Funny people generally calling the 3SGTE a lump.
I agree when one get the engine straight out a donor, it indeed looks massive and heavy, nearly dwarfs the Lexus V8.
But when it is stripped of all the unnecessary part and bits, especially those monstrous engine mountings and exhaust manifold, the picture changes and I had seen a 2.0 Zetec in similar state state of bareness pulling the scale at 112kg....
My motor pulled the scale on 105kg flat and about on par with the 4AGE
(motor of choice in S. Africa due to lightness - but overrated/quoted claimed power). Suddenly the 3SGTE makes a lot of sense.
Because the motor is a 2.0 liter, even with lower compression ratio (8.5:1) it will have some decent torque at low RPM - and since the car only weigh about 600kg, not even a factor for turbo lag to be noticeable - and when that turbo spools up at about 2500 - 3000rpm which will happens fast due to low mass of car, one should be off like a bat out of hell. Motoring nirvana
