Drive’s Tuned channel is back for the 2013 season and for its first web-episode, Matt Farah drove a Scion FR-S tuned by Canada’s VCMC and Shift Autosport for the U.S. northern neighbors’ Scion Tuner Challenge.
Everyone who has reviewed the FR-S/Toyota GT86 has so far agreed that, while it handles well, it is underpowered. A turbocharger that ups power to 350-horses, 320 of which allegedly make it to the rear wheels, fixes that issue while a lighter flywheel improves the engine’s willingness to rev.
Apart from the front splitter and the huge rear wing, the FR-S received minor modifications, as the tuner’s original goal was to keep the stock car’s driving dynamics intact.
So they replaced the stock suspension with a KW coilover kit and the front brake discs with AP Racing units and fitted 17×9-inch alloys wrapped in 245mm-wide tires all around – and that’s about it.
Despite the modest tuning, the modifications add $20k to the stock Scion coupe’s US$25,000 price. Depending on your point of view, $45k may be over the top or a reasonable price for a 350hp track car that can also be driven every day.
You can watch the tuned FR-S tested on the track in the video after the jump.
By Andrew Tsaousis
VIDEO