Aurion TRD concept released

[Poetic Justice]

You kinda lost me on your last sentence there...

Does that mean you want me to suggest a FWD other than the Aurion that is enjoyable to drive?

[Polyal]

Yes but that is a full sized car, not an Intergra Type R or a Golf Gti. Remembering that an Aurion is bigger than a mondeo etc etc

[Poetic Justice]

So I suggest the Aurion then?

Having driven the Aurion Sportivo ZR6 the other day at Calder Park, with it's sports tuned suspension, 200kw motor, no torque steer, stability control and tractional control, even in damp conditions, I can genuinely say it was fun.. and this is coming from someone who has been out and experienced drifting, the import scene, owns a v8 rwd car and is usually quite critical of FWD cars up until now.

Just because there isn't a whole fleet of FWD competitors to it, doesn't mean it doesn't have its own capabilities as a car?

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by blackout

So I suggest the Aurion then?

Having driven the Aurion Sportivo ZR6 the other day at Calder Park, with it's sports tuned suspension, 200kw motor, no torque steer, stability control and tractional control, even in damp conditions, I can genuinely say it was fun.. and this is coming from someone who has been out and experienced drifting, the import scene, owns a v8 rwd car and is usually quite critical of FWD cars up until now.

Just because there isn't a whole fleet of FWD competitors to it, doesn't mean it doesn't have its own capabilities as a car?

Yeah Im not saying I know what the Aurion is like, you if anyone on here would know what its like.

Perhaps it is the revelation you suggest it is, Im just saying there is no other car in the world that I can think of that can back that up. The only one I can think of is a Ford Taurus SHO, and drive that thing on Gran Tursimo....(ok video games are not the best benchmark but you know what I mean)

IMO, FWD works for small and meduim cars, but for large cars I am yet to be swayed. Maybe its about time then.

Oh BTW, is the Aurion available yet? Im 99.9% sure I saw on on Bell Street today.

[1CrazeSR20]

You guys talk about Toyota and FWD like they need to change it to match the Australian Market.
You have to remember how global they are. Australia is a good sized market, but North America is much bigger.
Toyota is much more popular in North America then it is here (which surprises me only due to the closeness of the Motherland).
There are no "Fun" or "Sporty" big 4 door rear drive cars back home. There is no FPV, only SVT and they do mustangs and focus'. No HSV to create a segregation like there is here.
If its big, 4 doors, its either something my Grandma drives or is used by the police.
I should mention Chrysler is getting back to the RWD scene with their 300, Magnum and Charger. That is the first step from the continent to move from FWD back to RWD. Australia never left RWD. Maybe we'll catch back up to you guys with your neatly styled RWD drive powerfully fun family cars. Right now, the European's own that market.

Oh, have to remember that FWD is much better for the ones who have to drive in snow everyday! hehe.

[Poetic Justice]

Aurion's wholesale date is 30th October, there would be a few of them out and about as there is no advertising embargo on them like the Camry had when it was released in August or whenever it was.

We have an Aurion AT-X sitting in the showroom here, but I don't believe we'll see the rest of our Aurion's for this month (2 more AT-X, 1 Prodigy & 1 Sportivo SX6) until the 30th or the very beginning of November as they are sitting in Toyota's holding yards awaiting the wholesale date.

[Polyal]

Mate I agree, toyota, and now holden, think globally as they should. Australians sales are nothing but brownie points back home.

I think this is best the thing to come out in Oz for ages, in terms of the marketplace. Its either going to die a slow death, or prove alot of people wrong.

So far the board is:

Cars - 0 (Mitsu 380)

People - 1

[Ryan]

Looks nice and a 240Kw FWD would be fun. :

[1CrazeSR20]

Originally Posted by Polyal

So far the board is:

Cars - 0 (Mitsu 380)

People - 1

LOL, you guys really hate that 380!

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by Ryan

Looks nice and a 240Kw FWD would be fun. :

If you chuck it in reverse :P Done it once or twice in the TX5 and that only had 89kw.

[Poetic Justice]

I personally liked the 380 GT, was just a bit of a pity that at its pricing I could get something that I would enjoy more.

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

If you chuck it in reverse :P Done it once or twice in the TX5 and that only had 89kw.

Unlike Ford's traction control, the Toyota has traction control which cant be turned off inside the cabin.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by 1CrazeSR20

LOL, you guys really hate that 380!

See thats just the thing. I dont hate it, the public in general I guess does. Whether that was because of how it looks, goes, whatever it doesn't matter it just hasn't worked.

Personally if I was looking for a daily that I didn't particulary care about I would seriously think about a 380 GT/VRX. They look great. But thats it, oh and they would be a bargin about now or when Mistu shuts its doors...hmmm gotta love those closing down sales.

