2020 Toyota Avalon TRD Pro Concept Will Beat A Supercar Around Willow Springs

This year’s SEMA Show hosts one seriously hardcore family car in the Avalon TRD Pro Concept. In order to turn the Japanese 4-door into a true beast, Toyota Racing Department (TRD) teamed up with Dan Gardner Spec (DG-Spec), and created the world’s quickest full-size FWD sedan

In fact, its lap time of 1:25.3 at Willow Springs makes the Avalon TRD Pro Concept quicker than a Porsche 911 Carrera or an Audi R8 around the 1.8-mile track.

“Avalon has been an amazing car for Toyota, but let’s face it, it’s never really shed its family sedan image…until now,” said Toyota marketing exec Ed Laukes. “For this Avalon TRD Pro Concept, our intention was to do some serious perception-busting. It’s a street car for the race track. Sports cars beware!”

Right from the start, the folks at DG-Spec treated this project like a professional racing program, taking the car to the track no fewer than ten times at four different venues, which isn’t at all common for a SEMA concept vehicle.

The car’s 3.5-liter V6 engine gained a custom cold air intake and a 3-inch Burns Stainless steel exhaust, bumping output to an estimated 330 HP. To further aid performance, a custom Super-Lock limited-slip differential was installed, while the Tundra factory transmission cooler and an electric pump helped keep heat in check – opening up the front grille some more helped with that too.

Other performance mods include the DG-Spec Motion Control Suspension (MCS) coilovers with remote reservoirs and 3-way adjustability, the adjustable DG-Spec/Progress rear camber arms with a Progress adjustable rear stabilizer, 275/35R18 Goodyear Supercar 3R tires, aluminum uprights from a RAV4, Stoptech ST40 brake kit with four-piston calipers, duck bill spoiler, bespoke vented carbon fiber hood, custom 18×9-inch Lacks wheels with full carbon barrels and billet aluminum faces, and more.

Also read: Toyota Details Sporty-Looking Camry And Avalon TRD

When it was all said and done, the 2020 Toyota Avalon TRD Pro Concept managed to shed nearly 150 lbs (68 kg).

“I love the Avalon TRD Pro Concept, it behaves as a performance car should. You turn the wheel and the car turns, you get on the brakes and the car stops, you get on the gas and the car goes! I could run laps around Sonoma all day in this car,” stated former pro stock car driver, Michael Waltrip.