“The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.”
Poignant words from history’s most dangerous dragon, Bruce Lee. But this story isn’t about the ‘Little Dragon.’ It’s about another dragon, the Toyota Sera ‘Twin Dragon.’ A fitting title, given to it by its mad scientist creator, Takuro Watanabe of Circuit & Dreams CLR. Not just because this is the year of the snake in the Chinese zodiac, but also because this Sera is a 1,000hp twin-engine 4WD beast that defies belief.
This isn’t Watanabe-san’s first rodeo when it comes to crazy creations – you might remember his quad-turbo Nissan Silvia S14 from seven or eight years ago. To mark the 20th anniversary of Circuit & Dreams CLR, Watanabe-san has taken his vision of automotive madness to a whole new level, and he showed off the Sera in its running, but not-quite-finished state at Tokyo Auto Salon 2025.
Before we dive into the details of this double-headed dragon built for drifting, what even is a Toyota Sera?
Built by Toyota between 1990 and 1995 exclusively for the Japanese domestic market, the Sera was equipped with a 1.5L naturally aspirated engine and was offered with a 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmission. Its party piece was its butterfly doors, which hinged upwards and only needed 430mm of outward space for clearance – perfect for tight Japanese parking spots.
Those doors also have another claim to fame. By pure chance, a grey import Toyota Sera lived near Gordon Murray’s home in the UK at the same time he was putting the final touches to the McLaren F1 design. While the original sketch for the F1 was doodled in an Italian airport lounge in 1988, the Sera provided the inspiration for the McLaren’s dihedral doors.
There’s a noticeable design language shared between the Sera and the F1. The sweeping oval shapes, rounded corners, and insect-like curves are strikingly similar. Yes, those design details can be seen in many ’90s cars, but the split windows and greenhouse layout of the F1 and Sera are especially reminiscent of one another.
It’s no surprise, then, that when I asked Watanabe-san about his plans for a custom body kit for his Sera, he said it would feature styling cues borrowed from McLaren. With a much wider front and rear track than the original, the fenders and side skirts would need to accommodate the butterfly doors. Maybe something like the McLaren Senna?’
So what has Watanabe-san built so far? Well, only the best bits of the Sera remain. Front and rear tube framing integrates with the original Toyota monocoque chassis and a roll cage to reinforce the structure. Most of the interior is gone, save for the door cards.
Twin MoTeC ECUs are visible through the dash, along with the clutch and brake reservoirs, which help clear up space in the engine bay(s). A MoTeC M800 controls the front engine, while an M400 handles the rear. Inspiration for the setup came from Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima’s original twin-engined Pikes Peak Suzuki Cultus (Swift).
The Sera’s front engine is an SR20VET from a 2001 X-Trail GT, Nissan’s first turbo engine with VVT. It’s been fitted with high-lift cams from the Pulsar VZ-R N1 homologation special and forged pistons and connecting rods. According to Watanabe-san, this engine is making 500hp thanks to a Trust/GReddy TD07-25G turbo and fuel system upgrade. It’s paired with a 6-speed Honda transmission, originally mated to a K20A.
The same transmission appears in the rear of the Sera, but this time, it’s used with the Honda engine it was designed for. The K20A also benefits from a TD07-25G turbo, plus Wiseco forged pistons, K1 forged rods, 296-degree Toda Racing cams, and 1,000cc/min fuel injectors, all good for 500hp also.
This wild Nissan-Honda-Toyota mashup is a testament to the relentless spirit of Japanese tuners, always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, exploring chassis outside the usual JDM performance car classics. I’m sure it won’t be the last time we see Watanabe-san’s creation, and when it’s finally finished, Speedhunters will be there to let you live vicariously through it.
Until then, you can see more of the Sera – including some very brief footage of it in action – in this video.
Toby Thyer
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tobythyer.co.uk
