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Toyota Altezza


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#21
eddieusj

Posted 25 November 2010 - 07:14 PM

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ALTEZZA Convoy - Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race















#22
eddieusj

Posted 26 November 2010 - 08:31 AM

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And MORE pics...








-- sleep.gif pic removed by mod --



Edited by eggvolks, 02 December 2010 - 07:48 AM.
pic removed by mod (reason:causing malware warning on browser from external site - could be a false positive)


#23
eddieusj

Posted 26 November 2010 - 08:40 AM

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2000 HKS Altezza - 2000 Lexus IS 300
The $300,000 HKS Altezza.


PART 1-
A fit of false starts describes my early attempts at knocking this one out.You see, the official auto-weenie dictionary is very limiting when it comes to vehicles like the HKS Altezza race car. There aren’t enough big words (and phrases like “dope-ass rims” just don’t seem to cut the mustard here). So, take this as guidance: Everything you are about to read is a drastic understatement.



Code-named Track Attack by HKS Japan, the Altezza looks like it was crafted by Tim BurtonÂ’s bizarro factory. It is all very organic and very black, as though only comes out at night. The carbon-fiber body panels (which encompass the whole of the car) have been stripped of their gloss. Now, the grids of fiber resemble skinless muscle mass. The front fenders bend around the Advan tires like crossed arms. A coincidental gesture of fierce intimidation, which gets its meaning across: This is one bad mutha.



The shame of it all is that the Altezza has only been driven once. That it was meant only to be driven once is a bit confusing. But to fully understand the purpose of the Track Attack Altezza, it’s important to recognize that the foundation of HKS is deeply rooted in racing. Owners Hasagawa and Kitigawa—the H and the K in HKS (the S stands for Sigma, which is the bank that first funded the enterprise)—live to race, so consider their company as a rather elaborate by-product of that drive. And it’s also that drive that spawned the Track Attack Altezza.



At a cost of over $300,000 to build (with no calculable return in sight), it is more passion than good business. Believe it or not, the sole purpose of the car was to break the circuit record at Tsukuba in Japan. It garnered HKS that distinction (by two seconds) and has since been retired to stud. A shame, yes, but the car also serves as a trophy for the ultimate enthusiasm for motorsport and pride in being the best.



Overall, the HKS Track Attack Altezza shares very little with the street version (Altezza in Japan, IS 300 in the states). For starters, it is constructed on top of a full tube frame chassis. The 2.0L four-cylinder 3S-GE powerplant (which comes stock in Japan) has been shoved deeper into the engine bay (behind the firewall) to achieve 50/50 weight distribution. The engine has been bored and stroked a touch to wind up at 87mm x 80mm. It has been outfitted with HKS camshafts, cam gears, forged nickel-plated pistons, titanium-coated piston rings, and forged fully counterweighted crankshaft. But thatÂ’s enough of what you canÂ’t see.



The 3S-GE is turbocharged with an HKS GT3037S ball-bearing turbine and everything else that the HKS engineers found fit to throw at it. This includes an HKS Racing wastegate, a stainless steel turbo exhaust manifold, and EVC Pro boost controller (boost is set at 1.67 bar or 24.22 psi). The behemoth custom intercooler steals most of the immediate spotlight under the hood, spreading out from the front fender. But nothing in here remains too subdued for long. Just take a good look at the suspension. Not your everyday coilovers here. Fitted to a beefy CNC bracket connecting both original shock towers is a highly modified custom HKS pushrod suspension arrangement. The same custom setup sits in the rear. This is a good example of what happens when engineers with balls decide to do a project car.




#24
eddieusj

Posted 26 November 2010 - 08:46 AM

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2000 HKS Altezza - 2000 Lexus IS 300
The $300,000 HKS Altezza.


PART 2 -




Getting into the Altezza is a comedy of errors. After all, it is a race car with a full (what seems to be 100-point) rollcage. Cages are called cages for a reason, and getting through this particular one is an Olympic event—well, it definitely involves a running start and a dismount. Then there is a matter of the taking off and putting back on of the steering wheel. A cinch once you get the knack for it, which I never do. So, I just stand back and watch everything from the outside.



