Click above for high-res gallery of the Toyota Aygo Crazy
What happens when you take a mundane Toyota Aygo microcar and mate it to the go-fast parts of a Toyota MR2? You get the Aygo Crazy (Get it? I-Go-Crazy). While this one-off concept will never see production, it does offer us car nuts some insight as to what fun manufacturers can have with automotive inbreeding and some serious coin.
At best, the stock Toyota Aygo putts around with a 1.0-liter gasoline engine under its front hood that is good for about 67 horsepower, and a 14-second crawl to 60 mph. The engineers at Toyota spent about £100,000 (close to $200,000) ripping the wheezer out and replacing it with a mid-mounted turbocharged 1.8-liter engine. With the new powerplant cranking out 197 horsepower, and a manual transmission sending it to the rear wheels, the 2,200-pound Aygo Crazy sprints to 60 mph in less than 6 seconds. If the go-pedal is held to the floor, the genetic experiment will top out at an estimated 127 mph.
Not to leave the job half-done, Toyota flared the bodywork and added a wheel/tire package to accommodate the power. The interior has been fitted with a cage, racing seats, harnesses and a Sparco steering wheel. The seats and doors have also been trimmed in suede and leather. According to those who have driven the Aygo Crazy, the balance of the car has been upset with the engine now mounted over the rear wheels. Snap oversteer is the rule -- much like in another econocar-turned-mid-engine-monster from 1990.
UPDATE: Full gallery of high-res pics and official press release from Toyota added.
[Source: Toyota]
PRESS RELEASE
'AYGO CRAZY' CONCEPT CAR TO MAKE WORLD PREMIERE AT LONDON MOTOR SHOW
KEY POINTS
- A one-off concept designed for pure driving fun
- Built to be driven, not just for show
- Rear-mounted engine generates 200 DIN hp and 240Nm of torque
- Hand-crafted bodywork and 17-inch alloy wheels
- World debut at next month's British International Motor Show
Making its public debut at the British International Motor Show in London, Aygo Crazy is a one-off model, a "shopping supercar" that takes Aygo's essential qualities to the limit. Owing more to the spirit of Group B rallying rather than D1 drifting, this is a car that is all about the joy of driving: with no electronic handling aids, no power steering and no ABS, it is like a kart with doors and a roof.
Recognisably an Aygo, it clearly packs more muscle with its custom-made body, 17-inch alloys and beefy Goodyear 225/45 rubber. There is even a direct link to Toyota's sporting heritage as Aygo Crazy's carbon fibre rear wing is a part taken directly from the 200mph race cars in the American Champ Car series.
Aygo Crazy is fettled with the Toyota 1.8 VVT-i unit that powered the final generation Celica and MR2 Roadster, rear-mounted and driving the rear wheels through the Roadster's five-speed manual gearbox. The addition of a Toyota Motorsport turbo conversion kit boosts power output to 200DIN hp and torque to 240Nm.
Compare the performance to the 68 DIN bhp and 93Nm mustered by the standard road-going Aygo and you gain some idea of just what a different kind of machine this is.
To cope with the greater engine performance, a bespoke cooling system has been designed, with a huge, front-mounted aluminium radiator – ideal for those endless, tyre smoking, crowd pleasing donuts.
Weighing in at just 1,050kg, Aygo Crazy is capable of 127mph (est), but speed is not its defining quality: this is a machine that exists to be responsive and alive to the driver's commands, to put smiles on the faces of those inside and outside the car.
The suspension is from the MR2 Roadster, with MacPherson struts front and rear. Adjustable Tein dampers sharpen dynamic performance and the front and rear track are one inch wider than on a standard Aygo.
The cabin, finished by specialist coachtrimmers O'Rourke, features purpose-built sports seats with four-point safety harnesses and a full roll cage.
With its bold Aygo Crazy decals and T2 4YGO (turbocharged, two-seat Aygo) number plate, Aygo Crazy will be hitting the show circuit – and the open road – this summer, proving that while this Aygo may be crazy, it's a memorable madness.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
FotoGenetix @ Jun 12th 2008 1:38PM
i like it 3SGTE ftw
hashiryu @ Jun 12th 2008 1:44PM
I don't think it is a 3S, I believe it is a turbo'd MR-S motor.
One question, why is this 2200lbs? seriously....
That being said, why is this not in limited production as a cup car or something of the sort?
Nice.
Raider007 @ Jun 12th 2008 1:45PM
wait... $200k to put an MR2 engine + RWD in an Aygo?
that seems rather high...
BLS @ Jun 12th 2008 1:55PM
My guess is that someone finally got enough money to pay for the rest of her medical school with a bunch of that money.
Travis @ Jun 12th 2008 2:21PM
ummmm, think about labor hours to custom build a car... start with the cost of the parts (some stock, some 1-offs like the body kit), and add in design, FEA analysis, assembly, testing, modification, etc. labor ain't cheap, and neither are custom parts...
pmiddle5 @ Jun 12th 2008 3:25PM
Completely wtf'n with you.
4agze @ Jun 12th 2008 1:53PM
why use a 1zzfe? why not a 2zzge! anyways very nice toyota is showing again why they are #1
Keat @ Jun 12th 2008 1:54PM
That body kit is ugly...those fender flares are way over done
Richard @ Jun 12th 2008 1:55PM
i like the mid engine, RWD, low weight, and hatchback combo.....i really do but F**K is that thing ugly....only Toyota, but i give them credit for doing that
Richard @ Jun 12th 2008 1:59PM
Richard,
Toyota doesn't know from ugly. Now, Subaru, there is a Zapatinas Doctorate in ugly with a capital F in front.
This thing, IMHO, would be a great grocery getter here in Providence...and an even better one with the aforementioned brand's AWD to help bring home the bacon in the winter.
I'll take one!
FotoGenetix @ Jun 12th 2008 1:56PM
oh right its not a 3S...1ZZ? meh
Dustin @ Jun 12th 2008 1:58PM
What's the point? It weighs more and doesn't perform as well as the MR2. It's a $200,000 step backwards.
Karan Shah @ Jun 12th 2008 2:14PM
I've been wondering for most of the past two years what a small car gone wrong would look like. I now know.
On a side note, I also have a new dream city car.
Joe Blow @ Jun 12th 2008 2:18PM
It looks like that thing Urkel used to drive...
Joshua @ Jun 12th 2008 2:20PM
looks hot! $200k seems a bit steep tho...
Red @ Jun 12th 2008 2:34PM
Eh, somebody let me know when they put a 2JZ in the IQ...
Pacman @ Jun 12th 2008 2:55PM
looks fun but it is really ugly. Reminds me of the car fad of using super wide small wheels that stuck out the sides of mini-trucks and crap econo-boxes. Rememder that? Do people still do that?
almost Dr. G.. @ Jun 12th 2008 7:42PM
in costa rica they do.. i just saw a new miata mx-5 with that bs done to it... and they were tiny 14's or so on all 4 wheels sticking out. lol.. poor guy..
Walter P @ Jun 12th 2008 3:09PM
At least we know Toyota engineers are still allowed to have fun at work.
John McPherson @ Jun 12th 2008 4:01PM
Shades of the LeCar. Renault has been there and done that.