Toyota GR Archives

38 participants for GR Vios Sprint Cup this weekend at Sepang

Now a firmly established event on the country’s motorsports calendar, the Vios Challenge, which originated as part of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival (TGR Festival), is the most lucrative motorsports event in the country. In total, more than a half a million ringgit in prize money is offered by organisers UMW Toyota Motor and GAZOO Racing Malaysia.

After 5 seasons of the one-make series, there now exists a large base of Toyota Vios cars in Malaysia which have been specially prepared to meet the regulations of the series. These regulations strictly require all the cars to be identical in specifications with stock standard drivetrains as well as suspension and tyres. The aim is to equalise the performance aspect of the machine and make the races about driving skills and experience.

The large base of race-ready cars had encouraged UMW Toyota Motor and GAZOO racing Malaysia to broaden the activities so that the owners have more races to participate in. One of the additional races on this year’s calendar is the GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup in the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS) this weekend (May 21/22) at the Sepang International Circuit.

A total of 38 drivers will start the first ever running of the GR Vios Sprint Cup, which will have two 1-hour races on Saturday and Sunday, with two-driver teams competing in 3 generations of Vios vying for total prize monies amounting to RM60,000.

The GR Vios Sprint Cup is run independently of the Vios Challenge, and there will be 2 rounds within the MCS, with each round offering two races. However, the regulations for the GR Vios Sprint Cup are similar to those of the Vios Challenge with regard to all the cars being identical in specification and preparation, with the only differences being the driver behind the wheel and the paint scheme on the bodywork.

All the cars are standard Vios models and prepared identically for racing so that they have similar performance levels. Winning a race is therefore dependent on driver experience and skills, rather than the power of the car.

Not surprisingly, the event has attracted many top local racers with varying levels of experience, virtually all of whom have taken part in the Vios Challenge. These include experienced contenders like Tengku Djan Ley, Mark Darwin, Mohd Fariqe Hairuman, Eddie Lew, Boy Wong and William Ho, as well as what can be regarded as the next generation of racers. These are drivers like Naquib Azlan, Hayden Haikal, Mika Hakimi, Nabil Azlan, Bradley Benedict Anthony, Timothy Yeo and Alister Yoong.

*The GR Vios Sprint Cup will see drivers with varying experience – from veterans like Tengku Djan Ley (left) to rookies like Nabil Azlan (right).*

To level the playing field further, the race prohibits 2 experienced drivers from racing together in the same car. Driving for Prima Pearl TD Racing, Tengku Djan will thus partner teenager Mika Hakimi this weekend, while Mark Darwin, another strong contender, will team up with another teenager, Bradley Benedict Anthony for Laser Motor Racing.

Axle Motorsports meanwhile, will field 2 all-teenage teams with the first pair of drivers consisting of Hayden Haikal and Naquib Azlan, and the second car driven by Alister Yoong and Muizz Musyaffa.

Race 1 of the GR Vios Sprint Cup on Saturday will see both drivers driving in two separate qualifying sessions, with the faster driver required to start the 1-hour race before making a mandatory pit-stop for a driver change. In Race 2 on Sunday, which will start as a reverse grid order based on the results of Race 1, the slower driver of the pair will start the 1-hour race and again required to make a mandatory pit stop. Both races will be a rolling-start format.

“Unlike the Vios Challenge which is usually confined to approximately 30 minutes of racing, the GR Vios Sprint Cup is designed to up the ante and to double the excitement on the track. In a full-blown endurance race, racers will pace themselves, but this is a 1-hour sprint to the finish which means the drivers will be going all out for 60 minutes from the very first corner in order to maintain an edge,” said UMW Toyota Motor’s President, Ravindran K.

“Since UMW Toyota Motor began committing itself to motor racing in 2017, the objective has always been to see how we can contribute to not only the growth but to make Malaysian motorsports even more vibrant. The format of a one-make race has proven to be an incredibly successful formula, attracting not only professionals and experienced racers, but also newcomers and young talent. The GR Vios Sprint Cup continues this tradition but by changing the dynamics of the race, continues to generate enormous interest and participation which we hope will help to create more excitement in Malaysian motorsports,” he said, adding that there will also be the GR Vios Enduro Cup in conjunction with year end’s Sepang 1000Km Endurance Race.

