Also thrown in is an 80mm throttle body from a big Toyota V8, a pair of tubular three-into-one headers (that still include high-flow close-coupled cats), a big beefy exhaust, and a top-fed panel intake filter breathing through the stock X-Runner hood scoop. Fuel and engine management are controlled through multiple custom Toyota ECUs, piggybacked to run the six 410cc/min injectors in the stock manifold bosses, two additional injectors (prior to the compressor), e-throttle, plus enough data acquisition, communications and signal processing channels to run a Mars Rover.
The big headache with any Roots-type blower is cooling. Mechanically compressing 400bhp-worth of air generates a lot of heat. Air-to-air intercooling is not practical, so TRD has deployed a massive liquid-to-air intercooler system with added pumps, lines, reservoirs, and a massive heat exchanger stuffed into the grille to help the system cope-which it does even under summer conditions at the track.
It's not the big power numbers, though, that brought out the Curious George in me. It's how much Toyota's engineers were able to accomplish with just minor tweaks to the chassis. From the outset, TRD had its crosshairs set on beating the Nissan 350Z in handling. With only the addition of stiffer bushings and anti-roll bars, wheels and tires, and a pre-loaded gear-type limited-slip differential, TRD's X-Runner is able to turn g numbers comparable to-or better than-a stock Supra or 350Z. And it's only lowered less than one inch, with stock spring rates on revalved dampers.
Even with such handling prowess, it still drives like a truck. The huge torque, 6000rpm rev limit, and a center of gravity high enough to limbo under are constant reminders of the X-Runner's hauling heritage while tearing through a 100mph sweeper. Every driving instinct is in full conflict as you turn the quick-ratio steering, strapped into a bucket Recaro with a roll hoop over your head while sitting several feet higher than any sport compact. It's still not my cup of tea, but it's the closest any truck has come. Toyota and TRD have pulled off an amazing feat.
For the closet truck-loving reader, TRD won't be offering the 400bhp version of the supercharger kit, but will offer the same blower tuned to 310 ponies on pump gas. Everything else (suspension and cosmetics) is still in the works, but as far as I can tell, the potential is there.
By Courtesy of Toyota
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