Urban Assault Taxi

1977 Toyota Cressida Coupe

R118

Media library

7 photos

Original Build Studies

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Ladies of WBS Gallery

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Wave Photography

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Blueprint Studies

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Blueprint Studies ↗

Story

The 1977 Cressida Coupe was never meant to look threatening, which is exactly why this one works. “Urban Assault Taxi” takes the clean, squared-off Toyota silhouette and hardens it with a functional wide-track package, reinforced steel arch plates, and lighting that reads more pursuit than parade. It’s still recognizably Cressida—just widened, lowered, and engineered to take hits from curbs, potholes, and panic stops without folding the front end.

The vibe is UK night-shift realism: wet tarmac, sodium streetlights, and a car that needs to launch hard, brake harder, and stay composed when the road turns to broken patches and painted lines. Under the industrial wrap and hardware, the build is about stability—track width, cooling, and gearing—so the car feels fast in the only place that matters here: between intersections.

Blueprint

The Whitepaper Room

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Collectible Poster

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Technical dossier

Fictional engineering concept

Platform

1977 Toyota Cressida Coupe

Powertrain concept

Retuned 2.6L turbo inline-six prioritizing low-to-mid response over peak numbers
High-capacity intercooler and ducted radiator package for repeated pulls in traffic heat
Oil cooler and baffled sump strategy for sustained lateral load and hard braking
Acceleration-optimized final drive and close ratio selection for city speeds

Aero package

Louvered hood extraction to reduce under-hood pressure and stabilize high-speed airflow
Front splitter lip integrated into bumper beam for durability over curbs
Flush-mounted blast-resistant mini deck spoiler for rear stability
Flat undertray sections with access panels for cooling and service

Chassis & stance

1977 Toyota Cressida Coupe

Wheels & tires

Enkei Jogger 17x8 ET20 (front) / 17x9 ET25 (rear)
Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 235/45R17 with puncture-resistant street spec emphasis
Extended studs and open-ended lugs for quick wheel service
Upgraded wheel bearings/hubs to suit widened track loads

Fabrication notes

Wide-arch plates formed in steel with internal gussets; mounts designed as replaceable sacrificial sections
Ram-bar bumper beam tied to chassis rails with crush structures to protect front-end geometry
Hood camera recess reinforced with bonded composite ring to prevent panel fatigue
Rear hatch armor integrated with hinge reinforcement to prevent sag under added mass