Geneva 2018: Supra racing study from Toyota
INTENTION Toyota is not only presenting the new Auris and Aygo for everyday use to the public at the Geneva Motor Show. With four different racing cars, including the concept study of a Supra, the Japanese are also drawing attention to themselves in sporting terms. One shows what one has. In the case of Toyota's sporty offshoot Gazoo Racing (GR), these are the TS050 [...]
You show what you have. In the case of Toyota's sporty offshoot Gazoo Racing (GR), the TS050 Hybrid for endurance racing, the Yaris WRC for the World Rally Championship, the Hilux pickup from the Dakar Rally and the GR Supra Racing Concept.
With the LMP1 hybrid prototype, Toyota wants and needs to finally win the 24 Hours of Le Mans next June. In 2014, the team (with Sébastien Buemi) won the world championship title, but despite several leading laps over the years, it has never finished higher than second place in the classic.
Toyota won almost straight away with the Yaris WRC last year (at the second event in Sweden). Last January, Ott Tänak and Jari-Matti Latvala finished second and third with the 2018 model at the Rally Monte Carlo. In Sweden, Esapekka Lappi was the best-ranked Yaris driver in fourth place. The third WRC round runs this weekend in Mexico.
Toyota dominates the 2018 Dakar Rally in terms of numbers
The brand was also successful in the Dakar Rally in January. Although the triumph went to Peugeot for the third time in a row, with the former rally world champion in the Toyota Corolla WRC, Carlos Sainz.
Behind them, Nasser Al Attiyah and Giniel de Villiers with the South African-designed Toyota Hilux finished in the places of honor after 8793 kilometers of driving, 4047 km of which on best time (13 special stages).
Many private teams in South America also relied on models that were closer to series production and ensured a remarkable arrival rate with their participation: 40 percent of all classified drivers drove a Toyota!
Memorandum of Understanding
Finally, Toyota gives a glimpse of the future with a Supra GTR concept car set in the special Palexpo light. However, its engine has by no means been determined yet (a model without a drive unit is on display in Geneva), nor has its field of application. The last Supra of the fourth and so far last generation rolled off the production line 16 years ago.
At the moment, then, the GR Supra Racing Concept represents nothing more than a declaration of intent to return to the road and race track with a high-performance model. When the time comes, this racing vehicle will certainly also ensure success.