Not really much on the inside. A simple motif of carbon-fiber occupies the cabin. It’s only broken up by the Bride race seat and the electronic dash setup. A small wall of buttons, knobs, and switches that scream, “Do not touch!” reside on the center console (interestingly enough, the wiper and turn signal levers are still intact), which runs all the way down to an XTrac six-speed sequential transmission. So far, I’ve determined that even if I were able to get into the car, I’d have absolutely no idea what to do after that, not the least of which is attacking a track. Attacking the driveway is more reasonable. Crashing into the walls would be more likely.



Now, for the numbers guys: the Track Attack Altezza is rated at 600 hp at 8,000 rpm and an even more impressive 450 lb-ft of torque at 6,000. It weighs around 2,000 pounds. Final drive is set at 4.375. Air jacks installed in three places under the car enable instant lifting of the car for repairs. They also allow for easy turning of the car during photo shoots, which is pretty much all the car has in store for its future since itÂ’s no longer track bound. Still, the Altezza cuts a pretty mean profile.






#25
nofear1979

Posted 29 November 2010 - 09:53 AM

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smile_thumbup.gif smile_thumbup.gif smile_thumbup.gif smile_thumbup.gif smile_thumbup.gif
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#26
SplitFire

Posted 01 December 2010 - 11:51 PM

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QUOTE (nofear1979 @ Nov 29 2010, 09:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
smile_thumbup.gif smile_thumbup.gif smile_thumbup.gif smile_thumbup.gif smile_thumbup.gif

Wei....u not scared kena eaten alive here ar? smile_big.gif
Ram me if you can!

SplitFire

#27
tpl

Posted 02 December 2010 - 06:28 AM

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QUOTE (SplitFire @ Dec 1 2010, 11:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Wei....u not scared kena eaten alive here ar? smile_big.gif

wif the blue/white nf lgttt? i dun think so... lol
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#28
AE111GT

Posted 02 December 2010 - 02:56 PM

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QUOTE (tpl @ Dec 2 2010, 06:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
wif the blue/white nf lgttt? i dun think so... lol



waah.. eddieusj looks like you have been keeping my thread alive..


#29
nofear1979

Posted 02 December 2010 - 03:55 PM

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QUOTE (SplitFire @ Dec 1 2010, 11:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Wei....u not scared kena eaten alive here ar? smile_big.gif


well.. i enjoy looking at the fast and nice car... smile_big.gif

on the road, i think i saw 3-4 times in a year... rare but nice..
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#30
eddieusj

Posted 03 December 2010 - 12:41 PM

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More information about the Altezza...just follow the link...ALTEZZA RS200..


A review by a local motoring enthusiast JEFF LIM....

PART 1-

Friday, April 04, 2008

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW: Toyota Altezza AS200 (Lexus IS200)/ RS200 BEAMS DUAL VVTI



My (Jeff LIm's) VIEWS:

In this review, I’m covering mainly Lexus IS200. In Japan’s the European IS200’s known as the Altezza AS200. The AS200 is mechanically the same as the UK Lexus IS200, using the same engine and gearboxes. In addition, I'd like to add my own review on Altezza RS200 BEAMS DUAL VVTI.


Why I review this model? It’s because of the ROCK SOLID Resale value pricing in Malaysia. A year 1999 Altezza RS200's up for RM80,000, while a 2000 model Altezza RS200 still fetching RM88,000. A 2001 model’s up for RM98,000. AN Unregistered 2002 model (from Japan): RM120,000. Why is it so? It's all due to the supply and demand thingy. Grey importers brought in Limited units to Malaysia. But the demand's there for Toyota Altezza RS200

It's all due to the state of the art engine and gearbox. Check it out: Maximum Power 210ps @ 7,600 rpm, Torque: 216Nm @ 6,400 rpm. What the... why so high revving? It's TUNED BY YAMAHA that's why. Gearbox: 6 speed manual or 5 speed Sport-shift (tiptronic) automatic (something Toyota forgotten installing it in todays' cars). Eg. The New Estima 2.4, New Camry and the newly launched RM120,000 Corolla Altis still powered by 4 speed Automatic(!).
However the basic specification of Altezza is lower than the equivalent Lexus IS200 but with many options available.

