Tommy Kaira:
The pursuit of driving perfection inevitably results in a vehicle identical to that of a racing car built
for competition. So what exactly is "driving polished to a shine?" The answer is as simple as looking at the high-performance
Japanese-made cars of Tommy Kaira - a brand not known to the mainstream public but well loved by super car enthusiasts worldwide.
TOMMY KAIRA ZZ-S:
In 1995, Tomita Auto began selling a full-open machine reminiscent of European limited-production pure sports
cars, a Japanese car tuned into a complete machine with many special modifications. Its name is the ZZ. Absent comfortable
appointments, the machine is more like a racing cars simply retooled to be street legal - the crystallization of the dream of the
"ideal sports car" long held by Mr. Tomita and Mr. Kaira, who together head Tommy Kaira. By the time their dream came true, the
two men joked that they had already become old men, and the Japanese word for old man sounds like "z-san." (The story how the ZZ
got its name from those two "z-san" is famous in Japan.) The ZZ, which was a full-open car with no roof at all the time of its
debut, was later given a hard top and side windows, greatly improving driver protection from the elements, and this version was
later given an even more powerful engine. This is the ZZ-S. This more powerful engine was also incorporated into the open body,
ultimately resulting in four versions of the ZZ for more variety.
The engine used in hardtop version of the ZZ-S is a Nissan SR20DE with its normal ratio boosted by 15 ps to
generate 195 bhp @ 6,900 rpm. The fuel supply is the same FCR carburetor as in normal engine, but its power is boosted by modifying
its settings. Among current cars, it is not difficult to boost power efficiency by using a CPU and fuel injectors. But using a
carburetor in particular is intended to bring out the pure personality of the engine. The sensual feeling of acceleration and
sound of a perfectly-tuned carburetor and engine tugs at the heart of a true sports car aficionado, so this too was one of the
reasons for making this selection. The reason for selecting the FCR among the many available carburetors is said to be because
"while remaining a carburetor, it has still evolved with the times." You can see their insistence on staying off the beaten track.
This engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission that pokes through the floor with its linkage exposed. It has a smart and
solid feel incomparable to the unnaturally soft shift feel of ordinary production cars. With the short stroke that lets you shift
with a flick of the wrist, it gives a sense of control that makes you want to shift of control that makes you want to shift a bit
more often than necessary.
The chassis to contain all this is an aluminum monocoque bathtub formed with a tubular steel frame,
giving a construction identical to that of a racing car. The suspension welded to the sub frame is also identical to that of
a racing car.
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TOMMY KAIRA'S GT3 LINEUP:
Both the ZZ-S and ZZ-II deserve perfect 10's for fun factor. Riveting to drive, these two cars personify
the phrase sports car in every way. From the carbureted growls of the ZZ-S engine roaring at high RPM's, to the distinct whine
of the turbocharged ZZ-II, Tommy Kaira two excellent cars to choose from.
1 - '99 ZZ-S
2 - '00 ZZ-II The Realm of GT3 /
GT3 Car Lineup /
GT3 Race Tracks /
GT3 Arcade & Simulation Mode /
GT3 Extra Info Center
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TOMMY KAIRA INTRODUCTION:
Drivetrain - Mid Engine-Rear Wheel Drive
Credits - 56,800
Power - 195 hp @ 7,300 rpm
Torque - 144 lb-ft @ 6,400 rpm
Weight - 670 kg
Drivetrain - Mid Engine-Rear Wheel Drive
Credits - Secret
Power - 542 hp @ 7,600 rpm
Torque - N/A
Weight - 1,000 kg
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Acura /
Alfa Romeo /
Aston Martin /
Audi /
BMW /
Chevrolet /
Chrysler /
Citroen /
Daihatsu /
Dodge /
Fiat /
Ford /
Gillet /
Honda /
Jaguar /
Lancia /
Lister /
Lotus /
Mazda /
Mercedes-Benz /
Mini /
Mitsubishi /
Nissan /
Opel /
Pagani /
Panoz /
Peugeot /
Renault /
RUF /
Shelby American /
Subaru /
Suzuki /
Tickford /
Tommy Kaira /
Toyota /
TVR /
Volkswagenv