Aurion TRD Joins the Police Force
24 Jul, 2007
42 Comments 
The first few of the as yet unreleased Toyota Aurion TRD’s have already been snapped up by Queensland police taking 11 for highway patrol work. They will accompany a fleet of Aurion Sportivo V6s already in police paint.
The already potent 200kW 3.5L Quad Cam V6 engine has been fitted with a new Eaton twin-vortices supercharger packaged in Melbourne by Harrop Engineering. Final power output has not yet been revealed, however Toyota has commented that the “TRD Aurion is quicker than expected”.
With the fuel efficiency of a V6 and power to worry a V8, the Aurion TRD is favourable among highway patrol applications due to its forgiving front wheel drive arrangement.
The TRD Aurion is confirmed to be released within the next four months, with the TRD Hilux scheduled for a November debut.
“Total engine performance is one of the key positives of the TRD Aurion package,”
TRD Australia chief engineer Stephen Castles says.
“The TVS unit has performed really well and definitely helped deliver the engine performance we need.”
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July 24th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
This will really burn the Holden and Ford die hards out there.
I mean, really *burn*
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July 24th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
All right - i’m all for it … COOL !! Looks good aswell.
I reckon this new product from TRD will be very refined, smooth, responsive, well packaged and of good quality while actually looking the part aswell
I have total confidance that the TRD Aurion and the soon to be imported (2008) 300kw/475nm 5.0 V8/8 speed IS-F will do wonders for Toyota’s image down under and i wish them the best of luck.
I would love to see a TRD highway Patrol car in action !!
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July 24th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
I don’t think so Matthew.
For alot of us there is no substitute for RWD performance.
And if I did want a FWD performance look at the choices, XR5 turbo, Mazda 3 MPS, Astra turbos etc.
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July 24th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
The MPS is AWD while the Turbo Astra has been slammed hard for it’s cronic torque steer which is something Toyota has done a respectful job to contain while i have absolute confidance that TRD and Pro-drive will better that again even with the added performance considering the engineering experitse that these two respected Performance brands are renouned for.
Unlike HSV - i’m sure the TRD Aurion won’t suffer form premature brake fade, overheating fluids and mechanical failings. HSV hasn’t engineered a vehicle yet that actually ages with any grace or dignity because they nothing more then just rattly, squeeky, unrefined, unreliable poor quality wonna be’s.
I’ll take the TRD thanks…
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July 24th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
the mazda 3mps is FWD not AWD, the 6 is AWD
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July 24th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
my apologizes - i had the understanding that the Mazda 3 was aswell but i will stand corrected on the matter.
However, i hold Mazda engineering in the highest regard as with Honda and Subaru but GM mechanicals do absolutely nothing for me what so ever because of thier shonky history and lack of refinement and advancement today in comparison to other respected Japanese and European brands.
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July 24th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Matthew one thing i think it is unfair to say it will smoke ford and holden diehards. have you forgotten ford has a range of turbo 6’s??????
and this one is in the same category as the Typhoon. yes this might be a pretty good toyota put i think you comment was a bit too ambitous.
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July 24th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
No Ii think it will annoy many hardcore Ford and Holden fans. Great news as well, because lets look into this alittle further… the Police test these vehicles before making a purchase, the fact they have ordered it suggests though who claim it will be slower and furthermore those who claim it will have disgraceful torque steer should start to duck for cover!!!
On a side note, they better not be getting the luxury variant… that is a waste of taxpayers money.
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July 24th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
Oh and also great for image. I think Toyota would be given them at a very discounted purpose for this reason alone.
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July 24th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Paul i dont know that the police force do test drive vehicles. the force are trying to take on different types of vehicles to get noticed so they dont look like a typical blue/white vehicle. they have done the same with monaro’s and typhoons aswell and they painted those bright colours. rather i think them coming upon this vehicle would be more related to your 2nd comment in that toyota would give them discounted pricing in order to try to “sex up” their image
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July 24th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
SUPERCHARGED??? what’s with that? seems a little archaic for toyota.
I am disappointed they didn’t make it AWD as it is a natural Madza 6 competitor rather than Falcon Turbo or Commodore V8.
It’s a fact FWD performance cars will always be flawed.
Sorry, I just can’t get excited about a souped up Camry , Yawn.
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July 24th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Andrew.M…
They do test the vehicles, they did with the Aurion and given Australians reluctance of powerful FWDs Im sure they would have tested the TRD Aurion… if only to have some fun! In which case even if they discounted it very heavily they wouldnt use them if they have lots of torque steer or bad brakes (like the XR8s had… everyone has learnt from that)… Im sure it an alrite car which they have tested.
