This vehicle isn’t anything new, but lately we’ve been looking at pictures of all the different prototype kits that TEIN Japan has made for the Toyota GR Yaris.
In case you’re not aware for some reason, the GR Yaris is the latest hot hatch from Japan. Unfortunately it will not be making its way to the U.S.A. But, we do hear that this car will be available in South America. So, we’re a bit jealous of that news.
Anyway, this car has some pretty incredible specifications given the size of this vehicle. It’s still as compact as any previous Yaris, a bit wider though. But the drivetrain is something else- turbocharged 3-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive. Oh, and that turbocharged 3-cylinder engine puts out ~270hp and ~273lbs-ft of torque. That’s pretty crazy.
It leads to my next question- why is Toyota releasing this vehicle?
The production of this GR Yaris is to meet homologation requirements for WRC, which the Yaris is the platform Toyota uses for rally.
All that power going to all four wheels and in a very short wheelbase. That has to be a fun drive.
Next question- why is it not being released in North America?
No answer there. But word is the drivetrain will make it into another compact Toyota for the U.S.A. That’s at least something of a positive. Still, we really do like the styling of the GR Yaris.
TEIN Japan is already hot in the heels to get product available for this platform, which we’ve already done several prototypes for circuit racing, and even some rally suspension based on our Gr. N coilovers. We had the chance to take a look at the prototype MONO RACING coilovers. Here are some of the pics:
Here’s our MONO SPORT coilover prototype for the GR Yaris. Upper mounts included front and rear, with the fronts using spherical bearings in an aluminum housing. This setup uses 12kg front and 16kg rear springs. This one was developed for circuit racing.The front struts will use a camber washer arrangement, similar to what we already apply for certain racing suspension models. It will include 0.5 and 1.0 degree camber washers.The front pillowball mounts are unique in that it still retains the OEM shape and mounting. However, instead of using serrated studs to secure the strut to the strut tower, this mount uses a ring nut to secure the upper mount to the strut tower.
For anyone with factory equipped Adaptive or Electronically Controlled Suspension will know, changing to an aftermarket suspension kit (i.e. coilovers) isn’t typically a straightforward, or plug & play affair. Now, some suspension manufacturers will at least include some method of resolving any warnings or errors that may pop up on the instrument panel whenever disconnecting the OEM Adaptive/Electronic suspension. In some cases, it’s not a problem at all.
This is the error notification you’ll get on the late-model Honda Accord Touring models with Adaptive Suspension.
Over a two years ago, we decided that we had to do something similar, as factory Adaptive/Electronic suspension is becoming standard on entry-level priced cars. No longer is this type of suspension exclusive to luxury marques. This led to the development of our Error Canceller Kits.
Error Canceller Kit show with some accessories, but actual accessories may vary by vehicle application.
Again, with entry-level cars now having either standard or optional (trim level dependant) Adaptive/Electronic suspension, there’s always a need for better handling performance. So, we had to come up with some type of resolution to the aforementioned warning or error on the dash.
Our solution is literally plug & play. Each Error Canceller unit uses a OEM style plug that connects to the factory wiring harness for the suspension. All that’s left is to mount the canceller securely to the damper, and you’ll be good to go!
To date, we’re still limited on which vehicles we make our Error Cancellers for, mainly because there aren’t too many Japanese entry-level priced vehicles with Adaptive/Electronic Suspension. However, as we’re getting into product development for European vehicles, it’s only natural that our Error Canceller Kits will continue to grow in vehicle application.
Currently available and upcoming Error Canceller Kits:
Finally! It’s been an exhausting R&D process in getting a coilover available for the newest Toyota Supra. But now we can say it’s an honest improvement to the OEM suspension.
That was the hiccup in getting our coilovers released in a timely manner. While we had early access to the A90 Supra working with Toyota Motorsports in the U.S., this new platform proved to be difficult in getting to actually improve its performance on just suspension alone. But now, with the help of Japanese sports car tuner Matchless Crowd Racing (MCR), we finally have something to offer!
