TOCA, the British Touring Car Championship series organiser, has confirmed that the 'car in front will be a Toyota' (at least as far as the future of the BTCC is concerned). TOCA has announced that it is to use a Toyota Avensis as the development car for the Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) regulations that will come into force in 2011.
As well as being a fine opportunity for an endless series of jokes ('will the brakes work properly?' etc, etc), the Avensis is effectively a test-bed for the NGTC regulations - rules designed so that cars share more common parts and can be up to 50 per cent cheaper than current Super 2000-spec racers.
The S2000 cars will, however, remain eligible for competition until at least 2013.
And for those who fear an entire grid of Avensises (Avenses?) don't worry - BTCC teams will be able to build up their own choice of car and engine to NGTC specification.
Former double BTCC Champion James Thompson has been appointed as official test and development driver of the NGTC Avensis, and the car - to be built by GPR in Buckinghamshire - is expected to make its debut at Brands Hatch this October.
"To be able to support the premier British motor sport series with the Avensis was a great opportunity for Toyota to help an 'old friend'," says Scott Brownlee, Toyota's UK PR boss. "The BTCC is a series we greatly respect and have enjoyed a long and successful involvement with in the past. Whilst we've made no commitment to re-enter the championship with a works team at this time, we will be following the prototype build with great interest."