Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 273: Jekyll and Hyde

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 273: Jekyll and Hyde

Creating a hardcore track-focused variant of the all-alloy Loryx Lynx (whose larger, all-steel alternate universe self turned out to be too heavy for the task, but not by as much as you'd think) might have seemed like a no-brainer, but given that the donor car was already quite light due to its all-aluminum construction, I had to make the engine lighter. To that end, it received individual throttle bodies and a high-flow exhaust with longer tubular headers, a high-flow catalytic converter, and a pair of straight-through mufflers, thus yielding 425 horsepower and 380 foot-pounds of torque - 50 and 30 more, respectively, than the base model. In addition, the redline was now 500 rpm higher, thanks to lighter forged internals. An increased compression ratio and cam profile also helped, but it still produced the bulk of its torque in the middle of the rev range, which kept it highly tractable even at lower speeds.

All this power would've been useless without some chassis tweaks to more easily harness it. This included lowered, stiffened suspension (without sacrificing too much comfort, even with a ride height 15mm lower), larger wheels and brakes (18 inches front and rear for the former, and a 1-inch increase in diameter for the latter, with more aggressive pads to boot), and a staggered tire fitment in place of the square fitment of the base model (245/40ZR18 up front and 285/35ZR18 at the rear, instead of 245/45ZR17 at both axles). Further weight savings were achieved with the use of a lightweight sports interior in place of the premium fittings of the donor car. Finally, downforce levels were increased and a few extra air intakes were placed up front for better cooling - a necessity for prolonged track driving or even fast road use.

The resulting car demands more respect from its driver compared to the standard version, but is even more rewarding when driven on (or closer to) the limit, especially on track. Its more uncompromising nature is reflected in a 0-60 mph time that's at least 0.2 seconds faster, with 5-6 mph of extra top speed. It also has even more grip and braking power (both of which are as useful on the road as they are at the track), but is less well-suited to being an everyday proposition as a result. It does, however, retain enough space for a roll cage if the owner wishes to fit one.

Above, from top: Trading some of the base model's creature comforts (and 80kg of its weight) for 50 extra horsepower and a more track-focused suspension, brakes, and wheel/tire fitment has made the '95 Loryx Lynx 5.0 GTS (solid blue) even more focused than the GT - but it's still a looker from every angle.

In short, it may not be for everyone, but those who prefer something more focused would be better served by the sharper GTS than the regular GT, which was no slouch itself. However, the GTS has an easier time leveraging its performance-oriented aesthetics, marketing and focus to deliver a take-no-prisoners driving experience for anyone who can handle its more race-bred performance and feel.