[Planar_head]

Thing is, I see the Toyobaru as the next Miata (as in NA Miata, not NC Miata).

It's already got the suspension underpinnings to make it perform great. Compare it to a 2012 Porsche 911 for a second -- look at how much the Porsche leans into a corner -- nearly nothing. This solves the traditional shortcomings of the McPherson suspension design without increasing tire wear by adding camber.
The Toyobaru uses that same technique (reducing lean) to reduce the shortcomings of the McPherson design without special electronic shocks.

This car truly is more than meets the eye. A car where function follows form in sports car guise. A rare beast at the price that it is designed for (approximately 24,000 USD, so they say).

Now, is it a Mustang? Hardly. It's not designed to compete on power. But I'll bet, with a good set of tires comparable to those available on the Mustang (Pirelli P Zeros on the GT, if I'm not mistaken) I'm willing to bet the Toyobaru beats the Mustang on the skidpad.

Of course, this is just conjecture. Either way, this car is certainly not something that should be ignored.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Thing is, I see the Toyobaru as the next Miata (as in NA Miata, not NC Miata).
It's already got the suspension underpinnings to make it perform great. Compare it to a 2012 Porsche 911 for a second -- look at how much the Porsche leans into a corner -- nearly nothing. This solves the traditional shortcomings of the McPherson suspension design without increasing tire wear by adding camber.
The Toyobaru uses that same technique (reducing lean) to reduce the shortcomings of the McPherson design without special electronic shocks.
This car truly is more than meets the eye. A car where function follows form in sports car guise. A rare beast at the price that it is designed for (approximately 24,000 USD, so they say).
Now, is it a Mustang? Hardly. It's not designed to compete on power. But I'll bet, with a good set of tires comparable to those available on the Mustang (Pirelli P Zeros on the GT, if I'm not mistaken) I'm willing to bet the Toyobaru beats the Mustang on the skidpad.
Of course, this is just conjecture. Either way, this car is certainly not something that should be ignored.

I agree for the most part, assuming Toyota doesn't cheapen the car and price it out of the competition.  I always worry about Toyota doing dumb stuff like that w/ performance cars.  The Supra was close to $40k back in the day, the MR-S was $25k and it had only 138hp.  Of course with those cars, the enthusiast doesn't buy them for what they are but what they can become.  I am a little bothered the FRS ended up close to 2,800lbs though, oh well.  I hear the next Miata has a target of about 1700lbs in a package about the size of the gen 1 Miata.  Let's see what happens.  Plus the RX-9?!
 
Porsche definitely knows McPherson struts better than anybody, no question.  They do however have quite a few electric gizmos on the suspension for the 2012 911.  Sport Chrono has the electric adjustable dampening, computer controlled hydraulic sway bars, the Turbo has active adjusting engine mounts to compensate for side loading the rear engine bias, not sure about the
Carrera.
 
http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2011/11/suspension-walkaround-2012-porsche-911-carrera-s.html
 

 
You have to hand it to Ford w/ the Boss 302 (Laguna Seca) though.  Probably the best handling production live axle ever made.  The M3 can't keep pace with it because the Mustang is better balanced. 

 What's ironic to me is the Shelby GT500 is the premium lead sled they offer.  Yet the 302 has less power, is NA, substantially cheaper and beats it in every performance metric except maybe 1-2 tenths 0-62 and 1/4. It's as if Ford said, you want the Shelby?  Here, have it.  We still need a real sports car, voila Boss 302.  

 

[music_man]

that thing still has a live axel after all these years? at least they made it work finally i guess. now for american affordable muscle.... the camaro zl1. woweee! 55 grand, come again? that car seems to not only have the cajones but also the suspension and brakes. is it worth 10 percent more performance and twice the price for the zr1? i don't think so. of course i have driven neither. just going by paper.
heck, the zl1 sure beats the cts v i'll say. at least in the badazz department.

apparently there is supposed to be a 2012 m3 with a twin turbo v6 and 460+bhp? i'd be interested in that myself. i do not seem to be finding it though. perhaps because they stuck the v8 in there again?
of course one can tt a g37..... not stock,no warranty etc. i did the renntech to my s but they agreed to let me have my warranty at that dealer. anywhere else i don't know.

 

[KillforKandy]

 My little lady right now. My photobucket has gone over bandwidth again as I didn't renew my pro account so I'll have to upload some better pics later straight to the site.


 
 Undergoing a huge project right now and hope to have it done by April at the latest. Miss driving her.
 
 Alex

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Nice man.  Not much better in this world than a 2JZGTE and New Mexico plates!

 

[Fugue]

2008 BMW 328i
 

 

 

[Uncle Erik]

Just catching up on this thread.
 
First, CARB is awful.  They pulled me over at a mobile smog station once, when I had the RX-7.  This was about a week after I had it smogged.  I handed the guy my smog certificate and said that I wasn't going to comply with a test.  He wasn't happy, but backed down and let me go.  The car was dead stock, anyway.
 