STREET ADVANCE Z (Part number: GSTJ4-91AS3)
MSRP: $1,200.00
*Front-Right and Rear-Right components shown
After nearly two years of R&D on this car, we’re first releasing our STREET ADVANCE Z coilover kit. At $1200 retail, this kit is a great value in high performance suspension for this new car.
Geez. Two years… Why did it take so long?! We won’t go into all the details. After all, if you’re an A90 Supra owner, we really don’t want to say much to offend you. But since you’re reading this, I’d wager in my assumption that you’re looking to increase the handling performance of your car. So…… In a word, it’s a very difficult car to work with. Don’t take our word for it. If you do a quick search on “MCR A90 Supra” you’ll quickly find that MCR’s owner, Kobayashi-san, really doesn’t like the new Supra. According to him, in translated text, It can’t turn, can’t stop, and is slow. Those are supposed to be aspects that a sports car is good at!
MCR A90 Supra
Take it for whatever it’s worth. I happen to like the A90, but maybe the criticism of this car is just simply a tuner’s standpoint (or marketing point) in order to give the aftermarket something to work with and give the end-user something they “need”, if you know what I mean.
The fact is, the new Supra isn’t priced anywhere near other Japanese supercars like the Acura NSX or Nissan GT-R, and for good reason- it simply isn’t built like those cars. It seems like it was built with aftermarket tuning in mind.
MCR staff setting up the STREET ADVANCE Z prototype kit for testing/evaluatingPrototype STREET ADVANCE Z for A90 ready for testing with MCR.
But, it is true- the new Supra is a difficult one. It’s very electronically-laden, much like a lot of high-end sports cars these days. And, again no offense, it is very typical German engineering. That’s not a bad thing. It just takes some time to better understand their design to really improve upon it.
So, what do you get with our A90 STREET ADVANCE Coilover Kit?:
-6kg/mm front springs
-12kg/mm rear springs
-Damping adjustability (16-click rebound) for front and rear dampers
-Rear upper mounts with access holes for damping adjustment
-TEIN Developed Error Canceller Units
-Camber Adjustable Upright Insert
A few things to explain-
Our Error Canceller makes this a plug ‘n play suspension kit by connecting directly to the OEM’s Electronic Suspension control module. Without it, and simply unplugging the OEM dampers will cause a warning on your dash.
Example of TEIN Error Canceller
Our Camber Adjustable Upright Insert is a sleeve between our damper and the aluminum knuckle assembly. By allowing camber adjustment from the bottom of the strut, you can retain the OEM upper mount assembly, which is a good design in reducing NVH.
Camber Adjustable Upright Insert shown in red square in above picture.
While installation of our coilovers do void the use of the Factory Electronic Suspension system, you can opt for our optional EDFC ACTIVE or EDFC ACTIVE PRO kit to allow for electronically controlled damping settings.
At last, we finally have a setup that offers true handling performance gains for the new Supra. Better late than never, and better to be well-developed than hastily done, I suppose. Anyway, expect this kit to arrive mid June 2021!
High Performance Premium Shock Absorbers and Lowering Springs
Although we’re well-known mainly for producing coilover kits, the ENDURAPRO and ENDURAPRO PLUS shock absorber line is gaining more momentum stateside. While much more popular overseas, our premium replacement shock absorbers are starting to generate interest in a lot of consumers, especially if you’re on lowering springs and are looking for suitable performance shocks to pair with them, or you simply don’t want to invest in a complete coilover kit.
At the launch of the ENDURAPRO/PLUS line in the U.S., we also launched the ENDURAPRO Spring Kit and ENDURAPRO PLUS Spring Kit, which pairs our S.TECH lowering springs along with either of the shocks, depending on if you want fixed damping setting or 16-click adjustable damping.
Let’s take a look at what’s included with a ENDURAPRO Spring Kit (part # VSQ54-A1SS2) for the FR-S/86/BRZ.
Conveniently packaged, springs are placed over each shock absorber to minimize packing space and package dimensions. Quite honestly, there isn’t much to it. For certain vehicle applications, other components may be included, such as dust boots or bump stops. Although the ENDURAPRO/PLUS shock absorbers utilize our internal Hydraulic Bump Stoppers (H.B.S.), you will still need to retain either a OEM or TEIN bump stop, which is used as a precautionary measure.
