Team
Land Cruiser Auto Body (TLC) has secured their 11th consecutive Production Car
category victory at the 2024 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. These unprecedented
results are thanks to the performance of Akira Miura and co-driver Mayeul
Barbet, who took first place in their No. 500 Land Cruiser 300 GR Sport, with
Ronald Basso and Jean-Michel Polato taking second in the No. 501 Land Cruiser
300 GR Sport.
The Dakar
Rally, unfolding over Saudi Arabia for the fifth time, covered 7,891km from
AlUla to Yanbu along the Red Sea Coast. The route included 4,727km of timed
specials, guiding 778 competitors through the diverse landscapes of Saudi
Arabia. The 2024 edition introduced a new stage, the “48H CHRONO
STAGE,” pushing participants’ endurance to the limit across two
consecutive days of driving to finish the stage.
The rally’s
final stage was held on a challenging 174 km loop course in Yanbu, marking the
conclusion of the 15-day event. The stage, characterized by sandy terrain and
hidden obstacles, demanded careful driving.
Akio Toyoda, TGR Chairman, also known as Morizo, commented: “To everyone at Team Land Cruiser Auto
Body, congratulations on winning the Production Car category for the 11th
consecutive year! I think car No. 500 achieved victory thanks to three people:
driver Akira Miura alongside two navigators, Mayuel Barbe and the late Laurent
Lichtleuchter, who was always watching over them. I’m really happy that car No.
500 was able to cross the finish line with the best result. Thank you for your
continued support in “making-ever better Land Cruisers”!”
The Land
Cruiser 300, which marked its debut participation in Dakar Rally in last year’s
edition with high driving performance and a one-two finish, managed to overcome
previous speed-related challenges this time around with improvements in the
engine air intake system, rear suspension, and enhanced tires. This allowed TLC
to reaffirm its dominance in the Production Car category and add another
chapter to its illustrious legacy.
This edition of
the Dakar Rally also saw Toyota take part in the Dakar Future Program’s Mission
1000. This initiative encourages automakers to develop hydrogen engines,
electric or biofuel hybrids, and other cutting-edge carbon-neutral powertrain
technologies. 10 vehicles were selected to traverse a 1000 km section that
allowed participants to pinpoint areas for further technical development. It also
provided a unique opportunity for Toyota to put its hydrogen engine-powered HySE-X1
to the test.
The vehicle was
developed by the Hydrogen Small mobility & Engine technology (HySE)
research association, a collaborative effort between Toyota and four other
Japanese automotive and motorcycle manufacturers. It is based on a chassis by
Belgian partner Overdrive Racing, with a modified layout to accommodate a
hydrogen fuel tank and fuel supply system. Its participation in Dakar Rally
furthers Toyota’s carbon-neutrality efforts and promotes global awareness
around the potential of compact hydrogen mobility.
Over the years, Toyota has
been participating in many different forms of motorsports, including Formula One, the World Endurance Championship (WEC),
and the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race.
Toyota’s participation in these events was overseen by separate entities within the company until April 2015, when Toyota
established TGR, to consolidate all of its
motorsports activities under one in-house brand. Representing Toyota’s belief that ‘the roads build the people, and the people
build the cars,’ TGR highlights the role of motorsports as a fundamental pillar
of Toyota’s commitment to making
‘ever-better’ cars. Harnessing years of experience gained under the extreme conditions of various motorsports events, TGR aims to forge new technologies and solutions that bring the freedom, adventure,
and joy of driving to everyone.
Race Notes
Production Cars Category
·
No. 500 Land
Cruiser 300 GR Sport (Akira Miura and Mayeul Barbet)
o Position: 1st
·
No. 501 Land
Cruiser 300 GR Sport (Ronald Basso and Jean-Michel Polato)
o Position: 2nd
By Maribel Saad 