Monday 25th July 2016

Toyota Yaris WRC testing

Not long to wait now!

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It's been a little while since rallying has been a properly exciting spectator sport, but the changes coming next year promise to address that. More power, more dramatic cars and new techology should see to that. This on top of the sub-categories you probably didn't know about. Yes, the cars are still (mainly) hatchbacks and perhaps the names aren't as big as in rallying's glory days. But there remain reasons to be excited for the 2017 WRC.

Now this looks like a rally car!

The return of Toyota to rallying is a project we've been following for a couple of years now, with the test cars having now completed 3,000 miles off-road in the past nine months. Testing is currently being split between two locations, the engine and transmission car based in Puuppola, with the other car in Spain and Portugal; its remit is to develop the suspension. Interestingly the team hasn't completed any tarmac testing yet, but Chief Engineer Tom Fowler says "we can already tell that the car's performance levels are really high."

Team Principal Tommi Makinen - yes, really, Tommi Makinen - is enthusiastic about Toyota's prospects too. He's even taken the Yaris out for its first ever drive. Rumours that he's still quickest continue to abound... Makinen says "The feeling was great and it was fun to drive as well."

Check out those arches too...

The full driver line up is to be announced in due course, but testing duties are currently being undertaken by Juho Hanninen and Jarkko Nikara. According to the former the handling is already "perfect", so presumably they can spend the time until Monte Carlo now working on a livery. Fingers crossed for Castrol...

There isn't a tech spec from Toyota, but expect it to mirror that of the Citroen C3 also seen recently. That would mean around 380hp and a kerbweight below that of the current WRC cars. It also has some outrageously flared arches, a centre-exit exhaust and a spoiler of gargantuan proportions - all good to see! More news to follow as 2017 approaches.

[anonymous-user]

I really hope the WRC finds a way to get back to the glory days.

It would make such a difference and hopefully attract even more new manufactures into the sport.

This in turn will hopefully attract new people to the sport and have it back on UK tv.

God it has needed it.

[anonymous-user]

RumbleOfThunder said:

"It's been a little while since rallying has been a properly exciting spectator sport"

Sorry but this is bks and it gets parroted far too much. I defy anyone to watch WRC footage and not be blown away by it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odeh49M9a90

If you attend a WRC even the action is good but there are some real problems with the sport.

Not one of the main channels in the UK features the WRC.

The Lombard RAC rally in the past for example took in the whole of the UK which allowed the masses to enjoy the top level of the sport without spending a fortune.

Back in the 90's you could watch a Subaru Impreza being driven hard on a Sunday and go and order one on a Monday. Not one of the manufactures in the Sport have a car you can say is a WRC Special.

However exciting some people think the WRC is in it's present form there is no denying as a sport it has major issues as far as having a mass audience.

This is why the regulations are changing in 2017. The FIA know themselves things have to change. Unfortunately it was the FIA just like other motorsports that caused the issues in the first place.

At least the Yaris testing sounds better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3YUhUApXv4

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 25th July 19:49

[anonymous-user]

Attended Rally Legend in 2015.

There were more people at one of these events than I have seen at Wales WRC the last two years.

The classic WRC cars and the Group B are not as fast through a stage as the modern cars but they are just 10 x better.

The reactions of the crowd young and old was just simply amazing and this is what is lacking.

Young kids were upset after hearing the noise of the Group B Audi's.

They are monsters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8JYoCHSDmo

[anonymous-user]

Today highlights the major problem about the WRC.

Kris Meeke is the first British Rally driver to win the Finish Rally and there is nothing on Pistonheads celebrating this achievement.

On top of that Craig Breen gets a podium which is also a huge achievement but again nothing.

Does anyone care about the WRC now when it comes to the British Press?

[anonymous-user]

df76 said:

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True, real shame. And even the Channel 5 highlights programme is pretty decent viewing. Well done to Meeke and Breen, a fine effort in Finland.

Yes it was great to see the highlights on Channel 5.