The Toyota Jimco 2000 buggy competes in the Pro class of the Australian Off-Road Championship with David Fellows at the wheel. The Toyota Jimco 2000 buggy is powered by a 2GR-FE VVT-i 3.5-litre V6 engine and a pair of Turbonetic turbochargers that are each rated to 450 hp. In this configuration the Toyota Jimco 2000 buggy is capable of going off-road with speeds of up to 255km/h!
Toyota Press Release:
TOYOTA POWERS 255km/h OFF-ROAD BUGGY
An off-road buggy powered by a modified Toyota V6 engine is capable of speeds up to 255km/h and Formula One-type horsepower.
The Jimco 2000 buggy, which competes in the Pro class of the Australian Off-Road Championship, is fitted with a modified twin-turbo Toyota engine that generates 600kW at the flywheel.
The Jimco 2000 is piloted by successful Australian off-road driver, David Fellows.
The major goal for 2008 is to win the Finke desert classic.
It was forced to retire from the 2007 event while in the lead due to an over-heating problem caused by an intercooler that was too small, a problem which has been now be rectified.
The Toyota 2GR-FE VVT-i 3.5-litre V6 engine chosen by the buggy's owner, Peter Kittle, also powers Toyota Aurion, Tarago, new Kluger and RAV4 V6.
The Jimco 2000 is fitted with a pair of Turbonetic turbochargers that are each rated to 450 horsepower.
Mr Kittle has utilised several of Toyota's 3.0-litre engines in his creations, and says the new 3.5-litre V6 has the strength to cope with the enormous horsepower it produced for the Jimco 2000.
"The new 3.5-litre engine has a very strong bottom-end, with its six-bolt main steel crankshaft which we run unmodified," Mr Kittle said.
"The engine is pretty much bullet-proof, and our goal has been to make the power smooth and useable."
The engine was built by Shane Wilson, owner of Shane Competition Engine Development in Mount Gambier, South Australia.
He fitted Pankyl H-beam billet con-rods, CP pistons and PSI valve springs, all made in the USA.
The Toyota cylinder heads have been extensively modified including Team Kittle's own custom camshaft profiles, and modified exhaust valves with larger valve stems.
Sitting atop the heads is a custom-fabricated aluminium intake manifold.
The team worked with Turbonetics in the USA to
calibrate the turbochargers to the Toyota's specifications and the spread of power desired by the Kittle team.
The Jimco 2000 weighs 1350kg and features Fox shock absorbers with Eibach springs.
The twin-turbo intercooled engine produces 600kW at 18psi boost in prologue trim, and 485kW at 10psi boost in race trim.
The engine has a Motec m880 management system with an ADL Motec digital dash with full data acquisition capability, and electronic adjustable turbo boost control.
The Toyota-based engine drives through a six-speed Albins AGB sequential gearbox, and 7.25-inch Sachs Rally clutch.
Mr Kittle said the Jimco development path may include direct injection over the next 12 months.
