RHD JDM Toyota Soarer Boasts 620 HP
This 1UZ swapped Toyota Soarer build seems like a case of starts being aligned. But when you've owned as many of these cars as Simon Davies, you make your own luck.
Soarer
The UK's equivalent to the first-generation Lexus SC is the third-generation Toyota Soarer. And its timeless lines have made it as popular across the pond as they are Stateside. That's certainly the case with owner of UK-based aftermarket exhaust manufacturer EMP Performance, Simon Davies.
Photos: Fast Car
An Obsession
In fact, we'd be willing to bet that there's no one on earth who's had as deep of an infatuation with the coupe as Davies. The man has owned a total of 70 examples in his life. And there's no guarantee he won't own more in the future. But the build you see in this slideshow is the culmination of his work and experience gained on every previous Soarer he's had.
>>Join the conversation about this Turbo Soarer right here in the Club Lexus forum.
The Masterpiece
He started out as a Ford guy. But a need for more reliable power steered him toward Toyota. And since owning his first Soarer over 2 decades ago, he's fallen deeply in love with the car. The story of this particular coupe begins with a stroke of luck. “I guess I was in the right place at the right time,” Davies remarks, having made it to the seller's home less than 30 minutes after the eBay auction went live.
>>Join the conversation about this Turbo Soarer right here in the Club Lexus forum.
Too Nice for a Drift Build
The car was in great shape and completely stock. Davies knew it would be a great starting point for a build. He didn't want to turn it into a drift car, though. This was way too nice for that. The plan wasn't set in stone from the beginning. But Davies started out with cosmetic mods. The car was lowered thanks to coilovers. It was given a VVTi-spec body kit, and EMP exhaust, and wider, flared out wheel arches.
>>Join the conversation about this Turbo Soarer right here in the Club Lexus forum.
Turbo 1UZ
Over time, more and more visual mods were added. But the most important milestone came with an engine swap. Davies got his hands on a 1UZ-swapped Lexus IS. The motor was already built up, as well. So it made life easy for him. Having dropped the straight-6 into the Soarer, he also wanted to give it some serious power by reworking the internals and adding an Owen Developments turbo. “It’s now producing 620bhp and 500 lb ft of torque, although it’s good for about 800bhp which it will achieve once I’ve got a stronger gearbox,” Davies admits.
>>Join the conversation about this Turbo Soarer right here in the Club Lexus forum.
Top-Shelf Build
With the build coming together, it was time to pick a hue to replace the white paint. And that came in the form of a rare Ipanema Brown Audi R8 color. Davies has taken his time to make sure everything is done right and with the highest quality. Custom touches in the interior really bring the car to life. And it drives like a new car, as Davies will tell you, proud of his work: "It leaves me with such a sense of pride now I get to enjoy the end result!”
>>Join the conversation about this Turbo Soarer right here in the Club Lexus forum.
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