Toyota Owners Club

Toyota Gazoo Racing earned a third consecutive overall Le Mans 24 Hours win with the TS050 Hybrid after a turbulent and ultimately successful race at the Circuit de la Sarthe Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley completed over 5,000km (over 3,100 miles) of a gruelling race, held for only the second time in September, and won by five laps in the No8 TS050 Hybrid, to take the lead in the drivers’ World Championship. For Sébastien and Kazuki, this was their third consecutive Le Mans triumph and they join only seven previous drivers who have achieved that feat in the race’s 97-year history, while Brendon won for the second time following his victory in 2017. The pole position No7 TS050 Hybrid of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López had looked on course for their first win at La Sarthe until an exhaust problem, although they fought back to earn third place in the dramatic final 70 minutes. Today’s victory, in the penultimate round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), means Toyota Gazoo Racing is crowned Teams’ World Champions, holding an unassailable 57-point lead over Rebellion Racing, its third title following those in 2014, 2018 and 2019. The race marked the final appearance at Le Mans for the 1,000PS, four-wheel-drive TS050 Hybrid which has set a new standard in terms of efficiency and performance at La Sarthe. Using 35 per cent less fuel than the first generation of LMP1 hybrids from 2012, the TS050 Hybrid performs around 10 seconds a lap faster. It holds the fastest ever lap and the race lap record alongside its four consecutive pole positions and three victories. Those achievements inspired the GR Super Sport, a hypercar born in Le Mans, so it was fitting that it made its public track debut moments before the race start. A customised development version completed a demonstration lap before returning the winners’ trophy just before the 1.30pm start, (UK time) for which the No7 lined up on pole position, with the No8 in third. Aside from 10 laps around the six hour mark, the No7 held the advantage at the front of the field, building a one lap lead by half distance. But shortly before 3am, with Kamui at the wheel, it suffered reduced power which forced it into the garage. A damaged exhaust manifold was replaced in less than 30 minutes and Kamui re-joined in fourth place, six laps off the lead and four laps behind the third-placed No3 Rebellion. That left the No8 in a clear lead, having recovered from its own troubles first with a puncture, then a debris-damaged brake duct which cost time at two pit stops before a 10 minute repair in the seventh hour. But they never gave up and fought back into second place before the issue for No7. Now with a healthy lead, Sébastien, Kazuki and Brendon controlled the rest of the race from the front, establishing a five lap lead. For the third consecutive year, Kazuki crossed the finish line to win the Le Mans 24 Hours, cementing his status as the most successful Japanese driver at La Sarthe. Mike, Kamui and José initially made up ground on third place but the No7 sustained floor damage after hitting debris, which compromised aerodynamic performance. However, the podium battle came alive in the final hour when the No3 Rebellion first crashed on track and then could not exit the pits, allowing José to earn third, taking the flag six laps behind the sister No8 car and one lap adrift of the second placed No1 Rebellion. A significant point swing in favour of the No8 crew at Le Mans means the race for the drivers’ World Championship title therefore goes down to the last race of the 2019-2020 season, on 14 November in Bahrain. The No8 car holds a seven point lead with a maximum of 39 available in Bahrain. Quotes: Hisatake Murata, Team President: “Again we have seen what a difficult challenge the Le Mans 24 Hours is; it is a true endurance test. We showed great team spirit and determination to overcome the early troubles for the No8 car and winning three consecutive Le Mans with the TS050 Hybrid is a dream come true. Well done to everyone in the team on this achievement. However, we set ourselves the target of another one-two finish and I am sorry for the No7 drivers, mechanics and engineers who worked so hard and performed so well again. We are one team, so we all feel their pain. We missed experiencing these highs and lows with the fans at the track but I hope we can meet again here next year. Congratulations to Rebellion for their podium; they pushed us and once again earned our respect. Thank you to the ACO for giving us the chance to enjoy Le Mans despite the global circumstances this year.” Mike Conway (TS050 Hybrid No7): “Le Mans hasn’t been the kindest to us over the years. We are happy for Toyota Gazoo Racing to earn its third win in succession but on our side of the garage it feels as if another win got away from us. We are sad about that, also because it changes the World Championship situation massively. This means two big hits in one race. We always come here to do a good job but some things always seem to get in our way. But well done to the No8 guys and the team for another win here.” Kamui Kobayashi (TS050 Hybrid No7): “Third is not the result we expected or wanted. We were very fast again here but the race always seems to be hard on us. We did a good job and so did the team fixing the car in the night. The problem was very unfortunate, it appeared for the first time and then in an important race like this one, but this is Le Mans and these things can happen. Congratulations to car No8 and the team who have worked as hard as they can to get two cars to the finish line.” José María López (TS050 Hybrid No7): “First of all I would like to congratulate the team and car No8. It is a big achievement for Toyota Gazoo Racing to win this big race for the third time in a row. The team has worked very hard, day and night. Everyone did a fantastic job, including Mike and Kamui, and I think I also did my part. Unfortunately it did not end as we wanted for our car. It is frustrating to be so fast but not to win the race, but we will keep trying.” Sébastien Buemi (TS050 Hybrid No8): “I feel great. My team-mates and the team have done such an amazing job. The race once again showed how quickly the luck can turn here at Le Mans. When we started the race, I had the feeling everything was against us; slow zones, punctures and a problem with the brake cooling. But then all of a sudden things started to go well and we were leading the race then soon we were leading by five laps. Le Mans again proved that you never know what will happen until the race is over.” Kazuki Nakajima (TS050 Hybrid No8): “It is special to be in the last TS050 Hybrid to win Le Mans and to achieve three victories in a row is fantastic. We had a race of ups and downs but everybody did a really good job, include our sister car. Somehow we seem to have a bit more luck than the other car. When the No7 car had the issue, it was all about winning the race for Toyota Gazoo Racing and this was quite tough. I am really happy to achieve it and be part of this team.” Brendon Hartley (TS050 Hybrid No8): “I am proud of my teammates and the whole team around us. It has been a learning curve for me coming to this team. Séb and Kazuki have helped me getting up to speed in a very fast and complex race car. Today we had some little issues at the beginning but then we had a perfect race, thanks to an amazing group of engineers and mechanics behind the scenes. Everything was executed really well, so a big thank you to Toyota Gazoo Racing.” Le Mans 24 Hours results: 1st #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing 387 laps 2nd #1 Rebellion (Senna/Menezes/Nato) +5 laps 3rd #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing +6 laps 4th #3 Rebellion (Dumas/Berthon/Deletraz) +6 laps 5th #22 United Autosports (Hanson/Albuquerque/di Resta) +17 laps 6th #38 JOTA (Davidson/da Costa/Gonzalez) +17 laps

