This Modified Toyota Etios Liva Makes More Power Than Skoda Octavia RS

Hot hatchbacks are quite a rage globally, but that is not the case in India. Not for the lack of trying, carmakers have always failed to sell performance-oriented small cars in our country. Fiat Abarth Punto and Tata Tiago JTP are just two of the best examples in this regard. That said, there are plenty of people who take matters into their own hands, and build themselves their own performance hatchback, like the one you see below.

The car you see here is a modified Toyota Liva, the pictures of which were posted on Stay Tuned India’s facebook page. The car has been built by Race Concepts, a Bangalore based custom garage, and generates a maximum power figure approximated at 250 bhp! Impressive is a word too humble for this! To achieve that power figure, the car lost its stock engine in favour of a new 1.5-litre engine, with new engine internals, a turbocharger, a new cylinder head, ECU upgrade, custom induction components, and a custom wastegate. The car makes 12 psi of maximum boost, which is quite a lot for such a small engine!

To put things into perspective, the Skoda Octavia RS 230 variant that came to us last year had a 2.0-litre TSI engine belting out 230 PS at 5,500-6,200 rpm and 350 Nm of torque at 1,500-4,500 rpm. The upcoming Skoda Octavia RS 245 offers 245 PS of power at 5,000-6,700 rpm and 370 Nm of torque at 1,600-4,300 rpm. In both the cases, the modified Etios we have here offers more power.

Other mechanical upgrades to the car include Carbon Brake Pads and a new suspension system. The car uses the same clutch assembly as the stock car, which is why the engine boost has been limited at 12 psi. In the pictures, we can also see that the wheels and tyres have been upgraded, but the specs of those weren’t provided. Other than that, the car looks surprisingly close to stock, especially with the lack of a body kit.

Toyota Etios Liva modified by Race Concepts

As for the stock Toyota Etios Liva, it was offered with two engine options- a 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.4-litre diesel. The petrol motor was capable of producing 78 PS and 104 Nm of maximum power and peak torque, respectively. The diesel version, on the other hand, produced 67 PS and 170 Nm. There was also a ‘TRD Sportivo’ version which was powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine, which produced 89 PS and 134 Nm. The car has been discontinued in India post-April 2020, as Toyota decided not to update the car to meet the BSVI emission norms.