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