[LeadFoot81]

That thing reminds of the VE HSVs.
The dark plastic inserts adn general styling.
Are the rear exhaust tips that big on the production version?
As Borat would say- Niiiiiiice! =)

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by 1CrazeSR20

LOL, you guys really hate that 380!

Well isn't the povo spec faster than the the top spec. That's what I have heard. That's really not a good way to go!

[XR8-260]

Originally Posted by blackout

I personally liked the 380 GT, was just a bit of a pity that at its pricing I could get something that I would enjoy more.

Check out the article on drive.com.au. Mitsubishi is planning to introduce a supercharged version of the 380 with 230kw and 441Nm. As for the Aurion, I have no doubt that it would be a quality car - its more or less make or break considering how bad the avalon was.

[Poetic Justice]

It is, but Aurion's targets haven't been set too high and I don't think it will be hard for them to achieve it even without any retail sales.

[Joes_meat]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

Well isn't the povo spec faster than the the top spec. That's what I have heard. That's really not a good way to go!

Just like the BA XT and XR6.

Same engine, just a body kit and suspension. So, slightly more weight.

[vandrsxr6]

Thats were Holden got there VE body shape from. Rebadge and it and walla, you have a VE SS

[Sapper]

Originally Posted by blackout

Unlike Ford's traction control, the Toyota has traction control which cant be turned off inside the cabin.

Well, you can actually. Its just a seven step process. A mate of mine works at a major sydney toyota dealer and he's tried it.
That said, i've got a friend who i know from my corolla driving days. If you turn the traction off in the aurion he'd love to meet you. Oh, and his name is plough understeer... :

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by blackout

Unlike Ford's traction control, the Toyota has traction control which cant be turned off inside the cabin.

Proves that they are cars built for people with no driving ability whatsoever. They will soon be clogging the right lane doing 20 under the speed limit.

[Poetic Justice]

That's a pretty unfair statement really, to turn the traction control off is to insight that you want to break traction, which in Toyota's eyes would be seen as generally illegal and unsafe.

Toyota isn't about being boy racers.

[Falcon Coupe]

They will never learn, FWD is the only thing letting it down.

[AnthonyQLD]

Originally Posted by 05MkIIFutura

The sheila's dont look half bad either :dr_Evil:

I looked at them before I looked at the car :nutsycuck

[GT-E]

While I like the looks....

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by blackout

That's a pretty unfair statement really, to turn the traction control off is to insight that you want to break traction, which in Toyota's eyes would be seen as generally illegal and unsafe.

Toyota isn't about being boy racers.

The problem is Toyotas TC systems are usually way too conservative and cut in too early, ruining the fun. If they are to promote being a competitor to the big 2 with sports models such as the Sportivo then they need to provide cars that are fun to drive, not their usual fridges on wheels. I'm guessing a track day in a Toyota would be a dull experience.

[Poetic Justice]

Not sure how you can justify that but anyway...

From my experience in driving the Aurion Sportivo around the track, it was damp and that was the only reason it ever got any torque steer which was under full acceleration out of the chicane. In all of the dry spots it had no differences to driving a RWD car.

[Disco1986]

nah FWD sucks! toyota and mitsi need to learn that if they want to compete with ford and holden! Unless of corse the make AWD!

[Rev28K]

Originally Posted by blackout

Not sure how you can justify that but anyway...

From my experience in driving the Aurion Sportivo around the track, it was damp and that was the only reason it ever got any torque steer which was under full acceleration out of the chicane. In all of the dry spots it had no differences to driving a RWD car.

How did it go? Any lap times? Any expectation of what it would do in the dry? Any “pro” drivers out there on the day (i.e. Rick Bates).

Can you remember your speed at the end of the front straight? WRX’s and ITRs are getting up near 200kmh there. How where the brakes at the end of the front straight (Calder is one of the hardest circuits on brakes)? Braking at the 100m/75m mark?

How did it go in the little wiggle before Mt Jane? How about coming on to the front straight (where a lot of time is made/lost at Calder), did it feel okay there, a bit of push?

Is it's traction control like some of the Mazda onew which limit the torque at low speed/take off, then gradually get less and less intrusive at higher speeds?

FWD doesn't necessarily have to be a liability. Remember the 380 was quicker than a VZ SS through a magazine slalom test a year ago. I'd rather have a great example of FWD than a bad example of RWD. At Calder (a "power" circuit) my little FWD is prob only a second or so slower than a stock GT.

[Poetic Justice]

Sorry mate, I'm not a professional driver and I've never stated I was. I was out as part of training with the company I work for - and I was more focused on comparing vehicles and experiencing vehicles than recording race statistics.

What I can say is what I have already said, driving the Aurion was more enjoyable around the track than the 3 other cars I drove.

Further to that, I don't know why race statistics came into this? I never indicated anything about racing or it's ability to get to a certain speed on a straight, I was making a comment on the car in question.

Why must you come in and drop all your racing mumbo jumbo to make yourself look good?