*Like the Vios Challenge which is the most lucrative motorsports event in Malaysia, the GR Vios Sprint Cup offers a large sum of prize money.*

The overall champion in each of the 2 races at the GR Vios Sprint Cup stands to win RM10,000 cash, followed by RM8,000 for the first runner-up, RM6,000 to the third-place winner, and RM4,000 and RM2,000 for the fourth and fifth placed winners, respectively. In total, the Vios Sprint Cup offers prize monies amounting to RM60,000 per round.

UMW Toyota Motor is also putting up an additional RM30,000 in prize monies for its Toyota dealer teams making the GR Vios Sprint Cup the second most lucrative racing event in Malaysia next to the Vios Challenge.

With pandemic-related restrictions now eased, spectators are allowed to be at the racetrack to watch the races this weekend. Or you can also watch the live broadcasts UMW Toyota Motor’s Facebook page from the comfort of home. Click here for more information on GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s activities.

GAZOO Racing to have 11 races in 2022 with addition of Vios Sprint Cup and Vios Enduro Cup

6-speed manual gearbox for Toyota GR Supra only for 3-litre model

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR), the high-performance arm of the Japanese carmaker, has finally revealed details of the manual transmission for the GR Supra. It is part of a number of updates for the model which is now in its third year of production.

Available only for the 3-litre versions as well as a limited-run A91-MT Edition model, the manual transmission has been engineered and tuned specifically for use with the straight-six engine. The engineering team modified an existing transmission housing, driveshaft and gearset and removed elements that were not required, such as the acoustic package, which reduced weight.

At the heart of the transmission is a newly engineered large diameter clutch with a reinforced diaphragm spring. The larger friction area and a stronger spring are deemed necessary for the GR Supra’s high-torque engine which generates up to 500 Nm in standard form. The newly developed 6-speed manual gearbox is described as an ‘intelligent Manual Transmission’ (iMT) and has software that prioritizes sporty performance when required.

With an automatic, it’s possible to use second gear when pulling away uphill when opposite wheels are on surfaces with different grip levels – eg when the car is parked on partly icy road, progress is smooth with no rolling back or wheelslip.

With a manual gearbox, first gear must be used and releasing the clutch brings a greater risk of wheelspin. To address the issue, the TGR engineers tuned the car’s TRAction Control (TRAC) system for smoother operation like that experienced with an automatic. The system is also optimized for the GR Supra’s characteristic high engine torque, wide tyres and rear-wheel drive.

The car’s behaviour when accelerating out of a corner is a key element in the ‘Fun to Drive’ quality Toyota promises with the GR Supra. For the manual version, the traction control has again been the focus to ensure an ideal balance of agility and stability when exiting a corner on the throttle. TRAC intervention has been calibrated to maintain stability – so the car keeps faithfully to the driver’s intended line – while allowing the right amount of power for a sporty experience.

The ambition to make the GR Supra fun to drive in the most demanding scenarios inspired the introduction of a new Hairpin+ function. This is designed to allow experienced drivers more freedom and reward when taking tight bends on an uphill gradient (more than 5%) with a high-friction road surface. More ‘freewheel’ spin can make such routes more enjoyable to drive, so the engineers optimized engine torque control to allow a greater difference in the degree of wheelspin on the left and right-side tires.

To counter the possibility of ‘snap-off’ oversteer – something that may be hard to control with the car’s Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) alone – an Anti-Roll Program has been included for both the manual and automatic versions. This intervenes at an earlier point with the VSC to cover any sudden loss of grip when the car’s high-response suspension setting it used.

In addition, the Track mode has been tuned to allow for easy drifting with freedom of throttle control. The vehicle remains agile, but there is less risk of spinning thanks to specific engine and torque control.

When upshifting, the parameters are tuned to optimize engine torque at the moment of clutch engagement and release; on downshifts, the software has been fine-tuned for consistent performance with rev-matching. The iMT is set as the default but, if the driver prefers, it can be switched off in Sport mode. To avoid a sluggish take-off and a low in-gear acceleration feel, the final drive ratio has been shortened, from 3.15 (in the GR Supra automatic) to 3.46 (in the GR Supra MT).

The lever ratio was specifically set to minimize the effort required to make shifts and engage reverse gear. The weight and shape of the 200 gm gear knob, along with the quality of shift engagement, have all been precisely defined. Just as with the GR Yaris, close attention was also paid to how a manual shifter could be accommodated in the cockpit of the GR Supra.