Blue Blood…
Lol I wish it was AWD but Ive already highlighted a billion times you take a RWD and a FWD car with the same engine around a track and they will get around it in similar times. There has been a test to this effect which proved it. The only disadvantage is the fun factor, being able to fishtail yourself into a pole for eaxmple… but given Toyota says its up against the Liberty GT (AWD… same issue not being able to oversteer it into the pole as easy) its obvious they are appealing to a different crowd then the middle aged bogan.
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July 24th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
Blue Blood - it is a given fact that HSV quality and refinement is not good at all. Like i just mentioned above, they are renouned to suffer from premature brake fade, overheating fluids and mechanical failings so what good is that to any performnace orintated lad.
Read ‘MOTORS’ January edition of the shootout between 20 performance cars and the HSV dropped out at a very pathetic 18th because it suffered from brake fade after just 1 single lap… 1 SINGLE LAP - PATHETIC.
I also noted that WHEELS didn’t publish the lap times when they compared the local 4 ‘LARGE CARS’ and that really got me wondering why. I spoke to 2 off-duty coppers on Anzac day because they were ex-navy and asked them about the new Police Aurion getting about. There response was actually quite good while they both admitted the Falcon was the choice over the Commodore because of it’s ‘over ambitious loose end’
And another thing - i’ll be waiting for HSV and FPV going up against the IS-F when it is launched here in Oz.
PAUL - of course Toyota would be giving them a discount would be absolutely no differant then Holden and Ford trying to boost the ’sex’ of thier own cars.
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July 24th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Paul,
Comparible times on a race track in an AWD and FWD????
We are obviously living on different planets my friend, because I cannot recall any comparission that have made that claim.
Hey, Toyota are the ones that held the Aurion up as an equal against Falcon and Commodore, that was there call.
Believe me the person that buy’s this car is just as likely to steer it into a pole (the torque steer will probably assist with that) LOL.
I am willing to wait and see the forthcoming performance figures and track tests to see if they can back up the hype, I’ll reserve my judgement till then.
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July 24th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Hey Dingo,
I don’t call myself Blue Blood for nothing, so your barking up the wrong tree there buddy. It was just an example of the choice of smaller, lighter fast FWD out there.
I am the last person here that will defend anything with a Lions badge. especially HSV!!
HSV, FPV and IS-F comparo would be a good one, however I would like to wait for Orion to even out the odds.
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July 24th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Blue Blood - if it was any automotive manufactuer that would be able to pull this off then it would be Toyota.
What you are overlooking is that Pro-Drive and TRD are repected performance brands in thier fields and have invested a great deal of engineering and development into this car and i have absolute confidance that they will succeed unlike HSV with that dud Turbo Astra.
Driving a HSV under heavy braking for a while will end up ploughing someone into a pole because of premature brake fade they are so renouned for. I’m sure Torque steer has been one of thier many focus points to enhance and improve but i guess we will find out shortly won’t we.
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July 24th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Bluey - the Orion or that Holden crap IS NOT GOING to challenge an extremely competant marque like Lexus.
Lexus has rightfully and honourably earn’t itself as one of the greatest automotive manufactuers in existance and their CRAFTSMANSHIP would put to shame any Holden or Ford so don’t even go there. I’m just waiting for a compro so i laugh myself into stitches.
GET REAL…
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July 24th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
paul, ok so you assume they have tested it. the reason i questioned it was the fact that toyota are still testing them theirselves. and i also assume this car will do the job fine anyway.
i didnt know much about the brakes on the XR8’s though what model was that? even so i dont think it would be a need to deter from anything
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July 24th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
Until even Toyota embrace the fact that a real full size performance saloon is rear wheel drive, not front wheel drive skating under-steering pig then they may have a true contender. Dingo bag the HSV all you like… You cant get the same rear wheel steering effect out of your aurion under acceleration… Ohhh what a feeling… Have you also noticed how the NASCAR Toyota Camry is rear wheel drive, who is conforming to what rules have already been set…
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July 24th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Greens - they had just to conform with the racing regulations of which Ford and GM tried rigouroulsy to stop them from entering.