My Toyota Altezza RS200 brief review:

I got a chance to drive a year 2000 Altezza RS200 for a short 20 minutes. The dashboard quality's still akin new with nice to touch plastics. The Dash meter's like a Breitling watch (see picture somewhere in this review). The car's fitted with Electric Sunroof, powered seats, climate control, high quality leather.
In every car there's a downside. For the Altezza's interior, it's the rear seat legroom - it's cramped (I'm only 5 feet 9). It's as bad as BMW E36 3 series.

The Japanese Domestic version of the Lexus IS200, the Altezza RS200's 3S-GE engine was specially tuned by Yamaha to produce 210 PS @ 7,600rpm. It is also the first Toyota to be equipped with BEAMS Dual VVT-i which is only recently available for the newer range of Lexus.

DRIVE TIME

The RS200 gives out an explosion of power, almost comparable to the Honda BIG VTEC (DOHC), feeling and sounding like a race car as the variable valve gear starts. The Toyota Altezza is very enjoyable to drive with a race-feel engine GROWL (when you REV it past 6000rpm) and great build quality. If you are looking for an automatic, the Japanese version has the 5 Speed F1-Style gearshift which is also great fun to drive. Performance of the RS200 is much much greater than the AS200 and there are many after market performance parts available which are lacking on the AS200/Lexus IS200.

Now, the ride and handling: This car handles very very well (My friend's car's fitted with 17" OZ Rims & a set of Continental ContiSport Contact II shoes)! It's one of the better handling cars which was pleasure to drive. It corners like rails with no hint of oversteer cornering at 100km/h (it's a rear drive car remember?), A real driver's car; awesome steering feel and response. Best appreciated on twisty roads. Again, the downside: Due to the hard suspension, the ride was jittery over Malaysian rough roads. The engine's smooth (typical Toyota) when you drive sanely (NOT REVVING IT) but spoiled by my friend's aftermarket Loud 2" Exhaust system.

END OF RS200 review. That's all I can comments, can't review the car properly as I just spent 20 minutes with the car. All is not lost, again, I dished out a detailed Lexus IS200 (Toyota Altezza AS200) "Supertest" by GoAuto Australia topped with NINE OWNER'S Review from Belgium, Canada, US, UK, Sweden, Australia and Ireland.

Overview (SUPER TEST)

Model release dates: March 1999 - October 2005



THERE'S no doubting Lexus' intention with the IS200; claim the small sports crown from the 3 Series BMW. Under the skin it adopts the same front-engine rear-drive philosophy as the BMW, but the exterior and interior design states bluntly that this is a sports sedan rather than a sports tourer. Check out the wedge-shaped side-profile, the aggressive trapezoidal headlights and the large alloy wheels.

Seat Plan

THE IS200'S interior and boot space is optimised by placing the fuel tank ahead of the rear wheels. The compact multi-link rear suspension aids space utilisation as well. There's a lockable flock-lined glovebox with lamp and an upper and centre console, front and rear door pockets and front and rear-centre mounted cup holders.

The Car - Seats



THE IS200's interior speaks of its sporting intent and the marque's luxury heritage. The seat trim is Chenille fabric with metal-fibre highlights, the driver's seat eight-way adjustable and the front passenger's seat four-way adjustable. There are separate headrests for all passengers with the front headrests being four-way adjustable; the rear headrests are two-way adjustable. There are seat back pockets on the front seats.

The Car - Dash




THE IS200 has unique chronograph-style instruments and round air vents. Instrumentation includes speedometer, tachometer, instantaneous fuel consumption meter, fuel level gauge, coolant temperature gauge, voltage meter and automatic transmission shift indicator. The dash is a two-tone design, with a metallic colour highlight running across the centre of the crash pad. There's an electronic odometer and twin trip meter to complete the package.

The Car - Controls



THE IS200's leather steering wheel has perforated leather inserts, accentuating its sporting intent. There are chrome highlights on the gearshift, air vents, doorhandles and handbrake lever button. Electronic cruise control with resume and coast function is available only with the optional automatic transmission. There's a centre mounted digital clock and front centre console bin. Power window functions are mounted in the driver's door.