Just as with the GR Yaris, close attention was also paid to how a manual shifter could be accommodated in the cockpit of the GR Supra. Ergonomics were studied thoroughly and the console unit and position of the drive mode selector were adjusted to provide a 43 mm clearance between the shift knob and the control panel. The spherical shift knob has also been shaped to allow a firm grip.

In addition to the new manual transmission, TGR has also further refined the steering and suspension with modified stabiliser bushings and retuned adaptive variable suspension (AVS) and other chassis control systems to improve handling performance and ride comfort.

For certain versions, the 19-inch forged alloy wheels come with a new design of revised spoke and cross-sectional shapes and premium Titanium Dark Silver finish. They are said to have greater strength and are lighter, with a weight reduction of 1.2 kgs per wheel.

Customers also have three new exterior colours to choose from – Volcanic Ash Grey, Dawn Blue and Avalanche White – while the interior is now available with a tan trim option.

Toyota has not announced pricing for the additional manual version but exports from the factory in Japan will start later this year.

To know more about the GR Supra or to purchase on in Malaysia, visit www.toyota.com.my.

GAZOO Racing to have 11 races in 2022 with addition of Vios Sprint Cup and Vios Enduro Cup

As ‘normalcy’ returns to our lives, motorsports activities are picking up and organisers are working hard on plans for events in coming months. UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) has already prepared for this, having made the plans last year to have a broader range of events instead of just the Vios Challenge One-Make series that has been run since 2007.

Two additional races
In 2022, in addition to the Vios Challenge (which has completed two rounds), GAZOO Racing and UMWT will run the Vios Sprint Cup and Vios Enduro Cup. These will offer another 5 races this year to make it 11 races in total.

The Vios Sprint Cup is run independently of the Vios Challenge, and will feature 2 rounds within the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS), with each round having 2 races. The event will also retain the format of a one-make series as in the Vios Challenge, to ensure a level playing field where the emphasis will be on racecraft, driving skills and experience, not engine power.

Round 1 of the Vios Sprint Cup will be held on May 20 – 22 at the Sepang International Circuit, followed by Round 2 in July at the same venue. The season finale Vios Enduro Cup will coincide with prestigious Sepang 1000KM Endurance Race (S1K) in November.

2 drivers per car
A total of 26 cars will line up on the grid for the Vios Sprint Cup with each car consisting of two drivers. To make things interesting and to level the playing field even more, the pairing of drivers must be made up of the combination of professionals, amateurs, celebrities and rookies as per the Vios Challenge classes for Super Sporting (professionals), Sporting (amateurs), Promotional (celebrities) and Rookies (young and new drivers).

The race weekend will consist of two 1-hour races. Race 1 of the Vios Sprint Cup on Saturday will see both drivers driving in two separate qualifying sessions, and the faster driver required to start the 1-hour race before making a mandatory pitstop for a driver change.

In Race 2 on Sunday, the slower driver of the pair will start the 1-hour race and again required to make a mandatory pit stop for a driver change. Race 2 will also be started as a reverse grid order based on the results of Race 1.

RM10,000 for the champs
The overall champion in each of the two races stand to win RM10,000 cash, followed by RM8,000 for the first runner up, RM6,000 to the third place winner, and RM4,000 and RM2,000 for the fourth and fifth place winners respectively. In total, the Vios Sprint Cup offers prize monies amounting to RM60,000 per round.

The Vios Enduro Cup in November will see Toyota drivers competing over 1000 km in the race that is expected to take 9 hours covering 181 laps of the Sepang International Circuit.

“The objective is to expand on our existing racing activities in the Vios Challenge. With the Vios Sprint Cup and the Vios Enduro Cup, it will mean an additional 5 races on top of the 6 races already lined up for the Vios Challenge. This will provide even more racing and rewards for participating drivers, teams and dealers and at the same time underline UMW Toyota Motor’s commitment to contribute to a more vibrant motorsports eco-system in Malaysia,” said UMW Toyota Motor President, Ravindran K.

Those who wish to register their participation or know more about the Vios Sprint Cup and Vios Enduro Cup can contact Janet, the Race Management representative from Wing Hin Motorsports at 016-367 3300. Other information on

For more information on GAZOO Racing activities and GR products in Malaysia, visit www.toyota.com.my/tgrmalaysia.

