“The important thing to immortality is first dwelling a life price remembering.”
Poignant phrases from historical past’s most harmful dragon, Bruce Lee. However this story isn’t concerning the ‘Little Dragon.’ It’s about one other dragon, the Toyota Sera ‘Twin Dragon.’ A becoming title, given to it by its mad scientist creator, Takuro Watanabe of Circuit & Goals CLR. Not simply because that is the yr of the snake within the Chinese language zodiac, but additionally as a result of this Sera is a 1,000hp twin-engine 4WD beast that defies perception.
This isn’t Watanabe-san’s first rodeo in the case of loopy creations – you would possibly bear in mind his quad-turbo Nissan Silvia S14 from seven or eight years in the past. To mark the twentieth anniversary of Circuit & Goals CLR, Watanabe-san has taken his imaginative and prescient of automotive insanity to a complete new stage, and he confirmed off the Sera in its working, however not-quite-finished state at Tokyo Auto Salon 2025.
Earlier than we dive into the main points of this double-headed dragon constructed for drifting, what even is a Toyota Sera?
Constructed by Toyota between 1990 and 1995 solely for the Japanese home market, the Sera was outfitted with a 1.5L naturally aspirated engine and was supplied with a 4-speed computerized or 5-speed handbook transmission. Its celebration piece was its butterfly doorways, which hinged upwards and solely wanted 430mm of outward area for clearance – good for tight Japanese parking spots.
These doorways even have one other declare to fame. By pure likelihood, a gray import Toyota Sera lived close to Gordon Murray’s house within the UK on the similar time he was placing the ultimate touches to the McLaren F1 design. Whereas the unique sketch for the F1 was doodled in an Italian airport lounge in 1988, the Sera offered the inspiration for the McLaren’s dihedral doorways.
There’s a noticeable design language shared between the Sera and the F1. The sweeping oval shapes, rounded corners, and insect-like curves are strikingly comparable. Sure, these design particulars could be seen in lots of ’90s automobiles, however the cut up home windows and greenhouse structure of the F1 and Sera are particularly reminiscent of each other.
It’s no shock, then, that once I requested Watanabe-san about his plans for a customized physique package for his Sera, he stated it will function styling cues borrowed from McLaren. With a a lot wider entrance and rear observe than the unique, the fenders and aspect skirts would want to accommodate the butterfly doorways. Perhaps one thing just like the McLaren Senna?’
So what has Watanabe-san constructed to this point? Effectively, solely the perfect bits of the Sera stay. Entrance and rear tube framing integrates with the unique Toyota monocoque chassis and a roll cage to bolster the construction. Many of the inside is gone, save for the door playing cards.
Twin MoTeC ECUs are seen via the sprint, together with the clutch and brake reservoirs, which assist clear up area within the engine bay(s). A MoTeC M800 controls the entrance engine, whereas an M400 handles the rear. Inspiration for the setup got here from Nobuhiro ‘Monster’ Tajima’s authentic twin-engined Pikes Peak Suzuki Cultus (Swift).
The Sera’s entrance engine is an SR20VET from a 2001 X-Path GT, Nissan’s first turbo engine with VVT. It’s been fitted with high-lift cams from the Pulsar VZ-R N1 homologation particular and solid pistons and connecting rods. In keeping with Watanabe-san, this engine is making 540hp because of a Belief/GReddy TD07-25G turbo and gasoline system improve. It’s paired with a 6-speed Honda transmission, initially mated to a K20A.
The identical transmission seems within the rear of the Sera, however this time, it’s used with the Honda engine it was designed for. The K20A additionally advantages from a TD07-25G turbo, plus Wiseco solid pistons, K1 solid rods, 296-degree Toda Racing cams, and 1,000cc/min gasoline injectors, all good for round 490hp.
This wild Nissan-Honda-Toyota mashup is a testomony to the relentless spirit of Japanese tuners, all the time pushing the boundaries of what’s doable, exploring chassis exterior the standard JDM efficiency automotive classics. I’m positive it gained’t be the final time we see Watanabe-san’s creation, and when it’s lastly completed, Speedhunters shall be there to allow you to stay vicariously via it.
Till then, you possibly can take a look at the Sera in additional element in this video and in motion right here.
Toby Thyer
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