Toyota Gazoo Racing looks to the future at the Tokyo Auto Salon and Tokyo Outdoor Show

Toyota Gazoo Racing’s presentations at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon and the concurrent Tokyo Outdoor Show (13-15 January) look to a future where “no car lovers are left behind” with new concept models, customised vehicles, new engineering ideas and a wider selection of heritage parts to help enthusiasts maintain their classic cars. 

AE86 Corolla hydrogen and battery electric concepts 

Toyota is aiming to provide customers with more choice as the auto industry moves towards carbon neutrality. Recognising that it will take time before all vehicles are carbon neutral, Toyota believes that simultaneously promoting the carbon neutralisation of vehicles currently in customer use is essential. 

Toyota Gazoo Racing is demonstrating what might be possible by showing a classic AE86 Corolla converted to run using a hydrogen engine – the AE86 H2 Concept. It is displayed alongside a battery electric AE86 conversion, the AE86 BEV Concept. 

It has used the knowledge it has gained through its running of a hydrogen-powered race car in Japan’s Super Taikyu series to create the AE86 H2 Concept, a vehicle that provides the noise and feel sensations of an internal combustion engine. The conversion uses high-pressure hydrogen fuel tanks (like those in the Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car). Other modifications have been kept to a minimum, preserving the look and character of the AE86. 

The AE86 BEV Concept maintains as far as possible the AE86’s light weight and front-rear weight balance while gaining the strong drive force characteristics of a BEV, together with a manual transmission in a vehicle that has the potential to deliver even greater driving pleasure than the original. Elements have been used from a wide range of Toyota electrified sources, including a motor from the hybrid electric Tundra pick-up and a battery unit that’s also used in the Prius Plug-in.  

Both concepts also look to carbon neutrality by re-using seats and seatbelts and seatbelt pads made from recycled materials. 

GR Yaris Rally2 Concept 

Toyota Gazoo Racing is showing a new GR Yaris Rally2 Concept, which meets the Rally2 competition regulations – suitable for many customer motorsport teams. The vehicle will be honed through participation in this year’s Japanese Rally Championship and further development will reflect feedback from customers. The aim is for the car to achieve competition homologation in January 2024. 

To further boost Japanese enthusiasm for the World Rally Championship, special versions of GR Yaris have been prepared for the domestic market, supervised by Sébastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanperä, who were WRC Champions with Toyota Gazoo Racing in 2021 and 2022 respectively. 

GR Heritage Parts 

The GR Heritage Parts Project is an initiative to re-issue discontinued service parts and sell them as new, genuine parts to help customers keep their classic Toyota models on the road. In 2023 Toyota Gazoo Racing plans to extend the programme, launching 32 items for eight classic vehicles, including the Land Cruiser 60, 70 and 80 models. The availability of these parts internationally will be confirmed at a later date. 

ENDS