Words and Photos: Deven Solanki
Newton Ferregel of Waiuku is the proud driving force behind one of the highest-powered street-legal Evo Xs in the country. The 40-something self-employed builder started his automotive passion at a young age, being roped into the Auckland car scene through the influence of his close mates shortly after obtaining his driver’s licence, setting his automotive journey in motion.
His love for Japanese cars can be traced back to his early encounters with the Kiwi-staple hot-hatch Mazda Familia, owning three throughout his lifetime with each of them sharing the 4×4 DOHC turbo platform. Having had enough of the Mazdas, Newton transitioned over to the Mitsubishi side, finding himself behind the wheel of an ’84 Cordia turbo and later an ’87 Sigma. Onto the next decade, he got his hands on a ’92 Lancer GSR, followed by a ’94 Libero, eventually delving into the Evolution platform with a black Evo II.
Unfortunately, this thrill was short-lived, lasting only four nights before he got himself into mischief by wrapping it around a power pole and losing his licence. Bugger! But this didn’t stop him. Hooked on the 4G63T, Newton found himself shifting gears in an Evo IV which was his companion for 13 years before owning his current pride and joy, his now Evo X. He was captivated by the chassis’ distinctive “look and stance”. Newton says, “At the time of the start of the build, New Zealand was home to only a handful of high-powered Evo Xs, so why not as they are a great platform to work from.”
Newton had a vision for the Evo X — a carefully crafted plan to transform it into the ultimate weekend cruiser that could also hit the tarmac while providing comfort for road trips, retaining that “factory feel”. He came to the conclusion that 400kW was the sweet spot for him — enough power to put him in his seat, but nothing too over the top. This was until things were taken to a whole new level. “I asked for a 400kW package, but it escalated a bit once we got into it, as you do. I got more than I wanted, I guess you could say,” Newton chuckles. Well, let’s hear how it all turned out.
At the core of the Evo X lies the factory-installed 4B11, a 2000cc four-cylinder turbocharged engine that has undergone substantial upgrades, now boasting a robust 2.2L displacement. It features Darton sleeves, a forged crank, pistons and Turbo Tuff I beam rods paired with ultra heavy-duty wrist pins, all manufactured by Manley. Other components include ACL race series rod bearings and thrust washers, ARP main studs, and an ATI crank damper to keep everything solid.
Before fitting the go-fast bits, Newton sent the head away to get ported and polished. The valvetrain features Kelford cams with matching nitrated valve springs and titanium retainers. Between the head and block lies an HKS head gasket, securely clamped down with ARP head studs.
Moving onto the hot side, Newton has opted for a Precision 6062 Gen 2 equipped with a TiAL 44mm external wastegate, venting through a GFB Race Port BOV. The turbo is bolted to a custom-made manifold, known as the ‘Sidewinder’, crafted by the skilled hands at Pro-Street Performance. The exhaust gases shoot through a three-inch downpipe, then out the back through an AdrenalinR seven-inch race muffler to ensure efficient exhaust flow. In terms of the cooling side of things, the Evo X retains the robust factory radiator but the factory intercooler has been binned and replaced with the sleek Plazmaman front-mount setup to keep those temps cool. Whenever you see the Plazmaman logo, you always know you’re in for a treat!
The fuel system for the Evo X has undergone a thorough overhaul. Nestled in the engine bay, you’ll find a set of 1800cc Bosch injectors, mounted to a Radium fuel rail, all controlled by an Aeroflow fuel pressure regulator. Moving beneath the car, Newton has installed an upgraded in-tank lift pump, and Aeroflow under-car surge tank housing twin Bosch motorsport pumps. Additional fuelling system enhancements include a modified bucket, upgraded Venturi transfer pump, and full Teflon Speedflow hoses and fittings, all with E85 compatibility.
The shifting power behind the mighty four-cylinder is the factory-fitted five-speed manual gearbox, which has been freshened up with a rebuild and paired with an ORC 659 twin-plate clutch designed to handle high power while retaining a strong engine response. The notion of a sequential dog box has crossed Newton’s mind, but he’s adamant that he wants to keep the traditional H-pattern shifter, as he finds it more enjoyable.
When it comes to suspension, the Evo X is sitting staunch on BC BR Series adjustable coilovers which have been fine-tuned to feel as close to the factory as possible while sitting at a low-ride height. The braking system retains the factory Brembo calliper setup paired with upgraded slotted rotors for increased stopping power.
Newton’s wheel of choice is the aggressive TBC DKs measuring 18×9.5-inches (+20) in size. These are wrapped in his favourite Bridgestone Potenza RE003, the perfect tyre to stay gripped up on the road and the track. “Love them, an awesome tyre, definitely handle on the track with very little wear. I would put them on again over a semi-slick because it gets used on the road. Even on the track, they didn’t let go once,” Newton says with confidence.
