TS040 Hybrid at WEC |
Until now, Toyota has participated in competitions around the world-including the World Endurance Championship (WEC), the Super GT in Japan, and the Nurburgring 24 Hours endurance race-through the separate Toyota Racing, Lexus Racing and GAZOO Racing teams. Of those, GAZOO Racing in particular was created to expand the role of promoting motorsports beyond that of traditional automakers, and carry out grassroots activities aimed at creating new and ever-growing generations of car enthusiasts.
Concerning today's announcement, Toyota President Akio Toyoda said: "Our founder Kiichiro Toyoda once said that motorsports are vital to the evolution of car making and the entire auto industry. With this in mind, GAZOO Racing has carried out activities aiming to nurture our people, develop our cars, and inspire new car enthusiasts, under the belief that the roads build the people, and the people build the cars."
Toyota will participate in races and rallies under the team name Toyota GAZOO Racing. The first event Toyota GAZOO Racing will participate in will be the Motor Sport Japan 2015 Festival in Odaiba, to be held by the Japan Motor Sport Promotion Organization on April 11-12, 2015 in Tokyo.
In private races such as Super GT where Lexus-brand vehicles are used, the Lexus GAZOO Racing logo will be displayed.
In the same way as the Nurburgring 24 Hours endurance race was used to refine the Lexus LFA, Toyota plans to promote the hands-on, boots-on-the-ground methods of training its mechanics and engineers. The knowledge acquired during the development of the TS040 Hybrid for WEC is already being utilized in the development of future hybrid vehicles. Through initiatives such as these, the knowledge gleaned through motorsports can be used to support progress in all areas of the automotive industry.
Toyota will also integrate its motorsports-related marketing, vehicle development and technical support functions, previously managed by different divisions, into the new Motor Sports Group established on April 1, 2015.
About Toyota
Supported by people around the world, Toyota Motor Corporation (TSE: 7203; NYSE: TM), has endeavored since its establishment in 1937 to serve society by creating better products. As of the end of December 2013, Toyota conducts its business worldwide with 52 overseas manufacturing companies in 27 countries and regions. Toyota's vehicles are sold in more than 170 countries and regions. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.
Source: Toyota
Contact:
Toyota Motor Corporation Public Affairs Division Global Communications Department Tel: +81-3-3817-9926
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