Springs packaged over shocks to minimize packaging size.
Hard to tell from the photo, especially when it’s not lined up against an OEM or OEM replacement shock absorber, but our ENDURAPRO/PLUS shock absorbers are much larger in diameter to and OEM/OEM replacement. In fact, it really is just like one of our coilovers, just minus the threaded adjustment for ride height.
Valved to provide far better handling performance, our ENDURAPRO/PLUS shock absorbers are a perfect enhancement for an otherwise stock vehicle. However, paired with one of our lowering springs and you have a much more sporty ride that you can appreciate. We recommend this type of setup for customers who can do without ride height adjustability or pillowball upper mounts (although it may be compatible with some aftermarket pillowball mounts). That just means less maintenance (you are periodically inspecting your suspension, aren’t you!?!?!?!).
Currently our part numbers for ENDURAPRO Spring Kits and ENDURAPRO PLUS Spring kits are rather limited. However, we’re also still working on either developing performance replacement shocks or lowering springs for certain vehicle applications. If you have any questions about these products, please feel free to contact us at 562-861-9161, or reach out to any of our authorized dealers!
Every year a new car release puts us consumers in a tough spot- choosing between a “want” and a “need”. Actually, that’s pretty much the market that TEIN is in. We have a performance product that either a customer simply just wants, or in fact really needs, all depending on what they’re using it for. And for us, just like these new car releases, we have to determine which of our products the customer is going to want, especially for something like the much anticipated new Toyota Supra.
Even on a spec sheet, a stock A90 Supra is a very good package. Of course, as always, the OEM leaves a bit to be desired in many aspects. However, we can see a change in demographic in what they “want” and “need”. Even before the A90 made its way to the consumer, we received inquiries on this platform, mostly with potential owners wanting coilovers. In fact, we got our head start working with Toyota Motorsports as they prepared a couple of A90’s for pace cars to be used at Toyota sponsored events, such as NASCAR races. It was a great opportunity for our in-house engineer to get all the measurements he needs and make a suspension that works well for a pace car, no different than what we’ve done for the Camry pace cars that Toyota Motorsports has worked with us on suspension over the past few years.
Toyota Pace Car
Again, on OEM specs alone, the new A90 Supra is very well equipped. Even though we knew that a “pace car” suspension will never be made as an out-of-the-box setup for our end-users, we had to really think of what, of our products, is the best fit.
A90 Supras have factory electronically controlled suspension. It’s sharing basically all the underpinnings of BMW’s Z4 platform, and BMW technology is found throughout the Supra. So, we know that some consumers are going to want to retain that feature. So first on the list is lowering springs, our S.TECH line specifically.
Next, we knew that coilovers were inevitable. So development on that naturally came next. We’re for sure making a street compliant kit, most likely based around our STREET ADVANCE Z, FLEX Z or FLEX A line. However, the issue is compatibility with the factory electronic solenoids. Much like the FK8 Civic Type R, we’re having to develop our Canceller Units to avoid any issues unplugging these said electronics. This means that the customer can opt for one of our EDFC kits instead of the factory electronics. Yes, that’s an added cost, but our EDFC systems (specifically ACTIVE and ACTIVE PRO) are very advanced and a worthwhile upgrade. Still, we may consider something like our FLEX AVS coilovers which is aimed at Toyotas and Lexus’s using Adaptive Variable Suspension. BUT, this car uses BMW based suspension, and not Toyota’s AVS. So, that will take a bit more time to develop.
On top of making a FLEX type of coilover, we will plan for a more race oriented type setup, most likely around our new MONO RACING coilovers.
Preliminary testing has been completed on production A90’s (the Supra Pace Cars were technically pre-production vehicles, to my understanding). But we’ll still be working on development once other coilover prototypes arrive. So, give us a little time to get these products out!
The fact is TEIN already has a great reputation in Thailand through our distributor operating as TEIN Thailand! However, this most recent news really helps put TEIN on the map!!!
It was recently discovered that two men, one Canadian and one Thai, have been working together on smuggling drugs into Australia. “How does this involve TEIN?”, you may ask?
