Toyota promises rally-inspired GR model for Toyko
Can't win a WRC title and have nothing to show for it, can you?
Somewhat forgotten in another dramatic year for motorsport in 2022 was a little bit of WRC history. Kalle Rovanpera became the youngest drivers’ champion in history, at just 22 years old - it was previously held by Colin McRae, who was 27 when he claimed victory way back in 1995. In fact, 2022 was a mega WRC season all-round for Toyota, as the Gazoo Racing World Rally Team was also Manufacturers’ champion for the second time.
Clearly, it's time to celebrate. There’s a rich history of rally success inspiring road cars; if not direct homologation specials, then pretty cool nonetheless. Think Impreza RB5, Evo Tommi Mak, Escort Monte Carlo and so on. Now Toyota has confirmed that it intends do the same, bringing to next week’s Tokyo show a ‘product that commemorates its WRC drivers’ title win.’
That's encouraging news on its own, but the manufacturer has also (somewhat cryptically) announced that it will also show ‘a product that utilizes the knowledge gained through WRC participation’. Which, if you'll forgive a surge of optimism, sounds a like a GR Yaris Evo, like the good old days of Delta Integrales getting better and better year after year, as well as a limited-run special edition. Though nothing is entirely clear for the moment.
Beyond those statements and the promise of demo runs for the car built with WRC knowledge, Toyota isn’t saying anything further. But, well, it’s Gazoo Racing, two cars, and the chance to celebrate notable rallying success; if the past few years has taught us anything about the new breed of fast Toyotas, they’re surely going to be awesome. Where do they go from the two-seat versions of both Yaris and Corolla?
Toyota has in fact already previewed a rally-inspired Corolla, unveiling a GR Rally Concept at the 2022 SEMA show in November (so it's conceivable that next week might not even see a pair of Yarises). Though derived from a roadgoing Circuit Edition (and keeping its manual gearbox), the concept boasted ‘an aggressive and functional bodywork to create maximum downforce’, as well as a host of carbon parts to save weight, Tein coilovers, a TIG welded cage and OZ Racing wheels. Because what’s a Toyota rally car without OZ Racing wheels? It somewhat overshadowed a rather brilliant supercharged GR86 drift car also built for SEMA, put it that way.
Toyota says its efforts at the upcoming Tokyo show all celebrate common themes; they include ‘leaving no car lovers behind’, ‘carbon neutrality for protecting beloved cars’, ‘making ever-better motorsport-bred cars’ and ‘diverse lifestyles to enjoy with beloved cars’. Shame more companies can’t be like Toyota. The press conference from President Akio Toyoda should certainly be worth listening to. As for whatever these rally-bred specials turn out to be, we can hardly wait either.
I have posted before (obvs) he is seeing through this wave of ‘green washing’ - and putting it out there.
Ironically - in a world where the agenda is for (faux) diversity, he seems to be offering actual concrete actions on diversity, unlike the green lobby - who talk about diversity and all those core ‘values’ - but then discriminate hand over fist as ICE represents the ‘wrong kind of diversity’…
Comments regarding BEV’s and saving us all ‘incoming’ me-thinks…
Toyota - crushing it, again, still…
I have posted before (obvs) he is seeing through this wave of ‘green washing’ - and putting it out there.
Ironically - in a world where the agenda is for (faux) diversity, he seems to be offering actual concrete actions on diversity, unlike the green lobby - who talk about diversity and all those core ‘values’ - but then discriminate hand over fist as ICE represents the ‘wrong kind of diversity’…
Comments regarding BEV’s and saving us all ‘incoming’ me-thinks…
Toyota - crushing it, again, still…
But you don't want that coffee.
And, on the topic at hand, one can discriminate against anything - humans, cars, watches, technology, opinions, whatever. It is what it is.
Maybe a little spicy - I don’t think I would write quite this strongly in the forums… (I wouldn’t really hold these views to the letter either)
This was from the actual site curators - back when this site had ‘edge’ and wasn’t just a capsule for political correctness…!
Read ‘em and weep for walking woke on these pages!!
I am so glad they are bringing these GR models out, if only the buying British car buyers could see more that A45, Golf R etc.
They need to convert part of the Derby plant to make LOTs more GRs. Maybe offer Ford and Hyundai slots on the line to make proper versions of their cars once again. And definitely offer a ready to rally version of the Yaris that costs a lot less than the WRC2s from Ford Motorsport in Cumbria - you don't need a WRC2 to go club rallying.
And ask the government for a grant to install the new equipment required to create all these new jobs. That would put the woke brigade in their place ;-)
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