The KP61 Starlet has always had a sizable following thanks to its light weight and modest proportions, and as a result, has often been raced. Not needing much in the engine department to perform, the minute little Toyota has always done well on the hillclimb, where the narrow roads and unforgiving conditions help to level the playing field with quicker adversaries. Well-sorted and nimble, this little machine shows just how far one can go when power isn’t a priority.

The looks of the Starlet aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but they do look seriously cool when complemented with some big, white rally wheels.

Most people yearning for extra grunt from their Starlet opt for the popular 4AGE engines or consider swapping in a turbocharged mill like the SR20DET. However, this hillclimb car’s build has focused on improving the Starlet’s inherent forte — the handling. Seeing as the stock Starlet weighs somewhere around 1,600 pounds, this stripped and lightened version must have a weight on par with some formula cars. When the corners are as tight as these are, that lack of heft and a short wheelbase help it pivot gracefully and hit every apex.

That short wheelbase also contributes to some snappy handling in certain places. Though the driver manages to get through a lot of corners without any oversteer, riding over certain crests and cambers in the road upsets the little Toyota and throw it into a twitchy slide. However, this trait can be used to the driver’s advantage.

When entering quicker corners and the driver isn’t quite sure of the radius, he quickly flicks the steering wheel to get the car to turn on its axis slightly, thereby changing his line mid-corner. Adjustable, twitchy and rewarding, this little KP61 is the quintessential underpowered racer.