These guys ingeniously used some TEIN coilover kits and opened them up, then stuffed them full of drugs. Total count: over 3,700 grams of heroin, 1 kilogram of marijuana, 1 gram of cocaine, & two ecstasy pills. Quite a haul, considering this all had a reported value of 7.5 million baht (about $240,000 USD).
So the story is that these drug-filled coilovers were sent to an address in Australia, but unfortunately the address was either incorrect or non-existent. So the coilover kits were sent back to Thailand, and upon inspection by customs, it was discovered that they contained the illegal drugs.
Authorities were able to trace the coilover kits back to the original shipper.
Seizure of the property included quite a bit of cash, other illegal drugs, and some expensive luxuries like Rolex watches, a Mercedes E300 (if you know anything about buying/owning a car in Thailand, you’ll know it’s really expensive to do so and have, especially European cars).
I mean, we know our coilover kits are a great value, but we didn’t realize it would be that much! Hahahahaha!
Here are the two suspects pointing at their fine work. Canadian Stephens Blair and Thai Pahol Siwasirikarun.“Here are some of my office supplies, like staples, paper clips, money bundles (for more office supplies), and tape.”
One thing’s for sure, these coilovers probably had the worst ride and handling after their “rebuild”.
While this car has been out of production for well over 20 years now, we still find that the 1992-1995 Honda Civic is still a good seller in terms of our suspension products. Many older vehicles don’t really fare so well when it comes to aftermarket parts. Many parts being discontinued due to little demand. However, Civics of this generation are still very popular platforms to modify, and there are still plenty of them on the road, whether in sedan, coupe, or hatchback form.
Many of our customers should be well aware that TEIN is adamant of technological innovation in suspension. In fact that is a huge part of the name “TEIN” (TEchnological INnovation). Year after year we always look into ways to improve our suspensions and we try, as much as possible, to offer various kits to make it easier for the customer to choose the correct kit for their needs.
With that said, we’re still working on developing suspension for the ’92-’95 Civic. Currently, we’re working on the specifications for our upcoming STREET BASIS Z & STREET ADVANCE Z applications. While this line has been out for a few years now, we had yet to release it for these model years of Civic.
Why bother with testing, especially if we already have existing STREET BASIS and STREET ADVANCE coilovers? Why not just carry over the same specs of that kit to the newer Z line? That would be the easy way of doing it. However, we rely very heavily on customer feedback when deciding what spring rates and what type of valving we will designate for each application. Over the years, our customers’ mindsets have changed. In the past, we were making suspension kits that were very aggressive in terms of springs and valving, mainly because the customers were expecting a very sporty ride feel. While great for track driving, they proved to be very harsh for the street, especially if it was for a daily driver.
Over the years, we’ve taken the time to revise our tuning philosophy for suspension. Making dedicated street suspensions such as the STREET BASIS and STREET ADVANCE lines, we wanted good performance with uncompromising comfort to be the emphasis.
That, along with other updated suspension components like our Advance Needle (for damping adjustable suspension), and piston valve designs, different shim designs, etc. , means that we must retest certain vehicle platforms to make sure there is no degradation in either performance or comfort. Simply trying to carry over an old specification into a new suspension doesn’t always work out so well.
So, back to testing the ’92-’95 Civic and finding that good balance we’re looking for! Actually, since we’re on the topic of this car, we’re planning to revise the spring rates for the front (from 7kg/mm to 9kg/mm). That may not sound logical, since we’re trying to set up a good street kit with ample comfort. But, with the prototype valving we’re testing on it, it is working perfectly!!
Oh, and I forgot to mention- look for the new STREET BASIS Z to start around $450 and STREET ADVANCE Z at $550 for this platform Civic when it’s released later this year!
Once again, we’ve been given the opportunity to work closely with the guys at Toyota Motorsports as they build the brand new, redesigned Toyota Camry set to be released this Summer.
As we have done in the past few years, we’ve helped them develop suspension for the pace cars being used at NASCAR events nationwide. Fortunately, modifications to these pace cars are relatively limited. And that’s perfect for us, since we don’t really try to do anything that requires major modifications.
