“The key to immortality is to first live a life worth remembering.”
Touching words from the most dangerous dragon in history, Bruce Lee. But this story is not about the Little Dragon. It’s about another dragon, the Toyota Sera “Twin Dragon”. A fitting title, given to her by her mad scientist creator, Takuro Watanabe Circle and dreams CLR. Not only because this is the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac, but also because this Sierra is a 1,000-horsepower dual-motor all-wheel-drive monster that defies belief.
This isn’t Watanabe-san’s first rodeo when it comes to crazy creations – you may remember his S14 turbo-four Nissan Silvia from seven or eight years ago. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Circuit & Dreams CLR, Watanabe-san took his vision of automotive madness to a whole new level, showing off the Sera in its working, but not quite completed, state at the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon.
Before we dive into the details of this two-headed dragon designed for drifting, what is a Toyota Sera?
Manufactured by Toyota between 1990 and 1995 exclusively for the Japanese domestic market, the Sierra was equipped with a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine and was offered with a 4-speed automatic transmission or a 5-speed manual transmission. The party piece was the butterfly doors, which pivot upward and need only 430mm of external clearance – perfect for tight Japanese parking spaces.
These doors also have another claim to fame. By pure coincidence, the gray imported Toyota Sera was living near Gordon Murray’s home in the UK at the same time he was putting the finishing touches on the McLaren F1 design. While the original blueprint for the F1 car was drawn up in an Italian airport terminal in 1988, However, the Serra was the inspiration for McLaren’s dihedral doors.
There is a noticeable design language shared between the Sera and the F1. The sweeping ovals, rounded corners and insect-like curves are strikingly similar. Yes, these design details can be seen on many 90s cars, but the split windows and greenhouse design of the F1 and Sera are particularly reminiscent of each other.
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 contain design 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 a McLaren Senna?
So what has Watanabe-san built so far? Well, only the best parts of Sera remain. The front and rear tube frame integrates with Toyota’s original monocoque and roll cage to reinforce the chassis. Most of the interior is gone, except for the door cards.
Dual MoTeC electronic control modules are visible through the dashboard, along with the clutch and brake reservoirs, helping to free up space in the engine bay(s). The MoTeC M800 controls the front motor, while the M400 controls the rear motor. Inspiration for the setup came from Nobuhiro ‘Monster’ Tajima’s original two-engine Pikes Peak Suzuki Cultus (Swift).
The Sera’s front engine is an SR20VET from the 2001 X-Trail GT, Nissan’s first VVT-equipped turbo engine. It’s equipped with special Pulsar VZ-R N1 high-lift cams, forged pistons and connecting rods. According to Watanabe-san, this engine produces 540 horsepower thanks to the Trust/GReddy TD07-25G turbo and fuel system upgrade. It’s mated to a Honda 6-speed transmission, originally mated to the K20A.
The same transmission appears at 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, as well as Wiseco forged pistons, K1 forged rods, Toda Racing 296-degree cams, and 1,000 cc/min fuel injectors, all good for about 490 horsepower.
This wild mash-up of Nissan, Honda and Toyota is a testament to the relentless spirit of the Japanese tuners, who are always pushing the boundaries of what is possible, exploring architecture 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 check out Seera in more detail at This video And at work here.
Toby Thayer
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tobythyer.co.uk