2011 Scion tC - Descendant Scion Bolt-on Turbo Kit - Proving Grounds - Modified Magazine

Description
When it comes to Scions, there are few people who know them better than the team at World Racing. Chris Rado and his crew have been using and abusing Scions in all forms of motorsports since their inception. So what do you do when you’ve got years of research and development into turbocharging Toyota’s 2AZ-FE and its newest 2AR-FE engines? You take everything you’ve learned and develop a street-version of the turbo kit for Scion tCs and xBs.

Descendant Scion turbo kits come complete with all the necessary hardware to be a true bolt-on-and-go solution. They include everything from the turbo, header, downpipe and AEM FIC controller to ensure a true legitimate plug-and-play turbocharging solution for the Scion. Almost all the parts carry a lifetime warranty, including the tubular exhaust manifold. The Descendant turbo kits promise over 330 whp with reliable daily driving capabilities.

Results
Scion’s newest ’11 tC comes equipped with an even larger-displacement 2.5-liter 2AR-FE engine versus the 2.4-liter previous generation. At a factory rated 180 hp, it’s a peppy car to drive and much better than the generation past, but it still lacks the serious get up and go that most of us are after.

Thankfully, Chris Rado and his team have a solution to this problem. It comes in the form of a complete turbo kit setup that installs in about five to eight hours, depending on your skill level. Through the use of an AEM FIC controller with a plug-and-play harness, it’s pretty much dialed in as soon as you start the car up.

Driving a ’11 tC and ’10 xB (we also drove this car for comparison, which uses essentially an identical kit to the tC) around town proved to be a very stock-like experience; the cars behave much like they would from the factory, with no hint of a turbo kit under the hood — until the go pedal is mashed. That’s when the party really begins. Gone is the lazy stock acceleration, and it’s replaced by a hissing turbo that propels the car forward at an alarming rate while pushing you deep into the seat. Mash the throttle too quickly, and wheelspin is almost guaranteed. However, feather it at first and you’re rewarded with a smooth, torquey powerband that brings little signs of turbo lag thanks to the large 2.5-liter displacement. So just how much power does the Descendant turbo kit put down? We headed over to Church Automotive Testing with two ’11 tCs — one bone stock, the other with a Descendant turbo kit.

The bone-stock tC surprised us with some impressive numbers, netting 190 whp and 189 ft-lbs of torque. However, those numbers were dwindled by the Descendant-turbo-kit-equipped tC that belted out an impressive 327 whp and 325 wtq at 13 psi on 91 pump gas. Truthfully, we weren’t that surprised with the results considering how fast the car feels on the street.

The turbocharged tC we tested had a 3-inch turbo-back exhaust and was using the tuner-friendly version of the kit that allows for custom tuning and increased boost, but the Descendant kit can be used with a stock exhaust and even a stock air filter box (it’ll be down some ponies, though). Regardless, Scion owners now have a great reliable solution to add more than 130 whp over stock with little to no sacrifice. About the only thing that may take a hit is your wallet, but at $4,250 we think this turbo kit is worth every penny.

Test Mule

’11 Scion tC
Engine
2.5-liter 2AR-FE naturally aspirated 4-cylinder
Relevant Mods
2.5-inch Descendant Racing Catback exhaust system

Key Features

• 100 percent bolt-on, no modifications needed for installation
• Turbonetics 55mm turbocharger capable of 330+ whp
• Tubular stainless steel manifold, with lifetime warranty, for increased spool-up and better top end
• Lightweight aluminum piping and large front-mount intercooler
• AEM FIC controller with pre-made plug-and-play harness can be custom tuned for increased power results

With Descendant Turbo Kit

Gains Made
+136.9 whp
+136.9 ft-lbs tq
Before 190.0 whp & 188.8 ft-lbs tq
After 2326.9 whp & 325.7 ft-lbs tq