A great way to improve a Soarer's performance is to reduce the weight which has a number of advantages over just increasing power. The tyres aren't pushed as hard when trying to get so much inertia to change course, the braking performance is improved and the suspension has an easier job. Win-win-win!

There are some things you can remove or swap for lighter items for normal road driving but others would be for a track only situation or when you've made other modifications such as changing the suspension from airbags to coilovers. After all, these are luxury cars and not noisy tin-top screamers.

Where the weight comes from is also important. Soarers are naturally nose heavy so they have a tendency to understeer or push when turning in. Removing weight from the front will have a more noticeable effect on handling than anywhere else, which is why it also helps to move the battery to the boot. In that case a smaller sealed battery is lighter, safer and easier to fit.

We're quite lucky with the short length of the 1UZ as it sits almost entirely behind the front axle which give it more potential than the TT for improved balance. UZZ30 owners don't have some of these items so they're already 50kg lighter than the UZZ31 and 140kg lighter than the UZZ32 which is weighed down with it's active suspension system.

 

Original item	Replacement	Weight difference
Airbag strut - 7kg each	Coilover - 5kg each	8kg (4 coilovers)
Suspension Air pump - 6kg		6kg
Suspension computer - 1kg		1kg
GPS computer (useless in Aus) - 1kg		1kg
Bonnet - 27kg	CF Bonnet - 9kg	18kg
Electric driver's seat - 35kg	Fibreglass race seat with rails - 15kg	20kg
Passenger seat - 30kg		30kg
Back seat (leather) - 14kg		14kg
N70 Battery - 20kg	Optima Yellow Top - 11kg	9kg
CD Stacker - 12kg		12kg
CDROM unit under stacker - 8kg		8kg
Full size alloy spare - 21kg		21kg
TOTAL		148kg

This total would be for a track day but just goes to show what a difference all the little things can make.

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