In daily life, we usually publish some common vehicles modification posts, including hot hatch like Golf, Honda Fit, or popular saloon like Accord or Carola, I believe your guys have been tired on this. So today we are going to change a new style, the story today is a 1 million dollar Rolls-Royce Phantom to modify Toyota Supra 2JZ-GTE engine. What is 2JZ-GTE engine? Allow me to explain first.
2JZ-GTE is the stock engine on Toyota Supra and very popular on modification industry. Althought it is 3.0-liter only but can speed up to 1000 hbp on straight line. This engine is on sale on Ebay too for 2000 dollar.
At the past, we used to see Lexus IS200, Toyota 86 and BMW 3 series modified with 2JZ-GTE engine. Many people think their original engine is too weak, and want to get this kind of fast and hard speeding up pratice, so they are going to choose this Japanese famous engine. But today this Rolls-Royce Phantom has original 6.75-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine. Why do he choose to replace the 2JZ-GTE engine?
The story goes like this: The owner picks up the car brand new in 2008; he loves it so much that he spends the next nine years driving the hell out of it, using it every day and making full use of that massive rear space to transport his friends in pure luxury. The BMW N73 6.75-liter naturally aspirated V12 that glides the Phantom along is near silent in operation and offers ample torque to push all 2.6 tons of the stately home on wheels along, 531lb-ft (720Nm) of the twisting force to be precise, with power topping out at 453hp. But then at the 190,000km (118,000mi) mark the engine gives up good and proper. With Rolls-Royce Japan quoting our good friend a two-year wait for a replacement motor, he proceeds to “sort the problem out himself”.
And that is how we arrive at this – a turbocharged and supercharged Toyota 2JZ-GTE powering the massive British automobile. Yes, really.
Being based in Japan I honestly thought I’d see pretty much every engine swap possible, but this is next level. And the beauty is that it all came to be out of necessity rather than a publicity stunt from a tuner. The owner simply wanted to continue driving his Phantom and has done so with an engine combination that’s worked out rather well.
As I just mentioned, the inline-six is twin charged, so on top of the Trust T78 mounted high on a GReddy exhaust manifold there’s also an HKS GT8555 supercharger kit in play. You know, so that there’s a worthy low RPM torque curve there to help propel the big Roller off the line.
The swap was handled by J&K Power in Chiba who are specialists when it comes to 2JZs. To ensure that the motor was up to the task, they threw oversized HKS forged pistons into the equation and to take care of cooling there’s an HPI Evolve radiator and Lexus RC F expansion tank.
A custom fuel system supports the current 1.6bar (23.5psi) of boost the T78 is delivering, but that’s just the low setting. The swap was just completed so it’s still being run in and currently outputting around 600hp, but once final tuning of the HKS F-CON V Pro is complete and 2.0bar (29.4psi) is dialed in, 900hp should be possible.
Of course, you couldn’t possibly rely on Rolls-Royce’s signature air suspension to deal with pretty much double the power the car came with from stock. Aside from the fact that the factory system has reliability issues, something a little bit more aligned with the new demeanour of the car was needed.
And that’s where adjustable Öhlins dampers, custom built to take into account the somewhat unique job they have to do, come in.
The owner was so cool he showed me all the features of the car, including the iconic umbrella that ejects from the rear suicide doors to keep sir and madam dry when exiting the car in the rain.
Shut the hood and it all goes back to looking like a regular Phantom.
That Engine Note
I’ve photographed a few Rolls-Royces in the past, but shooting a full feature on a Phantom was a first for me. I just couldn’t get my head around just how majestically massive this model is. It was almost to the point of being awkward to position and shoot, as it barely fit in through the back streets that line the Akihabara neighbourhood.
And the engine note just made me laugh: close your eyes and you picture a fully-tuned Supra sitting there in front of you; open your eyes and there’s a big Roller. Mind blown every time.
I made a quick video of the car as pictures alone could never relay the awesomeness of this Frankenstein creation. And yes, I even got to sit in the back and be chauffeured around.
I was actually pretty impressed with how smooth and torquey the car felt, but more amazed by how the loud and very JDM tuner car like burble at idle all but disappeared once the doors were closed. These things pack some pretty serious sound deadening.
As you’d expect with a car that’s approaching 200,000km, the interior is showing its age, but aside from the usual wear and tear and the occasional scuff, the build quality is evident.
Now I’ve seen it all – a Rolls-Royce Phantom with a Defi boost gauge and an Advance ZD multi display meter. Both are there to help keep an eye on the vitals of the Toyota motor, but just look so out of place that they’re bordering on comical.
I’ve never seen a Japanese navigation system where anime characters randomly pop up on the display, but seeing the area of Tokyo we were in, I didn’t think it was strange. That’s when you know you’ve been in Japan too long.
The original cup holder console provided a perfect place to locate the Aristo automatic shifter, and it would almost look factory if it wasn’t for the plastic Toyota surround.
I’d like to say that the toggle switch on the side of the shift knob arms a nitrous system, but it’s actually there to activate and deactivate the 4-speed’s overdrive.
I’ve already made sure the owner contacts me again when the run-in period on the 2JZ is done and the boost can be turned up.
2008 Rolls-Royce Phantom Modified Accessories List:
Numbers:
Max Power: 600hp on low (1.6bar) boost, 900hp on high (2.0bar) boost
Engine:
Toyota 2JZ-GTE 3.0-liter inline-six, HKS 87mm forged pistons, Trust T78 single turbo, HKS GT8555 supercharger, J&K Power custom intercooler & piping, HPI Evolve radiator, HKS F-CON V Pro engine management system
Driveline:
Toyota Aristo 4-speed automatic transmission
Suspension/Brakes:
Öhlins coilovers, Akebono high-friction brake pads
Exterior:
Rubber canards, custom LED highlights, yellow fog lights
Interior:
Aristo shift gate, Defi Advance ZD OLED multi-display, Defi boost gauge, Defi control unit, Yupiteru radar detector/navi unit