Toyota TRD aurion? Much to gloat about?

[JC]

Good on him for being proud of it. I have a 2008 Mitsu 380 which is quicker than a NA XR6 of the same year (0.1 quicker to 100). Does it torque steer? Yep. Is it predictable? Yep. Does it handle well? Yep. I went from an AU2 XR8 220 auto to this thing, and i don't really miss the XR (OK, I do miss the V8 sound, but that's what the ED is for).

The TRD Aurion is possibly the fastest ever Aussie built FWD sedan - a claim to be proud of, I'd say. Certainly quicker than the HSV Ladas from a few years ago....(which may have been 4WD).

[UberKnee]

Originally Posted by Dash_XR

But the reasons for their demise aren't linked or even similar. The TRD was never popular and look how the BA Turbo took off. If the TRD car went under for the same reasons as the falcon then it would be ironic. It was just a bad idea.

True, but the basic fact of both cars coming to an end because nobody buys/bought them is still there. The Falcon was a great idea in the 60s-90s. In the current day and age when nobody buys large cars anymore and have moved on to small cars and SUVs it was always foolish to invest 99% of Ford Aus attention into a sinking ship.

[Express]

Originally Posted by JC

Good on him for being proud of it.

You're 100% right, there is nothing wrong with being proud of your car.

The Aurion isn't bad by a long shot and its base model the Camry has sold a motza, so like them or not there is something happening there.

One thing I have learnt over the years though, is when I'm out socialising and someone asks me about my car, they don't really want to hear about it. They are just being polite and acknowledging you have a nice ride, they don't wish to be bored by your enthusiasm. All I usually say is it's running well and I'm happy with it.

My neighbour can talk for hours about his Aurion and VN without drawing breath and have absolutely nothing of interest or credibility to say.

Moral of the story, know your facts, know when to stop, know your place and generally leave the car talk to like minded fans and not at neighbourhood gatherings. The workplace and the like included.

Even in my younger days when I had a lot of car minded friends, when we would argue Ford verse Holden the conversation would only last 15 to 20 minutes before we'd move on to talking about rooting, drinking, footy or whatever.

Is the TRD Aurion something to gloat about, no unless you are with other TRD Aurion owners. I know for sure I'm not interested.


.

[DJR-351]

Jesus what the hell are you lot yapping on about?.....some car or some guy gobbing off about a car.....don't you lot anything better to do on a Sunday.....

[uniacidz]

For what it is on the road, I reckon they are decent cars.

Always known Aurions and TRD Aurions as turbo killers.
Their 'from standstill to initial acceleration' is really good and can certainly munch any unsuspecting or lazy XR6T or V8 driver on the real road.

Basically, absolutely nothing wrong in gloating bout ya car, its when you can only wear your own goggles and blinded by other cars that should be respected is when it tough to chew

[PepeLePew]

I know there is a phobia, ironic that Ford are certainly one of those manufacturers leading a charge to get FWD under control, and have some excellent examples of performance vehicles to show how WELL they can be reined in

A basic Aurion feels VERY quick. And is for what it is. But suffers from typical Toyota whitegood fluffy steering. The TRD, which I had a quick squirt in tho it was a higher km one, suffered from the same disconnection with what was happening on the road. And, IMHO, the interior, while the exterior was pretty ok, was HIDEOUS. Well back then anyway....

It was a decent attempt but just didn't tick all the boxes if you really wanted a 'performance' option

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by Dash_XR

More like the VF looks like a camry as that thing was out long before the VF.

I reckon they looked ok (especially in white) but front wheel drive V6? No thanks.

Yep .... thats what I meant. Either the Camry has aged wonderfully or the VF is quite a few years old in design already. I think its the latter.

[zilo]

2007 was the year that everyone was playing with superchargers.

No lag, instant torque, simply bolt on to stock internals with 7 psi boost from near idle.

The fastest FWD production car ever made in Australia wasn't the TRD Aurion.

It was the Mitsubishi TMR380.

The TMR380's were all prepped by Peter West from ralliart in melb.
He is the man responsible for the Godzillas that blew all the V8's at Bathurst to the point that they banned them...
Sprintex Supercharged, auto, huge Alcon brakes (front and rear, not just painted red like some),quaife limited slip differential, Koni shocks and springs from factory.
19 inch Advan sport Yokohamas as stock.

0-100 in 5.7s with 440nm which wasnt bad in 2007....and still isn't.

But they only built 20 of them so rarely seen.

Sorry to say to the FWD haters but it's a damn fast superb handling car with no torque steer.

[GQ_Smooth]

Don't mind the TRD or the TMR, both are great cars. There are just better things out there for the same money that do the job better IMO. Was looking at an Aurion TRD a few years ago for the novelty value and mild sleeper look. Still asking EVO/HSV/FPV money for them when they aren't in the same league.

[duaned]

[zilo]

^^^

Not all FWD cars torque steer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsttyo_dH6w

[mik]

What sticks in my mind about the trd aurion was in the media about them blowing up, As for front wheel drives purportedly having no torque steer............. by all means turn the traction control or any other electronic aids off and re evaluate those statements again .
Who was that masked man that said magnas dont torque steer? .......... I hired on of the late ones for a trip to sydney and evaluated the **** out of it, while it wasn't bad to drive on hard take offs I certainly found it wanting to steer me up onto the footpath before the traction control cut it, some of you front wheel drive guys are in denial.