The Father and Daughter racers in the Vios Challenge

Toyota GR Supra to get manual transmission this year

Toyota GAZOO Racing has done a lot of upgrades to the GR Supra since it returned in 2019. But the one thing which fans wanted that this Supra has not come with is a manual transmission. The shared development with BMW made it more convenient to use the same type of transmission – an 8-speed automatic – rather than separately engineer for a manual transmission. Although people may think that it’s a simple matter, everything involves time and cost and there must be a good business case too.

Toyota’s Executive Chief Engineer (involved in the high-performance products) Tetsuya Tada had explained that the automatic transmission for the GR Supra is an ‘excellent transmission’ and it also handles lots of torque well. So that’s helpful when it comes to tuners bumping up the output as they are less likely to destroy the transmission.

But he never ruled out the possibility of having a manual transmission too and now, three years down the road, the GR Supra will soon be available with a manual transmission. An official communication from Toyota Europe says that ‘all-new, tailor-made manual transmission is coming soon’. It ends with a hashtag #savethemanual which is probably a sentiment supported by Tada-san’s boss, the President of Toyota, Akio Toyoda.

*All previous Supras have had manual gearboxes (besides automatics) with the last generation also having a Getrag unit in some markets.*

Details of the transmission are not revealed, and the only images shown are the pedals. Toyota Europe also offers pictures of the three pedals in the GR 86 and GR Yaris, with the GR Supra having a throttle pedal that is floor-hinged whereas the other two cars have it top-hinged.

The last generation of the Supra had two types of manual transmissions – a 5-speed Aisin W58 unit and in some markets, a 6-speed V161 (Getrag 233) transmission. The Getrag unit was well known to be a robust unit and praised for its ability to handle very high outputs. If there were transmission failures, it was mainly due to missed shifts.

*Throttle pedals in the GR 86 (above) and GR Yaris (below) are top-hinged whereas the one for the manual Supra will be bottom-hinged.*

Perhaps Toyota GR will use this proven Getrag gearbox again. From the words ‘all-new’, it is likely that this is an independent development by the Toyota GR team and so they can choose their own hardware. Or it could also be the gearbox from the M3.

The current powertrain line-up has two BMW-sourced turbocharged engines – a 3-litre in-line six and 2-litre in-line four – and it is likely that the bigger, more powerful engine will get the manual shifter. Whether it will be a limited edition or an addition to the line-up is uncertain. Toyota GR has done some limited editions and one more hint about the new variant is that it will be identified by a new red-coloured ‘Supra’ badge.

Toyota GR Corolla makes global debut, 300 bhp/370 Nm with GR-Four AWD and 6-speed manual transmission

With the success story of the GR Yaris, it’s not surprising that Toyota has now followed up with another model and this time, it’s not on a limited production run. It’s the GR Corolla that has long been rumoured and it’s a full-fledged GR model developed from scratch rather than adapted from existing models. As with other GR models, which started with the Supra, the GR Corolla has been developed with a strong focus on high performance that will make it competitive for motorsport.

And with the company president, Akio Toyoda, being passionate about racing and being a racing driver himself, the engineers must have had a lot of encouragement and perhaps even given a bit of freedom in the budget. Naturally, the boss himself got involved in development and ensured that the final product would be as impressive as the GR Yaris.

100 bhp per cylinder
Under the bonnet is the familiar G16E-GTS turbocharged, direct/port injected 3-cylinder engine, first seen in the GR Yaris. For GR Corolla, the output from the 1681 cc engine is boosted to 300 bhp/307 Nm, which equates to an impressive 100 bhp per cylinder. The boost in power is partly due to using a 3-piece muffler which reduces exhaust pressure (and outside noise), which are essential to backpressure performance.

As would be expected, the compact and lightweight G16E benefits has technologies from TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s long and broad racing experience – and successful too. Features include multi-oil jet piston cooling, large-diameter exhaust valves and a part-machined intake port. Combustion is fed by Toyota’s D-4S direct and port fuel injection system, which operates at high pressure for maximum fuel dispersion and efficiency.

The 12-valve engine uses a single-scroll ball-bearing turbocharger integrated in the exhaust manifold, reducing weight, while control of wastegate bypass gases is used to improve the catalyst’s warm-up efficiency.

