Photo: Hartley Engines
The Toyota 1GZ-FE is a V12 built for a particularly Japanese flavor of ultra-luxurious four-wheeled land barges called the Century. Skilled engineers and craftspeople spent thousands of hours and potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to make sure the drivetrain of Toyota's flagship luxury car was as smooth and quiet as humanity's technology would allow. Twenty-five years later, Hartley Engines in Palmerston North, New Zealand, is doing everything in its power to undo all that hard work. Much the delight to the enthusiast community, of course.
From the heart of New Zealand's North Island, this particularly mechanically skilled group of Kiwis spent countless hours breaking Toyota's most refined engine down to its most basic components in search of extra horsepower by any means possible. In its factory form, the 1GZ-FE V12 was advertised as producing 276 horsepower, though it's rumored that post-sale dyno numbers have reached 300-plus horsepower figures. Whatever the case, the quest to build the ultimate 1GZ is one that starts from the ground up.
From the billet dry-sump oil system to the billet camshafts to the forged rods and pistons with ported cylinder heads and individual throttle bodies for each of the 12 cylinders, this build required as much clever engineering as when Toyota themselves designed the 1GZ-FE to be just as refined as a Rolls-Royce engine. Where once there was a set of internals meant to deaden a V12's natural tendency to trumpet on the louder side, it now allows this engine to achieve its true potential. Thanks to Hartley's work, the upper limits of the 1GZ-FE's abilities might be at hand.
As it sits in a Facebook Live video shared on Hartley Engine's page, this engine is naturally aspirated and jetting 720 horsepower at the dyno. It reaches this peak power threshold at a scarcely believable 10,000 RPM. With its new beating heart, free of any restrictions that might impede its boisterous exhaust note, what was once an engine that could lull its passengers to sleep with how quiet it was now sounds like an angry vintage Formula One engine. As far as transformations are concerned, only Bruce Banner turning into the Hulk for the first time is more shocking.
For most shops, squeezing more than two and a half times this engine's stock horsepower is enough to make anyone pat themselves on the back and call it a job done. But Hartley Engines knew there was more power still left latent in Toyota's former flagship luxury engine. Sporting an in-house-developed twin turbocharger kit, Hartley reckons this 1GZ-FE can jet an astonishing 1,000-plus horsepower. In this twin-turbo form, this engine sits under the hood of a fellow New Zealand native, Jaron Olivecrona's Lexus RCF competitive drift car. Safe to say, there's nothing more JDM than going sideways in a turbo Toyota.
From the billet dry-sump oil system to the billet camshafts to the forged rods and pistons with ported cylinder heads and individual throttle bodies for each of the 12 cylinders, this build required as much clever engineering as when Toyota themselves designed the 1GZ-FE to be just as refined as a Rolls-Royce engine. Where once there was a set of internals meant to deaden a V12's natural tendency to trumpet on the louder side, it now allows this engine to achieve its true potential. Thanks to Hartley's work, the upper limits of the 1GZ-FE's abilities might be at hand.
As it sits in a Facebook Live video shared on Hartley Engine's page, this engine is naturally aspirated and jetting 720 horsepower at the dyno. It reaches this peak power threshold at a scarcely believable 10,000 RPM. With its new beating heart, free of any restrictions that might impede its boisterous exhaust note, what was once an engine that could lull its passengers to sleep with how quiet it was now sounds like an angry vintage Formula One engine. As far as transformations are concerned, only Bruce Banner turning into the Hulk for the first time is more shocking.
For most shops, squeezing more than two and a half times this engine's stock horsepower is enough to make anyone pat themselves on the back and call it a job done. But Hartley Engines knew there was more power still left latent in Toyota's former flagship luxury engine. Sporting an in-house-developed twin turbocharger kit, Hartley reckons this 1GZ-FE can jet an astonishing 1,000-plus horsepower. In this twin-turbo form, this engine sits under the hood of a fellow New Zealand native, Jaron Olivecrona's Lexus RCF competitive drift car. Safe to say, there's nothing more JDM than going sideways in a turbo Toyota.
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