First Impressions from our shakedown at the TGR Vios car handover day, representing car #33 Team S&D Tama Toyota Penang.
A breathtaking first glimpse indeed, to be introduced to the next gen, again race prepped version of the outgoing NGC100 Vios in full cup car form. Replacing the previous and very close to heart NCP151 TGR Vios that’s been with us for the past 5 seasons.
How they are born: TGR Vios cup cars
About 30 units of these dealer stock sourced Vios donor cars go through an elaborate race conversion at Wing Hin Motorsports, the race engineering & technical arm of TGR Malaysia, where they are stripped down to bare necessities, a roll cage gets bolted in along with fire fighting system, auxiliary switches.
Then in go amenities like the bucket seat, 350mm steering wheel and safety harness, all OMP. Mechanical upgrades to powertrain, drivetrain and suspension are all part of the checklist.
Size and Chassis
This all-new 2024 NGC100 TGR Vios is visibly and physically bigger than the NCP151 predecessor (2019 – 2023) and more importantly, comes with significant changes in chassis geometry with a 70mm longer wheelbase, specifically:
- Height: 5mm taller at 1,480mm
- Length: 5mm longer at 4,425mm
- Width: 10mm wider at 1,740mm
- Wheelbase: 70mm longer at 2,620mm
Official 2024 TGR Season 7 material
Manual Transformation
The manual aspect of the new TGR Vios racecar need some mentioning.
Firstly the shifter feels obviously short, tight and direct. It almost seem like the shift mechanism has been borrowed from the GR Yaris, almost. A godsent improvement over the previous NCP151 TGR Vios we’ve raced in recent seasons.
Even the entire shift console has elevated quite substantially, where the shifting hand is now somewhat supported and the driving position more sunken, where in total, adds to the overall improved cockpit.
The process of turning these Malaysian stock, automatic only NGC100 Vioses into their manual form may seem a straightforward task, but was said to be damn tedious to execute. Firstly, the physical manual transmission is sourced from the Indonesian production Vios, which comes from Thailand.
It then requires the non auto ECU which comes from the manual version, again Indonesian Vios, along with the wiring, clutch, clutch pedal, likely brake pedal as well. The ABS system is said to be from another Toyota cousin. There are also custom parts and adaptors to make all this possible, and is specifically procured for these TGR Malaysia Vios racecars.
Big credits to TGR Malaysia for the determination in keeping the manual relevant. We all, the TGR competitors especially me in particular will savour the indescribable joy from this mechanical masterpiece for years to come.
Special Exhaust
These really long extractors are based off years of race developement by Wing Hin Motorsports on the previous gens of Vios’s 2NR-FE 1.5 in various Vios platforms for their races locally and in Thailand. This well used 1.5L 4 cylinder engine has since been updated and uses codename 2NR-VE and is in the NGC100 Vios.
When combined with the full length 2 inch exhaust, also stainless steel with mid box, is said to up power by 10-12hp more over stock.
Loud Music
Another major amplification here is outright volume. Where the predecessor NCP151 was almost too quite, it’s the exact opposite now, being greeted by the new screaming NGC100 TGR Vios. It’s really loud, ear piercingly so at times.
There is a sweet symphony beneath that brash music, courtesy of the all stainless steel exhaust system starting from the elaborate long travel extractors which gives it that extra zing at the top end. Reminiscent of touring cars from yesteryears. A small candy for car enthusiasts to enjoy from a distance no doubt.
This is Tama-Gu, the offical S&D Tama Japan mascot, as a rare and exclusive plushie
Ohlins Supension
The previous TRD / GR coilovers have been surprisingly dependable for the entire life of the NCP151 predecessor, braving the rough streets to enduring lengthy circuit racing for the past 5 seasons, at least for us at Team #33 S&D Tama Toyota Penang.
There were teams who’ve changed the fronts at certain point either from wear or actual tear via impact.
For reference, we’ve replaced maybe 15 Enkei RPF1 wheel rims over the life of the NCP151 Vios race car as a result of contact and half the time, for minor ones.
Some say these Enkei rims were instrumental in taking most of the impact, helping to preserve the life of the suspension assembly all round.
Enter the much, much beefier, aluminium bodied Ohlins DFV coilovers on the new NGC100 TGR Vios. A huge jump indeed. Still single adjustable, but mechanically it promises higher performing fluid dynamics with the dual flow valve, also lower heat for better endurance.
Shall be exciting to see how well these will perform as competing teams and us start to develop the car setup this August onwards.