The GR Super Sport hypercar returned to its spiritual home today to drive in public for the first time, as part of its ongoing development process, shortly before the start of the 88th Le Mans 24 Hours at the Circuit de la Sarthe Fittingly for a vehicle based on the twice Le Mans-winning TS050 Hybrid race car, a GR Super Sport development model, customized as a convertible and in GR camouflage livery, completed a demonstration lap, before participating in the ceremony to return the Le Mans trophy for this year’s race. The car was driven by Alex Wurz, the former Toyota Gazoo Racing driver. Soon after the ceremony, this year’s postponed Le Mans 24 Hours began with two Toyota Gazoo Racing TS050 Hybrids challenging to win the race for the third successive year. The TS050 Hybrid has created history at Le Mans since its debut in 2016, earning Toyota’s first victory at La Sarthe as well as setting the fastest-ever lap and the current race lap record. Those performances are the inspiration for the GR Super Sport, a hypercar with race car pedigree and performance. The GR Super Sport epitomises Toyota Gazoo Racing’s commitment to use motorsport to make ever-better road cars for the enjoyment of customers, and it symbolises the ever-closer relationship between Toyota Gazoo Racing race and road car products. Alex Wurz: “It was an honour to drive this development version of the GR Super Sport for the first time in public, and especially at a circuit like Le Mans which is so closely connected to this car. The GR Super Sport was born at Le Mans so this felt like a homecoming. This was my first time to drive the car, so a demonstration lap doesn’t allow me to push the limits but I could already feel that the GR Super Sport has the potential for incredible performance. I could feel the similarities between the GR Super Sport and the TS050 Hybrid in terms of performance, particularly the four-wheel drive and the hybrid system. But the engineers tell me this was only a small taste of the GR Super Sport’s true performance so I am super excited to drive it again one day in the near future.”