Exterior-wise, the Evo X has received some tasteful treatment, including a gloss-black wrapped roof and wing mirrors complemented by matching tinted windows, creating that striking black-and-white contrast. The VL headlights and Varis LED tail lights add a sleek and modern twist to the overall appearance. To top off the aggressive stance, Newton has added some vortex generators — an iconic feature commonly associated with Evos.
Inside the cabin, the factory Recaro seats and steering wheel have been retained; however, the instrument cluster has been upgraded to a Haltech IC-7 dash, keeping Newton informed with a display of all the essential information. Additionally, a GReddy boost gauge is installed alongside a programmable Haltech CAN 8 button keypad, providing him with all the (fun)ctionalities such as high/low boost controls, anti lag, and cruise control at the touch of a button.
Now let’s dive into the juicy details — the numbers! UZNBST is pushing out a crazy 601kW (804hp) with 800Nm of torque, making this one of the highest-powered Evo Xs in Aotearoa. To reach this power, the Precision 6062 Gen 2 is propelling out 30psi combined with E85 race gas. The brain of this build is a Haltech Elite 1500, tuned by Grady and the team at HiTech Motorsport, helping push this Evo X to the limits!
We spoke with Newton about the inspiration behind the build. He shared that seeing enthusiasts over in the States use the Evo X as a platform for chasing high power gave him hope for his project. Looking ahead, Newton is planning on installing larger injectors and potentially a bigger turbo to chase even more power! To strengthen the drivetrain, he’s also looking to upgrade the diffs and axles with an RS conversion kit so that he can run the full 600kW confidently without snapping anything. But that’s further down the line; right now, he’s satisfied with how the build has come along and is deciding to enjoy every minute of driving and seat time. When asked what it’s like to drive, Newton says, “The torque pins you to your seat all the way to redline, increasing face-smiling performance!”
Reflecting on the build journey, Newton acknowledges that the two-and-a-half years felt like forever as a chunk of the time was spent twiddling his thumbs during the pandemic, and also due to the wait times for parts coming from the US, alongside other unexpected pushbacks. But he got there in the end, successfully achieving his dream of building a high powered street-legal cruiser and getting more than he bargained for!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
This article originally appeared in New Zealand Performance Car issue 306
SPEC LIST
Heart
ENGINE: 4B11, 2200cc four-cylinder
BLOCK: 2200cc Manley forged crank, Darton sleeves, Manley pistons, Manley Turbo Tuff I-beam Rods, ACL race series main bearings, Manley ultra heavy duty wrist pins, ACL race series rod bearings, ACL thrust washers, ARP main stud kit, ATI crank damper
HEAD: ARP head stud kit, Kelford 214BS street cams, Kelford nitrated valve springs and
titanium retainers, HKS head gasket, port and polished head
INTAKE: Factory
EXHAUST: Pro Street Custom Sidewinder setup, three-inch downpipe, AdrenalinR seven-inch race muffler,
TURBO: Precision 6062 Gen 2, Aeroflow screen
WASTEGATE: 44mm TiAL external wastegate
BOV: GFB
FUEL: Radium rail, 1800cc Bosch injectors, Aeroflow regulator, upgraded in-tank lift pump, Aeroflow under car surge tank, twin Bosch motorsport pumps, modified bucket and upgraded Venturi transfer, Speedflow teflon hoses and fittings, upgraded pump wiring
IGNITION: Factory
ECU: Haltech Elite 1500
COOLING: Plazmaman intercooler and Piping, factory radiator
EXTRA: Oil pressure, oil temp, coolant pressure, fuel pressure, ethanol content, and wideband O2 sensors, Haltech can keypad
Drive
GEARBOX: Factory
CLUTCH: Twin-plate ORC 659
FLYWHEEL: Factory
DIFF: Factory
Support
STRUTS: BC BR Series coil overs
BRAKES: Slotted discs
ARMS/KNUCKLES: Factory
OTHER: Front strut brace, Pro-Street drive shaft hoops
Shoes:
WHEELS : 18×9.5-inch (+20) TBC DK
TYRES: 245/40R18 Bridgestone Potenza RE003
Exterior
PAINT: Factory
ENHANCEMENTS: Tinted windows, Gloss black wrap roof and wing mirrors, Vland
headlights
Interior
SEATS: Factory
STEERING WHEEL: Factory
INSTRUMENTATION: GReddy boost gauge, Haltech IC7 Dash
Performance
POWER: 601kW
TORQUE: 805Nm
BOOST: 30psi
FUEL TYPE: E85
TUNER: HiTech Motorsport
Driver Profile
DRIVER/OWNER: Newton Ferregel
AGE: 40 something
LOCATION: Waiuku
OCCUPATION: Self-employed builder
BUILD TIME: 2.5 years
LENGTH OF OWNERSHIP: Four years
THANKS:
Grady and the team at HiTech Motorsport, Bill from Ralliart NZ,
Chris from Pro-Street Performance, Speed Science, JD Customs,
Haltech NZ, all the guys and gals in Auckland Evolution Car Club
