2008 Toyota Aygo Crazy Concept review and pictures

Toyota Aygo Crazy Concept review:

A one-off concept designed for pure driving fun

Built to be driven, not just for show

Rear-mounted engine generates 200 DIN hp and 240Nm of torque

Hand-crafted bodywork and 17-inch alloy wheels

World debut at next month’s British International Motor Show

Aygo Crazy is the perfect antidote to all those wild concept cars that look great on the show stand but never turn a wheel. It is a unique machine that has been developed from the start to deliver no-holds-barred maximum driving pleasure, an unforgettable, fun experience.

Making its public debut at the British International Motor Show in London, Aygo Crazy is a one-off model, a “shopping supercar” that takes Aygo’s essential qualities to the limit. Owing more to the spirit of Group B rallying rather than D1 drifting, this is a car that is all about the joy of driving: with no electronic handling aids, no power steering and no ABS, it is like a kart with doors and a roof.

Recognisably an Aygo, it clearly packs more muscle with its custom-made body, 17-inch alloys and beefy Goodyear 225/45 rubber. There is even a direct link to Toyota’s sporting heritage as Aygo Crazy’s carbon fibre rear wing is a part taken directly from the 200mph race cars in the American Champ Car series.

Aygo Crazy is fettled with the Toyota 1.8 VVT-i unit that powered the final generation Celica and MR2 Roadster, rear-mounted and driving the rear wheels through the Roadster’s five-speed manual gearbox. The addition of a Toyota Motorsport turbo conversion kit boosts power output to 200DIN hp and torque to 240Nm.

Compare the performance to the 68 DIN bhp and 93Nm mustered by the standard road-going Aygo and you gain some idea of just what a different kind of machine this is.

To cope with the greater engine performance, a bespoke cooling system has been designed, with a huge, front-mounted aluminium radiator – ideal for those endless, tyre smoking, crowd pleasing donuts.

Weighing in at just 1,050kg, Aygo Crazy is capable of 127mph (est), but speed is not its defining quality: this is a machine that exists to be responsive and alive to the driver’s commands, to put smiles on the faces of those inside and outside the car.

The suspension is from the MR2 Roadster, with MacPherson struts front and rear. Adjustable Tein dampers sharpen dynamic performance and the front and rear track are one inch wider than on a standard Aygo.

The cabin, finished by specialist coachtrimmers O’Rourke, features purpose-built sports seats with four-point safety harnesses and a full roll cage.

With its bold Aygo Crazy decals and T2 4YGO (turbocharged, two-seat Aygo) number plate, Aygo Crazy will be hitting the show circuit – and the open road – this summer, proving that while this Aygo may be crazy, it’s a memorable madness.

AYGO CRAZY vs AYGO TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
AYGO CRAZY
AYGO

Type
Rear-mounted four-cylinder 1.8 VVT-i with TMG turbo conversion kit
Front-mounted three-cylinder 1.0 VVT-i

Valve mechanism
DOHC 16-valve
DOHC 12-valve

Displacement (cc)
1,794
998

Bore x stroke (mm)
79.0 x 91.5
71.0 x 84.0

Compression ratio
10.0:1
10.5:1

Max. power (DIN hp @ rpm)
200 @ 6,700
68 @ 6,000

Max. torque Nm @ rpm
240 @ 3,400
93 @ 3,600

TRANSMISSION

Clutch type
Uprated Helix
Dry, single plate

Gearbox type
Five-speed manual
Five-speed manual

Gear ratios
1st
3.166
3.545

2nd
1.904
1.913

3rd
1.310
1.310

4th
0.969
1.027

5th
0.815
0.850

Reverse
3.250
3.550

BRAKES

Front
328mm ventilated discs with 4-pot Brembo callipers
247mm ventilated discs

Rear
280mm ventilated discs
200mm drums

SUSPENSION

Front
MacPherson strut
MacPherson strut

Rear
Dual-link MacPherson strut
Torsion beam

Dampers
Tein, adjustable

STEERING

Type
Rack and pinion, electric power assisted
Rack and pinion

Ratio (:1)
13.2:1
16.5:1

TYRES AND WHEELS

Wheel size (in)
17x7.5
14x4.5J

Tyres
Goodyear 225/45R17
155/65 R14

DIMENSIONS

Overall length (mm)
3,500
3,405

Overall width (mm)
1,800
1,615

Overall height (mm)
1,500
1,465

Front track (mm)
1,475
1,420

Rear track (mm)
1,460
1,410

WEIGHTS

Kerb weight (kg)
1,050
790-890

PERFORMANCE

Max speed (mph)
127 (est)
98

0-62mph (sec)
5.75
14.2