The Toyota Hilux has a proud history of achievement, conquering the world’s toughest environments from polar icecaps to desert wastes and live volcanoes. The future is just as impressive, as the pick-up range prepares to introduce a new, more powerful engine, significant technical updates and a chiselled, contemporary new look that’s a perfect expression of its rugged qualities Today’s Hilux is about much more than being an ultra-reliable all-wheel drive workhorse that can deal with demanding off-road conditions. Without compromising its go-anywhere character, it is equally suited to dual business and leisure use, with composed on-road ride and handling and impressive safety, comfort and connectivity specifications. The new range of Single, Extra and Double Cab pick-ups will go on sale in November, with pre-sales from 1 September for the range-leading Invincible and Invincible X Double Cab models. Exterior and interior design Hilux’s frontal design has a completely new look, with a more powerful, three-dimensional treatment of the grille and bumper, increasing the vehicle’s road presence and reinforcing its robust, all-terrain credentials. The effect is even greater on the top-of-the-range Invincible X, which comes with additional body styling and protection elements (further details below). The Invincible and Invincible X models feature new LED headlights and rear light clusters, plus 18-inch alloy wheels with a contrast machined/black finish for the Invincible and a two-tone dark finish for the Invincible X. The upgraded cabin features a new-design instrument combimeter and, on Icon and higher grade models, an eight-inch multimedia screen mounted on the centre console. New 2.8-litre engine The new 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine gives Hilux an impressive boost in power, torque and performance. Fitted as standard to the Invincible X and available as an option for the Invincible, the unit produces a maximum 201bhp/150kW– an increase of 53bhp/40kW on the 2.4-litre unit – and lifts maximum torque by 100Nm to 500Nm. The extra muscle cuts the 0-62mph acceleration time by 2.7 seconds to 10 seconds (Double Cab with automatic transmission). It can be specified with six-speed manual or automatic transmission. As well as being more powerful, the new engine is engineered for efficiency too, fitted with a stop-start system. WLTP fuel economy and CO2 emissions data will be announced closer to the vehicle’s on-sale date. Dynamic improvements Finding the right balance between ride comfort and rugged off-road ability is one of the big challenges in engineering a vehicle that serves both as workhorse and leisure/day-to-day transport. Toyota constantly seeks to improve performance and has introduced changes to the suspension to achieve smoother on-road cruising and less shock when travelling over uneven surfaces. The rear leaf springs have been updated, new bushes have been introduced and the shock absorbers have been retuned to gain better ride and handling. New automatic limited-slip differential The new Hilux’s handling systems have been extended with the addition of an automatic limited-slip differential (on Icon grade models and above), which helps vehicle control when accelerating on low-grip surfaces. Operating when the Hilux is in H2 (high-ratio, two-wheel drive) mode, it automatically sends drive torque to the rear wheel with traction, while applying brake control to the opposite wheel. A single press of the VSC Off button brings the system into play. Hilux is also equipped with active traction control (A-TRC), which maximises traction when driving on L4 (low-ratio, all-wheel drive) mode. Together, the A-TRC and automatic limited-slip differential electronic systems work more efficiently than mechanical alternatives. Further vehicle control support is provided by Hill-start Assist Control and, on Icon grade and above, Downhill Assist Control. Off-road and load-carrying capabilities New Hilux is designed to tackle the toughest off-road conditions, with a 29-degree approach angle, 26-degree departure angle and 293mm ground clearance (Double Cab models). It’s also capable of wading to a depth of 700mm. Payloads of up to one tonne can be carried and Hilux can tow (braked) loads of up to 3.5 tonnes. Multimedia connectivity and JBL premium audio New Hilux (Icon grade and above) comes equipped with an eight-inch touchscreen multimedia system, which benefits from faster display response to touch-commands and faster software operation. Seamless smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and DAB reception is also provided. All models feature Bluetooth and a USB port, while satellite navigation is part of the standard package for the Invincible X model. The Invincible X also features a powerful new nine-speaker JBL premium sound system with a speaker array that includes a 224mm subwoofer for great bass performance, 150mm full range and 80mm wide dispersion units for a stage effect, 170mm mid-woofers and 25mm tweets. With an 800W eight-channel amplifier, the system uses Harman CLARiFi technology to gain the best sound quality from compressed audio files. Equipment specifications The changes for new Hilux include improved equipment specifications. The key addition for the entry-level Active model is the standard provision of Toyota Safety Sense, helping reduce common accident risks with a Pre-Collision System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert and Road Sign Assist. Additions for Icon grade include the latest Toyota Touch 2 multimedia system with eight-inch touchscreen, smartphone integration (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and the automatic limited-slip differential. These are in addition to established features including 17-inch alloy wheels, side steps, rear privacy glass, reversing camera, power-folding door mirrors and LED front fog lights. The Hilux Invincible gains new-design 18-inch alloys, LED tail lights, front and rear parking sensors, heated front seats and a de-icing control for the windscreen wipers. Other specification highlights include LED headlights, smart entry and start and automatic air conditioning. At the top of the range, the new Invincible X packs plenty of visual impact with dedicated body styling elements in a dark matt grey finish. These include the frame for the new trapezium-shaped front grille, skid plates, side steps, tailgate and door handles and overfenders, with the front overfenders extending into the front fog light surrounds. New equipment items include ambient interior lighting and the JBL premium sound system (details above). The specification also includes two-tone dark leather seat upholstery, power adjustment for the driver’s seat and satellite navigation. Customers can choose from a wide range of accessories to personalise their Hilux and equip it to suit their specific work or leisure requirements. Items include a range of hard tops and roll covers, a locking tailgate and a 12V power supply mounted on the deck. The choice of nine body colours include a new metallic shade Titan Bronze, exclusive to the Invincible X.

