You’d suppose the Toyota model doesn’t want any extra publicity in Australia, however the Japanese large says it sees a chance in getting into the Supercars Championship to assist it promote its merchandise.
The Toyota badge has by no means been seen on the grid within the Supercars Championship, and has been absent from its forebear since 1993.
That can change in 2026, when it brings a V8-powered model of the Supra to the grid, taking up the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro with historic outfit Walkinshaw Andretti United (WAU) steering the ship.
Not since 1993 have Toyotas raced in what was then generally known as the Australian Touring Automobile Championship (ATCC), with the model focusing its latest racing efforts on the Australian Rally Championship (with the GR Yaris) and the GR Cup, the place future stars compete in similar GR86s.
It was final actually concerned about becoming a member of the-then V8 Supercars collection in 2000 with the brand new Avalon, however determined to not pit its new sedan towards the VT Commodore and AU Falcon of the time.
100s of recent automobile offers can be found by way of CarExpert proper now. Get the specialists in your facet and rating a fantastic deal. Browse now.
Quick ahead to 2024, Toyota is delivering near-record numbers of automobiles and outsells its next-closest rival by greater than two-to-one.
You’d be forgiven for asking why it now desires to go racing on Australia’s greatest stage, however the reply is straightforward: it desires to promote its Gazoo Racing (GR) branded sports activities automobiles.
“GR, there’s nothing greater than that. It simply introduced,” mentioned Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia vp of gross sales and advertising and marketing.
“Once we began promoting the GR Yaris then the GR Corolla and the GR Sport (HiLux), GR simply acquired traction and it reminded us at Toyota [that] regardless of every part occurring on the planet proper now, there’s nonetheless a fanbase on the market for efficiency automobiles.
“Folks nonetheless need them now. They could change sooner or later, and so they could take completely different shapes. Even Supercars has developed – it’s completely different than what it was with the tribalism 20 years in the past.
“However we noticed a chance to essentially stamp Toyota’s credentials once more on motorsport in Australia. We wish to present the world, we wish to present Australia, we are able to really do that. We generally is a aggressive participant on this house.
“We do a fantastic job in all the opposite merchandise, however we’ve solely been available in the market for a small period of time with GR, and now we wish to display to the world this can be a honest dinkum racing and efficiency model.”
There’s a broader attraction to Toyota’s Supercars berth although, with hundreds of followers who attend every occasion – and within the case of the Bathurst 1000, tens of hundreds – arriving there in automobiles and probably looking out for an additional.
“Another excuse we’re drawn to Supercars is that it appeals to Australia’s heartland. As such, it can expose Toyota’s ardour and our pleasure to extra Australians than ever earlier than,” Mr Hanley mentioned.
“Supercars followers are likely to go to a race monitor and spend numerous time there. That makes it preferrred as a touring motor present, enabling us to advertise our broad vary of automobiles and actually have interaction with the gang.
“As we all know, this can be a driver-orientated sport. So if a few of the nation’s finest steerers are driving our automobile, then individuals are going to help us. That’s going to convey lots of people into Toyota dealerships, individuals who don’t usually go there.
“Lastly, however elementary to our choice, Supercars is a perfect showcase for our GR (Gazoo Racing) vary. These are fun-to-drive sports activities automobiles that resonate with a really passionate fan base.
“They’re full of Toyota’s newest applied sciences, gained from a six-decade historical past in motorsport. Importantly, the information realized on monitor can be used to enhance all different Toyota automobiles you see on our roads each different day.
“We race, we study, our clients in the end win.”
When Toyota takes to the grid in 2026 – a minimum of with WAU, and probably with one other staff if it will get its means – it’ll accomplish that with the Supra, that includes a 5.0-litre V8 reasonably than its BMW-sourced turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder beneath the bonnet.
We’ve seen producers run fashions in Supercars earlier than with drivetrains not accessible within the highway automobile.
The front-wheel drive Nissan Altima went rear-wheel drive with the V8 from a Patrol from 2013 to 2019, and the Volvo S60 Polestar raced with a V8 based mostly on that within the XC90.
Even now, the Mustang and Camaro that are competing for the title characteristic completely different engine capacities to what’s been in showrooms, with the latter mannequin off sale in Australia for years earlier than it even went racing.
What Toyota is hoping for is to get much more model publicity along with what it presently achieves by way of sponsoring the AFL, Adelaide Crows, North Queensland Cowboys and Cricket Australia.
MORE: Every part Toyota
