Young Version — August 1999

…But boring the block and fitting oversize pistons can make it fail easily. Even installing sleeves requires machining the block, which creates a strength concern. So they used JUN original forged pistons in the stock size. They also developed their own connecting rods and other parts, components that had hardly been available before. For power, a turbo was the obvious choice: a GT2835R. With about 1.9 kg/cm² of boost, it produces 450 horsepower from a 1.5-liter engine. You might worry about running that much boost, but apparently it's holding up. The power band runs from 5,000 to 9,500 rpm, and the engine revs with a sharpness like a motorcycle. HRF has worked through each issue and improved its times, but one problem remains: transmission choices are limited compared with other cars, so for now they use the stock gearbox. To reduce strain on it, they focused on weight reduction; the car now weighs just 700… The car is already a monster, but they hope to fit a dog-engagement transmission and refine the gear ratios to reach the 10-second range. The Starlet has made their dream real: use an inexpensive base car to beat much faster cars!