Toyota has been supporting local legends like the Trevallyn Cricket Club since 2012 through the Toyota Good for Cricket Program, helping hundreds of clubs ...

Toyota has supported the Australian country music industry from the street of Tamworth for over 25 years. A key part of this is the Toyota Start Maker competition ...

Harslan Industries is a family owned business based in Kalgoorlie Western Australia that manufactures and distributes reverse-circulation drilling equipment for ...

Toyota has supported the Australian country music industry from the street of Tamworth for over 25 years. The Toyota Country musical festival provides a sense ...

Rural Aid is one of Australia's largest rural charities helping to overcome mental health issues in regional communities and the impact of challenges such as ...

Heart of Australia delivers monthly specialist medical investigation and treatment clinics to regional, rural and remote area communities across Queensland.

Every day there's some sort of challenge, and the great thing about the Cruiser is that it's so well put together.” In the final instalment of our series celebrating our ...

Andrew Willis (Manager of External Affairs & Environment Policy) and Matt MacLeod (Manager of Future Technologies and Mobility) use Toyota Australia's ...

For the past 30 years, we have provided much-needed assistance to hundreds of manufacturing suppliers to improve their operations. With our tried and tested ...

Morizo explains the development process of the All New GR Yaris.

World champion driver Fernando Alonso had an early chance to experience the new Toyota Hilux, giving the latest version of the legendary pick-up a rigorous test drive during his preparations for the 2020 Dakar Rally Alonso and co-driver Marc Coma were able to push the new model to the limit, alongside their driving duties in their rally-raid-spec Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux. The latest version of the “indestructible” Hilux is equipped with a new 2.8-litre powertrain and benefits from revised suspension geometry to maintain its reputation for world-class quality, durability and reliability. Following the test on a gravel and dirt special stage, Alonso said: “Hilux is an icon and I’ve always been a fan. It was good to test the new Hilux in a challenging environment and to push it to the limits. The new engine behaves well and the new suspension feels great. Even when you push it, the comfort is still there.” The test was conducted in collaboration with the rally team in the spirit of Toyota Gazoo Racing’s core philosophy of helping make “ever-better cars.” Alonso and Coma brought exceptional experience to the task. Alonso is a two-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner and reigning FIA World Endurance Championship title holder with Toyota Gazoo Racing, two-time Formula 1 World Champion and winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona. Coma is a five-time Dakar Rally winner in the motorbike class and six-time FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion. Their first Dakar entry as a pairing resulted in a creditable 13th place finish earlier in 2020. Further details about the introduction of the new Toyota Hilux will be announced shortly.

We hear from our 2020 Toyota Star Maker, Sammy White, on what she's been up to since winning in Tamworth.