My point is Greens that Toyota is embarking on a new range of performnace cars and i like it. First to arrive will be the TRD Aurion and i have absolute confidance that it will be a very refined, competant packaging within it’s own rights and sure to establish it’s own market. Apart from that, most vehicle these days are FWD and the learnings from such undertakings like the TRD Aurion is sure to trickle down the ladder. It is also my understanding that TRD Australia is still evaluating AWD Turbo Corolla.
Secondly, Lexus will challange another market with the IS-F and then latter with the LF-A (if that ever gets approved for local consumption who knows)and i appreciate how Toyota is tryig to be diverse amoung it’s selection.
The TRD Aurion is just the first project to come to fruition what Toyota and Lexus has planned for our small market considering is hasn’t invested in performance vehicles locally for several years.
If this proves relatively successful then Toyota will be confidant to invest more into our market and considering thier huge financial reserves i don’t think Holden or Ford really want that do they… !!
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July 24th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
Do the police get matching blue cardigans?
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July 24th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
I find it funny that nearly everyone is knocking the fact that the Toyota is FWD. The thing is, you can have a FWD car go just as well as a RWD car, you just need a severe adjustment in driving technique.
The fact that it under steers or patters around a corner is because your right foot is too fat and heavy on the throttle.
I know that there are cars out there that are FWD that will out handle and out steer a WRX (I assume that’s the benchmark for handling and steering - I’ve never driven one, just out run them on the track in a car 3 times its age) and drive to only two of the wheels at the front).
Steve
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July 24th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Aurions come with cardigans to offset the free toolbox that comes with a Holden.
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July 24th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
Yeh Dingo,
Perhaps the new BMW M3 and Merc AMG would be more appropraite Comparo for the Lexus.
Personally I’d go for the M3.
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July 24th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
The Aurion has not faired well in recent tests in the handling department, so I can see this as being only short lived.
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July 24th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Looks great, will it be available in a manual?
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July 24th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
There is nothing wrong with FWD some of us just think if you want to be taken seriously as a TRUE performance/muscle car it needs to have most of the power to the rear wheels.
Personally I would love to see Toyota in the V8 supercar championship, it would give TRD some benificial racing credentials for the Aurion even if it doesn’t come with a V8, it hasn’t stopped NASCAR.
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July 24th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Why Blue Blood… as soon as Toyota starts winning then Ford and Holden will whing, bitch, swine and carry on until they got thier way just like when Nissan put them to shame.
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July 24th, 2007 at 10:58 pm
I don’t think so Dingo, Australia has changed alot since then and so has the sport as far as parity goes.
Not all of us resented the GTR Nissan back then it had earned it’s respect with many holden and Ford fans as one of the greats as it still is.
Perhaps we whinged, bitched, whined and carryed on because they awarded the win to a crashed car. That’s history.
Toyota hasn’t managed to win in NASCAR or F1 yet which proves you need more than deep pockets, so don’t assume it will come easily.
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July 25th, 2007 at 12:16 am
Where you been Sam ?????? My online husband ????
Looks tough ……………..but!
All this tree hugging stuff, do we really need it to save the planet?
V8s will always be there for enthusiast ,forever!
Haven’t these same guys just been given on trial a Lotus ?No cost to the tax payer,…………………..what about those ?
Matthew I thought you had gone ? Never mind another post is fine by me.
I thought there was only so much grunt you could put through a drive shaft of a front wheel drive car ,surly they wont measure up to rear /4 wheel drive cars?
Don’t get me wrong Toyotas are great cars,but not up to V8 supercars ,surely ??????????????
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July 25th, 2007 at 9:36 am
No they haven’t Blue Blood but Toyota being the resiliant company they are will persist until they do but even i admit that alot of work is required on thier behalf to do so. It will however come in time as Toyota has decided to undertake new challenges and it is good to see so.
Formula 1 however will prove to be an extremely tough task but observe the teams that are competitive - they have all been engineering performance cars for thier entire exsistance while ferrari has been racing F1 everysince day dot. Renault evetually found GLORY but it took them twenty years while Honda has certainly endured it’s ‘ups’ and ‘downs’.
People frowned upon Lexus when they first evolved but have a look at them today - one of the world’s greatest. Toyota will find it hard going entering new performance arena’s but i have absolute confidance they will pave way for success and considering thier global strentgh with out such recognition, i’m sure companies like GM and Ford will sweat it out when the greater respect and recognition of it all comes to light.
