last i checked Toyota was Japaneese.
Ill bet this Supercharged V6 will finnaly have the low end grunt Toyota hasnt had since they killed the TT Supra.
jon benson 10:11AM (6/20/2007)
The VQ in the latest Gen 350z is 306hp NA and has the low down torque you speak of...
The old VQs were 400/400 if you bolted a supercharger on them.
Numbers must be wrong.
Pouya 5:36PM (6/20/2007)
I do prefer the VQ35HR (306bhp NA) over 2GR-FE, but "at least" 320hp is not as "pathetic" as it seems.
1. The article does not mention how much boost the supercharger is running, which is perfect positive correlation to engine power. It could be running low boost. You can most likely switch out belt to raise boost, but then that may decrease reliability and performance in numerous ways (engine, supercharger, transmission, mounts, lack of traction, etc.).
2. Power bump is "at least" 320hp, it could be more. At 320hp that is 52hp more than a normally aspirated 2GR-FE. Just as important, although it does not list how much of a increase in torque there will be, it will be statistically significant.
3. You cannot compare aftermarket superchargers to OEM/in-house tuning shop superchargers, because OEM/in-house tuning shop superchargers have different standards. Specifically, it needs to extract power without sacrificing "quality, durability and reliability" nor emission standards. Many aftermarket tuners don't care about emission standards and don't put enough long-term research and development to know whether its products are even durable or reliable and are more willing to risk reliability for power for marketing purposes.
Nellydesign 9:49AM (6/20/2007)
Looks like Ford isn't the only "stupid" manufacturer to relegate it's coolest and most powerful vehicles to countries other than the U.S. This looks worlds better and more aggressive than any Camry I've ever seen. But my question would be... 320+hp in a FWD package???
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Pouya 5:12PM (6/20/2007)
It has nothing to do with stupidity. There is a market for cars like the Holden Commodore, the Ford Falcon, and the Toyota Aurion in Australia. The U.S., however, is a different market, and consequently has different preferences, which affect a manufacturer's lineup. Different places have different markets. It is more difficult to sell a Ford F150 in Italy than in the U.S. Another example is the Toyota Mark X (known as the Reiz in China), which is available in RWD (6spd auto) or AWD and comes the 3.0 L 3GR-FE V6, but does not have an appropriate slot in the U.S. I think the current Camry appeals to the U.S. target audience better than the Aurion, and thus, it would be a bad business decision to REPLACE the Camry with with Aurion. For example, this design is too sporty for a mom. It would be a better idea to bring it over under a different name, but there might not be enough demand or an appropriate segment for Toyota to slot this car in.
anonymous Z27 10:05AM (6/20/2007)
WOW that camry is looking very nice, does it come wit 6 speed MT.... send it here but not as a lexus
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Christopher Watts 11:06AM (6/20/2007)
This is the Camry that the US should have, however, I'd rather have the Pontiac G8 from which is causing ALLOT of discussion on AutoBlog..but I have to admit, the looks of this car had me at TRD. Then of course, I got to the rear valance photo...iisssshhh. So I'm back to the G8.
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bmoredlj 11:06AM (6/20/2007)
If it IS FWD, I'd also wonder about torque steer and understeer in the 320-hp Aurion.
Pontiac mitigated both in its FWD, 303-hp Grand Prix GXP by giving it larger tires in the front than in the rear. Very specific tires, too.
Great name, though. AURION...
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Toy Yoda 11:26AM (6/20/2007)
Can someone tell me what the advantage is of using twin superchargers over just one bigger supercharger? (Aside from the fact that twin superchargers look cool in the engine bay.)
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BLS 11:38AM (6/20/2007)
It is one twin-scroll supercharger. You can see it in the engine picture.
dailyCarVideos 12:48PM (6/20/2007)
5th gear test drives Australian version of an upcoming Pontiac G8 - Vuxhaul VXR8 (Holden HSV GTS) sedan
http://dailycarvideos.com/2007/06/20/pontiac-g8-gxp-first-test-drive/
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GS 1:14PM (6/20/2007)
Looks like a pumped up Sonata.
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MikeW 1:19PM (6/20/2007)
So it is just the newest generation of the roots air pump. 4 lobe rotors.
http://www.eatonperformance.com/superchargers/TVS.html
Doesn't seem like it makes much boost, no intercooler.
Only 315hp. The camry can be at 275hp by moving to electric power steering and using 95 RON fuel.
Why didn't toyota just try to get ~300hp from a transverse 2gr-fse?
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godda9u 2:42PM (6/20/2007)
mmm...i wonder if the aurion's front bumper, hood and fenders can be interhange without much hussle to US version camry. i know my brother will love to do that
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chris 8:15PM (6/20/2007)
Toyota Australia already had a 300hp supercharged previous-gen Camry concept that the press said handled better than the (VZ) Commodores of the time. While this obviously won't be like driving around in a 911, it will most likely be at least as drivable as a Mazda 3 MPS (Mazdaspeed) and not a total piece of crap like the Astra VXR.
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jgp 5:17AM (6/21/2007)
I take it you mean the Vectra VXR, not the Astra VXR.
The Astra VXR isn't too bad as far as understeer/torque steer goes, but the Vectra VXR is an understeering death trap.
bcknkd 9:57PM (6/20/2007)
The fact is this supercharger is just bolted on at the factory. The engine isn't tougher to cope with the boost or extra power, hence they're only pulling 50hp more from it.
In Australia, the market for a 'performance' FWD sedan is going to be limited.
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anthony 7:26AM (7/02/2007)
i saw this at the melbourne motor show. its a very very veyr nice peice of kit. i really wish it was AWD however.
it wasa very small boost though.. less than 1Bar. but its enough to give it sone good go and speed. its not deisgned to be a nut job sports rocket.. its deisgned for a guy or girl who wants a ver ygood cheap sedan with some sporting cred "more than a sprotivo could offer" im all for it :)
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jgp 5:15AM (6/21/2007)
This looks (and I'm sure performs and rides) much better than the V6 Camry we get in the US.
I mean, the 2007 Camry's design is a vast improvement over that of the previous generations, but the fugly nose just ruins the whole thing. The Aurion takes the Camry's sporty side profile and roofline (which I actually like) and gives it vastly-superior front and rear ends.
If this were sold in the US, it would be the only vehicle in the Toyota marque sold in the US other than the FJ that I'd like.
This isn't the only cool Toyota that's not sold in the US, too. Toyota needs to shitcan the Lexus ES and bring the Mark X to the US. Same size and roughly the same price, but built on a far-superior platform (where the ES is a Camry with new styling and a much more luxurious interior, the Mark X is a Lexus IS stretched to the size of the ES/Camry). Toyota also needs to shitcan the Sienna and bring some of their cooler minivans to the US, particularly the beautiful Estima and the badass Alphard (not to mention their forward-control monster, the Hiace).
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