Toyota: GT86 WRC news
07-31-2014, 09:00 AM
#1
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Toyota: GT86 WRC news
Toyota's potential return to the World Rally Championship has taken a further step forward with the news that a GT86 WRC has been built.
The car has been built by Tommi Makinen Racing in Finland with the blessing of Akio Toyoda, the president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation.
The car is believed to be running at a private test in Finland today - with more news expected on Friday.
Toyoda is present in Jyvaskyla this week to meet with Makinen and WRC officials.
The GT86, which is being described as a test mule, has nothing in common with the Yaris WRC that has been produced by Toyota Motorsport GmbH in Cologne.
It is also independent of the GT86 CS-R3 revealed by TMG this week - and will run at next month's Rally Germany for the first time.
The directive for the four-wheel drive GT86 has come from Japan and AUTOSPORT understands it is indicative of a cooling of relations between TMC and Cologne.
The car has been built by Tommi Makinen Racing in Finland with the blessing of Akio Toyoda, the president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation.
The car is believed to be running at a private test in Finland today - with more news expected on Friday.
Toyoda is present in Jyvaskyla this week to meet with Makinen and WRC officials.
The GT86, which is being described as a test mule, has nothing in common with the Yaris WRC that has been produced by Toyota Motorsport GmbH in Cologne.
It is also independent of the GT86 CS-R3 revealed by TMG this week - and will run at next month's Rally Germany for the first time.
The directive for the four-wheel drive GT86 has come from Japan and AUTOSPORT understands it is indicative of a cooling of relations between TMC and Cologne.
07-31-2014, 11:45 AM
#2
I drive a Subata.
iTrader: (1)
07-31-2014, 01:27 PM
#3
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
Two competing GT86s? I'll take the four wheel drive version, thank you.
08-01-2014, 08:25 AM
#4
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Toyota's four-wheel drive GT86 - which CEO and president Akio Toyoda asked Tommi Makinen to build for him - made its public debut during Rally Finland on Friday.
The car completed the first half of the Kakaristo stage and ran past a hospitality area with Toyota guests before pulling off.
AUTOSPORT revealed the existence of the GT86 project on Thursday.
Dispensation was given by the rally organisers and the FIA for the car to drive at competitive speeds before the course cars.
Toyoda drove the car himself for the first time at a private test on Thursday and explained that it had been built by Makinen after he spent time receiving driver coaching from the four-time World Rally champion earlier this year.
The GT86 is running in near standard form with a Subaru gearbox and front driveshafts fitted. It is being used for filming and internal promotional purposes in Japan.
On the subject of Toyota's return to the WRC, Toyoda told WRC Live: "I came here to learn about WRC and what I found out is that Toyota's DNA of rallying is really, really a lot to me.
"As a top guy of the company, I want to continue that kind of legend.
"As you know, Toyota is a company and nobody listens to the president!
"So, I have to show everybody that Toyota needs rallying to make ever-better cars.
"We don't know yet [when we will come back to WRC], however, please look at our activities in the future."
The car completed the first half of the Kakaristo stage and ran past a hospitality area with Toyota guests before pulling off.
AUTOSPORT revealed the existence of the GT86 project on Thursday.
Dispensation was given by the rally organisers and the FIA for the car to drive at competitive speeds before the course cars.
Toyoda drove the car himself for the first time at a private test on Thursday and explained that it had been built by Makinen after he spent time receiving driver coaching from the four-time World Rally champion earlier this year.
The GT86 is running in near standard form with a Subaru gearbox and front driveshafts fitted. It is being used for filming and internal promotional purposes in Japan.
On the subject of Toyota's return to the WRC, Toyoda told WRC Live: "I came here to learn about WRC and what I found out is that Toyota's DNA of rallying is really, really a lot to me.
"As a top guy of the company, I want to continue that kind of legend.
"As you know, Toyota is a company and nobody listens to the president!
"So, I have to show everybody that Toyota needs rallying to make ever-better cars.
"We don't know yet [when we will come back to WRC], however, please look at our activities in the future."
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