I for one will be throwing all my support behind Toyota because if it is any company that can succeed it is them and somehow people like yourself probably recognise that aswell. People have doubted and under-estimated Toyota for years yet have a look at thier shear success and profit reaking today. One of the resaons i have respect for them because they challenge the abnormal and somehow usually make success of it - unlike GM or Ford, the big ‘T’ is not reluctant to travel against the grain !!
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July 25th, 2007 at 11:17 am
QUOTE = Comparible times on a race track in an AWD and FWD???? We are obviously living on different planets my friend, because I cannot recall any comparission that have made that claim.
Indeed we are living on different planets… I live on one where we read properly! I said “take a RWD and a FWD car with the same engine around a track and they will get around it in similar times”. As if Id say AWD. Fact is RWD and FWD are both floored, your powering one set of wheels.
QUOTE = Hey, Toyota are the ones that held the Aurion up as an equal against Falcon and Commodore, that was there call. Believe me the person that buy’s this car is just as likely to steer it into a pole (the torque steer will probably assist with that) LOL.
Good on Toyota, I think it will give an XR6T a good run for its money, only 4kw off (but FWD loses less through drivetrain) and I think 50Nm off (word is that it will have 400Nm). As for torque steer, well the cops obviously didn’t think it was an issue… so dream on. Cant wait for some reviews on this vehicle, then I will get each and every post about torque steer…. Name and shame lol
QUOTE = I am willing to wait and see the forthcoming performance figures and track tests to see if they can back up the hype, I’ll reserve my judgement till then.
Well its not really a track car is it… not being advertised as one. HSVs on the other hand are marketed as a car that is capable around a track, yet we see as Dingo has highlighted they are a disgrace.
QUOTE = i didnt know much about the brakes on the XR8’s though what model was that? even so i dont think it would be a need to deter from anything
Don’t know, I believe it was the current model or one before that… highway patrol cops were unhappy with its performance in terms of braking compared to the HSV.
QUOTE = I find it funny that nearly everyone is
knocking the fact that the Toyota is FWD. The thing is, you can have a FWD car go just as well as a RWD car, you just need a severe adjustment in driving technique. The fact that it under steers or patters around a corner is because your right foot is too fat and heavy on the throttle.I know that there are cars out there that are FWD that will out handle and out steer a WRX (I assume that’s the benchmark for handling and steering - I’ve never driven one, just out run them on the track in a car 3 times its age) and drive to only two of the wheels at the front).
AMEN. I honestly doubt a lot of people here, especially those in the RWD camp…. Have ever driven a FWD, let alone pushed it hard. Ive driven both hard and as Steve highlights, if you use the same driving techniques as you do in a RWD then don’t be surprised if you plow into a corner. It’s a different set up, you drive it differently. In a RWD you can approach a corner and power slide throughout… with a FWD you enter the corner faster and power out of it, you power to early and then you will understeer badly. At the end of the day they are both equal around a tack, as RWD are better around slower corners while FWD are better around faster corners… so it cancels itself out. On the street, FWD is superior as due to a higher traction threshold it means better grip in the wet etc, understeer is safer to control for most drivers and they are much more predictable. Here is the article I mentioned in a previous post, you will NOT find any other conclusive answer to this FWD vs RWD debate:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cvetters3/test1.htm
QUOTE = The Aurion has not faired well in recent tests in the handling department, so I can see this as being only short lived.
Faaark me where is your evidence? Not just one biased report from say Wheels, but some decent evidence to back such a claim up? Im not going to bother finding all the reviews I have previously, but your statement is a total lie… there are many reviews stating that the Aurion is hardly an embarrassment in this department. In fact in one review by Drive they said it had decent handling (Commodore was best) and knocked the Falcon as they believed under uneven (ie real world) surfaces it got nervous.
QUOTE = I thought there was only so much grunt you could put through a drive shaft of a front wheel drive car ,surly they wont measure up to rear /4 wheel drive cars?
Refer to above. AWD yeah its not going to measure up…. But RWD no. YOUR POWERING ONE SET OF WHEELS… and in the case of a front engine RWD you have fark all weight over them. Correction should be it might not be as enjoyable to driver as a RWD… but then either is a AWD really as most have a tendency to understeer rather then oversteer.
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July 25th, 2007 at 11:30 am
firstly great come back Dingo.