I'm glad to register in Arizona now.  No smog down here.  As soon as the warranty is up, I might ditch the atalytic converter and put a nice header on the Scion.
 
Also, the NA Miata was mentioned a couple times.  Anyone have any thoughts on it?  Early ones are dead cheap and one might make a fun extra car to have around.  They seem pretty reliable, RWD, easy to wrench on, not many electronic gizmos that break, convertible without a power top, easily found with a clutch, and the parts are cheap and available.  Early ones are going to hit 25 pretty quick, so insurance will be cheap.  Also, they're fully depreciated, so it might be possible to own one for a few years and break even or make a few hundred.  I might drop a few thousand on one.  No top and good handling would be fun.

 

[Planar_head]

There's a rather large and organized Miata community. The NA and NB have very similar chassis, so the aftermarket parts are plenty.
The only real problems you may run into is may be that clean, non-thrashed copies may be hard to find.

Also, since you're on the West coast, you might consider paying a visit to Flyin' Miata (no affiliation) and if you're lucky actually ride in one, if you already haven't.

While I don't own one, my armchair research and Google-fu make me slightly more educated than the average bear, I guess.
(Though I would love to pay a visit to Flyin' Miata myself)

 

[Uncle Erik]

Thanks!  I'll give Flyin' Miata a look!
 
I've been poking around and the NAs seem plentiful between LA, San Diego, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, all of which are fairly close.
 
I'd rather get one that needs some wrenching, anyway.  Not one with extensive mods or has been raced, but something to poke at over a couple of years.   I've done some minor repairs and bodywork, but I'd like to really sort through a car.  I'd like to replace a clutch, rebuild a front end, and other serious repairs.  I have a reliable driver and three spare cars down here, so it'd be no problem to have it off the road.  It just looks like one would be a fun, reliable driver once sorted out.

 

[Anaxilus]

Just keep an eye out for that rear window.  Unlike the MR-S they used plastic windows for a good long time like the Z3.  Common to see no rear windows or completely opaque and yellow rear windows on those cars.  A nice garaged one should be better off I'd imagine.

 

[music_man]

i wonder how tamara will handle her 599 gto. i am extremely careful and quite frankly scared of that car. it has an outrageous power to weight ratio and gets loose real quick. .i hear the 911 gt3 is even worse with traction. people i know that have one described it as "squirrely: i guess these kind of cars really need slicks. which is interesting because most kids i see with a 500bhp+ evo/subie have slicks usually. i think they can't put them from the factory because perhaps they are not street legal. however i am getting some. possibly tomorrow .btw, i parked it between two of many cars at a walmart earlier today. no one even noticed it afaik. that is the real smart thing to do. double parking a supercar at the end of the lot is asking for it imho

 

[music_man]

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1071137_this-is-what-its-like-driving-a-1500-hp-corvette-down-the-highway
look at the speedo lol. i now realize with these cars you cannot floor it until like 50-80 duh! seeing as i never go over 45....lol. well i hope to make it to the track again.

i had built a 1,800 hp mustang in '99. it came apart all over the road on the way home from the build. that was probably the most money i actually wasted in my life haha.

 

[hien34]

Currently driving a 2011 STi in Satin White Pearl - so far just Cobb intake and CPU tune
 
Very much looking forward to the new 911 or a previous gen GT3 and keeping an eye on the Toyobaru 
 
Previous vehicles:
2009 Nissan 370z White/Black - stock
2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S Black/Black - stock
2007 Mercedes-Benz E63 Black/Black - stock
2006 Porsche Cayenne Blue/Black - stock
2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S Yellow/Black - K&W springs, Fabspeed intake/exhaust (LOUD!)
2004 Nissan 350z Black/Black - GF210 springs, RS*R Exmag GTII exhaust, HKS intake, 19" SSR SP1s (Black, chrome lip)
1995 BMW M3 (OBDI) Black/Black - H&R coilovers, PU bushings, Momo strut tie, Stromung exhaust, Vollstrom rear decklid spoiler, 19" MVR Magnums, AC Schnitzer knob/mats

 

[music_man]

the gt3 borders on too much power for it's chassis. i am looking forward to the new 911 as well. perhaps awd? besides a used good gt3 is so much money might as well get whatever is new.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

the gt3 borders on too much power for it's chassis. i am looking forward to the new 911 as well. perhaps awd? besides a used good gt3 is so much money might as well get whatever is new.

Get a 911 Turbo.  It's a beast w/ AWD and 0-62 in 2.6-2.9 secs.  I just can't come to grips w/ the RR layout knowing Porsche only committed to that so they could have a backseat.  >.<  This year they made the new 911 proportionally closer to the Cayman for obvious reasons.  The minute they make an AWD Cayman or a 911 Turbo that is laid out like a Cayman I'm sold.  Till then I got my eye on another prize.  
 
@hien34 - What'd you think of the KW's on your 911?  Only springs, no dampers?