Sure, the fresh 2.4L boxer that gives the 2022 Toyota GR86 more power and extra torque—the previous car had a 2.0L unit—is neat, but why not fit a good old 2JZ under the hood and throw in a monstrous turbo for good measure?
Japanese pro drifter Daigo Saito couldn’t find a suitable answer to the question, so he proceeded to gift the second-generation Toyobaru with the said hardware.
We could say the 41-year-old athlete did this out of habit, having pulled similar stunts with the other machines produced by the Japanese Carmaker’s GR (Gazoo Racing) sub-brand, the Mk V Supra, and even the little GR Yaris.
The sliding master whose career involves multiple seasons in both America’s Formula Drift and his home country’s D1 Grand Prix, was among the first (if not the first) to put the iconic 3.0-liter straight-six inside those toys and it looks like things are not different with the second-gen Toyobaru—the collab with the automotive producer is obviously the key here.
For now, Saito has shared a pair of photos showcasing the build on his Instagram page and we can see a stripped-out blue example accomodating the 2JZ (the valve covers are off), which, of course, works with a massive turbocharger.
Expect at least a thousand horsepower
The Garrett turbo, which is larger than a human head, spares nothing in its effort to deliver some serious boost, which is why, sticking to the body parts comparo, its exhaust is no longer than a forearm, exiting the front fender above the wheel via an oval tip.
As indicated by the tag bonanza of the post, other tech bits adorning the project involve the Wisefab suspension, which brings the generous steering angle required for drifting, Works wheels, Bride bucket seats, and many others.
Oh, and let’s not overlook the Pandem/Rocket Bunny widebody kit, a piece showcased by its maker, Tra Kyoto, this fall—back then, we only received some renderings of the radical aero package, which is why we’ve added an YouTube clip below that showcases the first real-world build (note that this SEMA-showcased machine isn’t related to Saito’s stable).
The pro driver is naturally doing this in order for the sportscar to deliver the kind of performance demanded by competitions such as the ones mentioned above, but he also took the time to remind us that the Toyota is a great slip angle tool straight out of the box: check out the second Insta post below, which shows him manhandling a base GR86 in a pretty tight environment—hey, look, steelies!
