HKS TRB-03 Toyota 86 headed to WTAC

HKS is bringing its Tsukuba record-breaking TRB-01 Toyota 86 to Australia to tackle Eastern Creek at the 2018 World Time Attack Challenge.

Earlier this year, the HKS car lapped Tsukuba Circuit in Japan in less than 50 seconds (59.44), considered by some to be a new record despite controversy over its use of racing slicks rather than semi-slicks for the lap.

Under Suzuki still holds the record for a lap using semi-slicks, with a run of 50.1 seconds.

Similarly to its Tsukuba run, the HKS TRB-03 won’t be eligible to compete in any of the classes set up at WTAC, so it’ll be appearing as a show car to run laps and ‘compare’ with the Pro Cars.

Under the hood is a Subaru boxer engine, supercharged and stroked to 2.5-litres, putting out around 735kW.

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Racer and drifter Nobuteru Taniguchi will pilot TRB-03 at WTAC, his link to HSK being that he drove for the team in the D1 (drift) Grand Prix series.

“Seeing this car run in full flight will certainly be one of the highlights of WTAC 2018,” says Superlap CEO and WTAC runner Ian Baker.

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“It is more than likely the one and only chance you will ever get to see this car run as the project was actually finished before we discussed bringing it to Australia.

“It was built to do the Tsukuba record and with that out of the way would more than likely have been retired to show duties.”

Speaking with MOTOR before news of the TRB-03 coming to WTAC broke, Baker said there’s plenty more big news to be announced, especially in the near future.

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However, the TRB-03 is one of the biggest features of WTAC 2018.

“It will be interesting to see how it performs as Sydney Motorsport Park is a very different animal to the tight and technical Tsukuba circuit.

“It will also be on display on the Yokohama Tyre stand over the weekend giving fans a chance to check out this insane build up close and personal.

“It is really just another piece of the puzzle all pointing to one hell of a show this year.”