New Enkei SC58 above, in what seem to be specially made TGR Malaysia edition replaces the RPF1 for Season 7 onwards. It retains the same measurements of 15×7 and tyres will still be 195/50 Toyo TR1
Race Management
On the subject of car setup and race management, we rely on Tedco Racing since 2022, who’ve been a major contributor of the recent Sporting Class successes we’ve had so far at #33 S&D Tama Toyota Penang. The difference is night and day prior to our cooperation, from hovering in midpack to repeated front row starts and securing multiple podiums, all in 1 season.
Personally, apart from the crucial data feedback, race engineering and transfer of knowledge that had helped the team greatly, there’s an intense motivation to drive the absolute best, just to match the overall passion, as a form of gratitude for their pursuit of perfection. Team synergy this is.
Power
The new NGC100 TGR Vios has a a new trick. Likely from a shorter final drive as part of the customised manual conversion. Definitely one of the most noticeable changes this season. It feels quicker now, not necessarily faster in outright speed yet, as we go through the run in process currently.
The ratios are noticeably shorter and is the biggest diff in the overall drive in the new car, apart from the chassis geometry changes.
We’ll enter 5th gear very often now, at literally all sectors, where before it was only the front and back straights if any at all. Corners that were taken in 2nd gear before, now lean towards 3rd. There’s some acclimatisation in gear selection needed here for sure, this season onwards.
Drive
Immediately, the new NGC100 TGR Vios feels different. Firstly, the manual shifter is actually satisfying to operate. Quick, precise, tight. What’s just as obvious is the new wider body and longer wheelbase. Acceleration wise, it is a touch lighter overall, likely contributed from the shorter final drive and max exhaust volume.
Corners felt a bit different this time, where the rear end of this new car seem more pronounced. Almost as if it’s grown a tail, an effect from the wheelbase extension maybe, and that’s not a bad thing. If anything, there’s now a sense of increased stability at the high speed turns.
However, a small tradeoff in sharpness is sacrificed compared to the previous car, as felt in T1, T2. But the benefits exuded by the new car more than make up for any gripe. All in all, a very positive first shakedown and it brims with untapped potential
It’s hard to say if it’s just new car syndrome or what, but that bare bones, compact car sensation of the previous NCP151 / NCP150 era has somehow faded in place of an obviously more modern, robust DNGA body. There’s virtually no shake and vibration detected, at least when compared to our previous NCP151 car, where the roll cage can be heard squeaking perpetually, ever since new, presumably from chassis flex.
This new NGC100 package is noticeably more well put together, rigid and even tyre feedback now seem to transmit through to the driver’s seat in high definition, like never before.
As a disclaimer, this first shakedown was done without any further wheel alignment or suspension setup whatsoever. It is as is from the race conversion done at Wing Hin Motorsports. Our race management Tedco Racing were present to observe and record data to be used in the coming races.
The time spent at this shakedown were mostly used to run in the new machine, just to loosen up what’s practically a brand new showroom condition racecar.
Farewell NCP151 TGR Vios #33 S&D Tama Toyota Penang
We shared a special bond with the predecessor NCP151 for 5 whole seasons since 2019. Through hell and back at the extravagant but brutal street circuits, touring the Malaysian peninsular, north to south at every round through to 2021
After a couple seasons of service, the predecessor NCP151 TGR Vios went through a midlife facelift for better looking, updated LED lights and meaner GR bumpers. It’s even survived Covid, where the entire Malaysian TGR Vios Cup series have since left the streets and migrated the fight to Sepang.
Which it is then run in a variety of half circuit TGR Vios cup sprints and full circuit endurance configuration, as a support race at the Malaysian Championship Series, featuring paired driver swaps, for the past 3 seasons.
Our best street circuit race was Nov 2019 Season 3 Round 2, in the, then brand new racecar, which was held at the Sungai Besi Air strip, Kuala Lumpur. Where we Qualified 2nd and finished first place in Race 1. Fast forward to season 5, our best year yet at the TGR Vios Cup, securing a handful of podiums which blessed us with 2nd overall in the 2022 Sporting Class championship for Season 5, subsequently moving us to Super Sporting Class.
First Race this Season
This 9th – 11th August, the TGR Season 7 is set to debut again at the Malaysian Championship Series and will see 28 TGR Vios Cup cars battle it out, including yours truly, representing #33 Team S&D Tama Toyota Penang. Do give TGR Malaysia’s FB or YouTube a follow and watch their live streams of the races.