[RG]

Originally Posted by mik

What sticks in my mind about the trd aurion was in the media about them blowing up, As for front wheel drives purportedly having no torque steer............. by all means turn the traction control or any other electronic aids off and re evaluate those statements again .
Who was that masked man that said magnas dont torque steer? .......... I hired on of the late ones for a trip to sydney and evaluated the **** out of it, while it wasn't bad to drive on hard take offs I certainly found it wanting to steer me up onto the footpath before the traction control cut it, some of you front wheel drive guys are in denial.

Either that or we've driven well set up FWD's and you haven't.

[TheSneakiness]

LOL @ FWD lovers and haters.

Three things I remember about the TRD Aurion
- Expensive compared to XR6T
- Engine blow ups
- The fact that the media stated it would smash the equiv XR6T standard for standard.

[2011G6E]

Our son has a 2005 Aurion...and, to be embarrassingly honest, it's a good drive.

Sure, it's "white goods on wheels", but it's comfortable, roomy, the 200kw through the front wheels is pretty damn powerful and feels it, and I've never noticed torque steer (and several times in the past I drove a mates near new Telstar TX5 Turbo, so I know torque steer when I feel it...).
It's not an "exciting" drive, but it does everything it claims on the box, handles adequately, and goes hard enough and overtakes very well at highway speeds.

I think it annoys some people that the staggering majority of buyers either wouldn't know or wouldn't care which end is doing the driving...getting the tail out is very very low on most drivers priorities...

The TRD was a great car...but overpriced possibly for our market.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Rapid_Axe

L
- The fact that the media stated it would smash the equiv XR6T standard for standard.

What. The only comparison I remember of the TRD Aurion and the BF XR6 Turbo was quite embarrassing for the TRD, the BF ripped it a new one for 10k less. The TRD wasn't even close in terms of acceleration times, and the torque steer and interfering traction control which you can't press a button and turn off made it a slug on the twisty stuff too, cause it was constantly working and slowing the car whenever you wanted to go faster.

[Nikked]

At the end of the day, its just a bloke who has pride in his purchase...the fact that its a unique local built product is even better.

Kudos.

[zilo]

Originally Posted by Nikked

At the end of the day, its just a bloke who has pride in his purchase...the fact that its a unique local built product is even better.

Kudos.

Best post in the whole thread.

[nstg8a]

My neighbour has one of the Trd hiluxes and he loves it. I been in it a couple of times and it certainly goes all right, if I was in the market for a sportyish SUV it would be on my list. Drinks worse than my fairlane but.

Personally I think its great people have pride in their cars, no matter what they are.

[King Dribble]

We all have opinions based on all sorts of information, whatever, I like em.

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by duaned

image

Sit up all night doin' this?

Don't know about torque steer ... drunk driver perhaps?

[In Focus]

Originally Posted by RG

Either that or we've driven well set up FWD's and you haven't.

Either that or we have stronger wrists.

[b0son]

Originally Posted by RG

Either that or we've driven well set up FWD's and you haven't.

To be fair, if you turned off the TC on an Aurion, it really was a bit of a pig. One friend described it is nearly undriveable.

[jamies]

They're a good car if that's what your into. I work at Toyota and the TRD was a big fail. To expensive and the market share wasn't there. Unfortunately a lot of things are not available anymore or really expensive to replace. Bland styling but I know a few guys with them and they love them.... So each to there own.

[mik]

Originally Posted by RG

Either that or we've driven well set up FWD's and you haven't.

you might be right, but even the well set up ones that supposedly according to the manufacturer are supposed to have little or no torque steer some how during road tests still seem to exhibit some torque steer, by all means name some well set up ones and I will find some road tests, if I can't find any, I guess i'll have to eat humble pie(wouldn't be the first time) .
I'm not **** canning the FWD cars, I have driven plenty of them(though nothing medium or big in size in recent years), some of them are fun, I even owned one, but you still steer and drive the front wheels ........ under power over different road surfaces, I don't see how it is possible that you won't get torque steer, happy to be proven wrong though.

[zilo]

Originally Posted by mik

you might be right, but even the well set up ones that supposedly according to the manufacturer are supposed to have little or no torque steer some how during road tests still seem to exhibit some torque steer, by all means name some well set up ones and I will find some road tests, if I can't find any, I guess i'll have to eat humble pie(wouldn't be the first time) .
I'm not **** canning the FWD cars, I have driven plenty of them(though nothing medium or big in size in recent years), some of them are fun, I even owned one, but you still steer and drive the front wheels ........ under power over different road surfaces, I don't see how it is possible that you won't get torque steer, happy to be proven wrong though.

You can never get rid of TS, but you can get rid of 90% of it with a decent LSD.

Then again it really isn't pretty watching a RWD fishtail all over the road either is it? (unless it's justified as "fun")

Like my kid says...

in a FWD you see the tree coming straight at you.
in a RWD you never see the tree coming until it wacks you.

@mik-if you want to see an example of a FWD that doesn't have much TS and has as much power as a stock F6 then have a look in the non-ford members threads....I own one.

[Dash_XR]

I wonder what would of happened if it had of been RWD and twin turbo?

[Syndrome]

The only problem with the TRD products is they are missing the letter u.

[BadMax]

I love bagging others peoples choices in life. It makes my inferiority complex that much easier to live with...

[4stanger]

Originally Posted by zilo

You can never get rid of TS, but you can get rid of 90% of it with a decent LSD.

Then again it really isn't pretty watching a RWD fishtail all over the road either is it? (unless it's justified as "fun")

Like my kid says...

in a FWD you see the tree coming straight at you.
in a RWD you never see the tree coming until it wacks you.

@mik-if you want to see an example of a FWD that doesn't have much TS and has as much power as a stock F6 then have a look in the non-ford members threads....I own one.

Torque steer = the new age fish tail