The Australian KDM Rally Team has made considerable progress with development of a Toyota MR2 rally car, and is on track for this year's Australian Rally Championship Super Series.
Neal Bates Motorsport in Canberra has been doing the initial build on the car, with Brien Dunbar:
Neal Bates has prepared the normally aspirated 3S-GE twin-cam 16 valve 2-litre engine, to improve on the original 117kW at 6600rpm specification.
With the body and engine mechanicals complete, the car will move to Sydney for completion and dyno tuning of the Autronics engine management system by SSS Automotive.
The car will undergo a series of shake-down activities commencing in March, and will be then ready to join the ARC Super Series for 1997. The car is likely to be entered under the banner of the MR2 Club of Australia, which will be providing local support in each State.
The MR2 has sparked considerable interest among a wide variety of the people. Viewed originally with some scepticism (the SW20 model has not been rallied previously, and has to-date made a name for itself only on race tracks), most recognise that the car will gain itself a high profile in this year's championship. That high level of media and public interest is expected to make the car an ideal platform for sponsors in each State's ARC round.
Major and minor sponsorship opportunities still exist on the car, and enquiries can be directed to Kirk Marks, the team owner on
041 226 4715. The team is also interested in fostering local business support at each Round, and advertising space will be made available for one-off promotions.
MR2 Rally Car Emerges for First Test Run.
The world's first SW20 Toyota MR2 rally car was seen in the wee small hours of Saturday June 21st, on its way from the Neal Bates Motorsport workshop in Canberra, where it had been under development for nearly eight months.
The car had been prepared by Brien Dunbar to Australian Group 3C PR3 (Production Rally Car 1600 - 2000cc two-wheel drive) specification. This specification is roughly the Australian equivalent of the international FIA Group A class. The car has one of the most spectacular roll cages seen in a locally prepared car.
Initial testing of the car at the Canberra Celica Club's training day at the Wakefield Park race track near Goulburn NSW was carried out later on the Saturday morning.
Owner, and KDM Rally Team Driver Kirk Marks said: "We just wanted to get the car on the road to get an idea of handling, to shake out any major dramas, and to run-in the Neal Bates prepared engine". He went on to say: "But despite running on tarmac with rally tread, and taking it easy on the revs, the car's handling was sensational". "Over curbs the car settled immediately, and felt really well balanced; control in oversteer was remarkable".
Team Manager Mark Bosma in the Team's chase MR2 said "The car seemed to have a ton of mid-range torque compared to the standard ex-12 Hour road car". "I could not believe how well it handled the bumps, when the rally tyres let the car drift off the track over the ripple strips". "Brien's rigidity modifications and the Proflex suspension made it handle the rough stuff exceptionally well".
As expected from a Neal Bates development project, the car performed reliably in its very first drive straight out of the box. The car required only a couple of minor adjustment jobs before being ready for its first trial on dirt.
Asked whether this meant an end to the KDM Team's run in the Australian Rally Championship Silverstone Challenge (for Toyota Corolla Seca RVs), Marks said: "No way; we're having such a great time in this year's best sponsored event". "The atmosphere among the Corolla teams is just great, and thanks to Silverstone's sensational sponsorship, the class is being very well supported". "At Coffs Harbour we were up against the likes of Dinta Officer and Rachel Bruty; considering all the cars are basically identical, this makes for outstanding rallying". "We will be in Tassie in July, followed by Melbourne in August". "After that we will look at our options for shake-down events for the MR2, in preparation for next year's attempt at Formula Two". "I can't wait to get it sideways in the bush; I think the spectators will be in for some sensational rally action"!