In the past, we’ve made the pace car suspensions modeled after our SUPER STREET line of suspension. While, for some, this setup may not seem like an ideal suspension for a car that has to be driven at relatively high speeds around either a large oval track or road course, they can more than suffice to the task if set up properly.
The specifications that the guys at Toyota Motorsports ask for are far from being something we’d normally offer for a street-driven car, which most of our customers are looking for. For the 2018 Camry, they need a really stiff setup. To that end, we’re using 14kg/mm front springs and 12kg/mm rear springs.
For the past few Camry platforms, we’ve been able to make a coilover kit that uses the factory upper mounts. However, for the 2018 Camry, we’re utilizing camber adjustable front mounts.
Since the rear is no longer a strut type suspension (now using a more commonplace separate spring and damper combination), the rear damper has a OEM style upper mount while the rear has an adjustable base for dialing in ride height.
Once our in-house engineer was able to get measurements on the new Camry, he contacted the engineers at TEIN Japan’s Specialized Damper division and had them carry on with the design and manufacture of the suspension. Within two weeks time, we had a pair of suspension kits air freighted to TEIN USA.
Now we’re off to Toyota Motorsports’ Torrance HQ to do our test fitment. Then it’s up to the guys to finish the pace car build and take it out to the track for assessment!
Although we’re glad to have our own audience reading our blogs and following us on Facebook and Instagram, we know we have a very niche customer base. Whenever we have a chance to reach different consumers through other forms of media, we find it to be a great opportunity to get the word out on TEIN and what separates us from other suspension manufacturers.
Front Street Media is a relatively new outlet in the eastcoast that is doing their part in reaching their readers and informing them on all things related to automotive performance. Working closely with their parent company, Turn 14 Distribution, they’re able to have hands-on experience with performance products.
However, they also have access to manufacturers and can get an inside view into how each company runs and develops their products.
They recently reached out to us and Bilstein for information on suspension and what a damper does, as well as what separates us from other companies (in terms of what goes into building a quality suspension).
Since we’ve been working hard to release the latest suspension kits for 2016, we’ll always run into one hurdle in trying to get the newest products out to the consumer. Finding the correct vehicle for testing is one of those hurdles.
We (TEIN USA) have always done our product development in our Downey, CA. facility for products destined for the U.S. market. The fact that all of our tools and testing equipment are in this facility, and also because our relative distance from TEIN Japan, makes it easier to communicate with our engineers overseas on a daily basis.
However, this type of convenience makes it difficult to locate local vehicles since we’re working in a relatively isolated area. Some times the vehicle we need is more popular in the Northwest region, or even the East coast region. Some times the vehicle we need has been out of production for a number of years already, so finding one type of vehicle can have its challenges.
So this is where we turn to our customers for help!
If you are in or near the L.A. county, and can leave your car with us for a few days of product testing/developing, it would be greatly appreciated! This type of assistance from you doesn’t go without some type of reimbursement. Of course, we want your car to look and handle great, which is probably why you’re reading our blog right now. So, we typically give our customers free product for the inconvenience of leaving them without a car (assuming you only have the one car) for our testing purposes.
If you have any of the vehicles listed below, and want to work with TEIN in developing suspension, please give us a call! We’d love to work with you!
Vehicle requirements:
-Must retain OEM body (no widebody kits, aftermarket fenders, bumpers, side skirts, extended bumper lips).
-Must retain factory interior. There may be exceptions for some aftermarket interior parts.
-OEM wheels (and tire size) preferred. Plus sized wheel and tires may be fine, depending on size. No aggressive widths and offsets. Contact us if you have aftermarket plus sized wheels.
-Must retain OEM suspension (stock springs, shocks, upper mount assemblies, bushings, swaybars, endlinks, etc.). There may be exceptions for some aftermarket suspension components.
-Must have valid registration and tags, and proof of insurance.
*consult with TEIN staff if your vehicle may have questionable modifications/parts.
Loan requirements:
-Vehicle testing schedule may be from 3-5 business days. In other words, the car will need to be left with us during the scheduled/agreed time frame.
– Vehicle must be dropped off with a full tank of gas. We will be return vehicle with a full tank of gas.
Give us a call at 562-861-9161!
Or, if email is more convenient, send your inquiry to tus_sales@tein.com