“Aurions come with cardigans to offset the free toolbox that comes with a Holden.” he he thats thinkin
one important note on V8 supercars is it is a V8 highly controlled spec category. i dont know if production car racing really exists any more aswell.
yes you had your nissans that had a good run for a bit put didnt the tightening of the eligability criteria prove that people wanted to see V8’s running around? i think the success of V8’s wouldnt be as great as it is now if they hadnt done so.
remember ford ran sierra’s to try and compete with the other nimble cars out there (well they didnt TRY to compete with them they actually smashed tham)
if nissans etc kept racing ford would just run something like the sierra again and we would be watching “V6 turbo supercars” every 3 weeks or so.
and my opinion on toyota entering the competition is short answer NO.
you see ford and holden have put up a lot of money to keep this category going and their patriotism of the sport and theirs alone have seen the sport become the 3rd most popular sport in OZ and also the only sport to have international governments forking out big $$ to get them on their turf.
anyone wanting to get in on that success,to me,would be seen as a “johnny come lately”
nothing is stopping them building up their own category of racing
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July 25th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Who gives a shyte about V8 supercars… I hope Toyota dont, keep the bogan image away.
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July 25th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Righto Eddy the expert. Have you driven an Aurion aggressively?
Didn’t think so.
Wheels did report it and you say they are biased?! Well lets wait and see if they give it the thumbs up, would you think they are bias then?
Didn’t think so.
The potential aggressive driving the Aurion will cop will show the lack of front end grip. It’s physics! The wheels steering the car are also driving the car, therefore it will let go earlier than a RWD.
Before you accuse me of bias, my previous cars have been a Laser, Corolla, Barina, Pulsar SSS, Focus Zetec and now an XR6 Turbo.
So yes I have owned/driven FWD cars before.
Have a good day.
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July 25th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
QUOTE = Righto Eddy the expert. Have you driven an Aurion aggressively?
The normal Aurion? I wouldnt say aggressively but Ive pushed it in a test drive.
QUOTE = The potential aggressive driving the Aurion will cop will show the lack of front end grip. It’s physics! The wheels steering the car are also driving the car, therefore it will let go earlier than a RWD.
I find it hard to believe you are commenting without bias… you still dont understand the dynamics of a FWD either. You dont floor it throughout a corner… if driven properly, you will have no problems with a FWD when cornering. And grip, word it correctly, a FWD has a higher traction threshold, the problem is a seperation of duties between steering and power. But as I said you drive it as a FWD should be driven its not an issue and around a track just as fast.
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July 25th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Also read that aricle, who cares what me or you say, we are both biased… there you have a great source of tow identicle cars tested, one FWD the other RWD.
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July 25th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
For some reason Toyota is not interested in Australian Supercars but that is not saying that maybe one day they will show some interest. They are however competing in the Australian Rally Championship (ARC) through TRD and doing extremely well
A good option for Toyota though for the Australian Touring Cars so that they conform with the current regulations would be to team with Lexus Auatralia and run a GS series that is sold here in Australia with a 4.3 V8 (GS430) and… is RWD.
Considering some people are fighting back at the Aurion just goes to show that the car is stirring concern amoung Holden/Ford punters and that is good to see.
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August 27th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
There is only one reason the Queensland police bought a Aurion TRD over a holden or ford = Fuel Economy
The vast majority of cars on the road are slower than the TRD and hence the TRD was the logical choice.
Personally i can’t wait to see the aurions in car chases, understearing in corners and having those being chased get away in a crappy RWD.
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September 12th, 2007 at 9:48 am
hahahahaha.
ESP and VSC…
thats the difference that stops the FWD vs RWD argument… these systems keep the car on the road, in the direction you want to travel…
that argument is flawed, ancient and now redundant…
Drive an Aurion, flog it, and you will see. ;)
And in regards to Aurion challengine Commodore and Falcon… well, aaah, have a look at the stats… In QLD Aurion just outsold Falcon for the last 3 months, and in creasing that lead. Not “close” to Commodore yet, but getting there… Far and above Toyota’s targets for this stage in the release. ;)
Word.
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July 12th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
There is no doubt this is a kick-ass car.
Although, Toyota have made a big mistake with a high powered front wheel drive. It’s all fun and games until the front end locks up then what are you going to do? At least in a rear wheel drive you can correct it very easily, once the front end locks up as im sure it will with such a heavy car (quad-cam, family size) you are going to slide directly into what is in front of you.
And believe me, i’m talking from experience, front wheel drives are clapped out shit-boxes no matter how good the engine is.
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July 12th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Like i said, from experience. You say drive an aurion and “flog” it. lol. Im sure youve driven an aurion in the wet around a corner at double the speed limit. Obviously not, because if you did your aurion would be in a metal scrap heap and you would probably be dead.
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