Delighting drivers is the provision of a 6-speed manual transmission – and only a manual transmission. ‘Morizo’ (Toyota President Akio Toyoda’s racing name) probably approved and encouraged that, being a racing driver himself. It’s called an Intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) though it is not explained what the ‘intelligent part is, although Toyota says the rev-matching is engineered to accommodate high torque levels.

Toyota has long experience with high-performance 4-wheel drive since its days with the Supra GT-Four and with experience gained in WRC participation, it has advanced its all-wheel drive technologies. These technologies are used in the GR Corolla’s GR-Four All-Wheel-Drive system which was originally developed for rallying. The system gives drivers a choice of 60:40, 50:50 or 30:70 power distribution to the front and rear wheels with the twist of a dial.

The GR Corolla Circuit Edition (limited production run) is also equipped with front and rear Torsen Limited-Slip Differentials, for further enhancement of cornering performance and grip. Left and right-hand drive torque distribution are more effectively controlled on the front and rear axles.

Wide and rigid for superior dynamics
To fully use all the power (and also to be worthy of the GR badge), the GR Corolla has a specially constructed bodyshell that is highly rigid. Based off the GA-C platform with Toyota New Generation Architecture (TNGA), its increased rigidity comes from significantly more weld points in the frame, particularly to strengthen joints. Further gains are made through extensive use of structural adhesive, increasing the joint rigidity between component parts.

The front suspension is a straightforward MacPherson-type strut with circuit-tuned coil springs, shock absorbers and stabilizer bars, For the rear suspension, there is a double-wishbone type multilink system that accommodates the AWD system’s goal of maximum agility and stability.

Wide tyres are installed for maximum cornering grip and high speed stability. Standard rubber provided from the factory are Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres sized 235/40R18 on 18-inch gloss-black 15-spoke cast alloy wheels.

Braking power comes from opposed, fixed-caliper disc brakes with 14 x 1.1-inch ventilated and slotted rotors clamped by 4-piston aluminium calipers. At the rear are 11.7-inch x 0.7-in. ventilated rotors with 2-piston aluminium fixed-caliper disc brakes.

Light and aerodynamic
Like the GR Yaris, there has been a focus on saving weight to maximize the performance potential, without compromising strength and safety, of course. This rigorous approach is particularly evident in the car’s construction, with extensive use of lightweight metals and materials used in key areas. Aluminium is used for the bonnet and front door panels, with light and strong high-tensile steel in critical areas to ensure the car’s structure can safely absorb and dissipate impact forces.

On the Circuit Edition, the roof is made of a forged (rather than woven) carbonfibre sheet molding compound. This lightweight, highly rigid material cuts weight and helps lower the car’s centre of gravity. The lower centre of gravity, which benefits stability and handling, is also a feature of the TNGA platform.

Aerodynamics are also vital for performance and it’s not just on the circuit but also in rallies as the speeds are also very high (not to mention literally flying through the air). From competition experience, the engineers have designed the GR Corolla with optimum aerodynamic efficiency. As with rally cars, the shaping of the front and rear canards and lower rockers efficiently channel airflow down the sides of the car. Bonnet, fender and rear bumper ducts and a flat underfloor reduce drag, add downforce and improve stability. Wind flow is directed onto the rear spoiler to generate extra downforce.

The exterior design of the GR Corolla follows that of the GR Yaris with its wide stance and hatchback form. The Core Grade’s aluminium bonnet is matched with a colour-keyed roof and matching shark-fin antenna, while the Circuit Edition features a bonnet bulge with functional gloss-black air ducts.

At the rear, a lower bumper cover with functional air vents. The wide track and flaring of the rear wings emphasize the car’s wide and low silhouette, with a spoiler on the roof to control airflow as it departs from the roof.

Race-inspired interior
The GR Corolla’s interior is very functional, thanks to feedback from professional drivers who obviously wanted a true driver’s cockpit. Facing the driver is a GR Full TFT meter with a 12.3-inch colour Multi-Information Display that has a GR meter with 4WD mode, turbo pressure, gear position indicator and tachometer.

The shift lever has a shortened stroke for a quick throw between gears. The subject of much testing, it is positioned where the driver’s arm is naturally lowered from steering. The action is light with short shift strokes. A pull-type mechanical parking brake is still used, something which is slowly disappearing as electric parking brakes replace the simple mechanical system. Incidentally, for the Circuit Edition, the shifter knob has an exclusive ’Morizo’ signature.

The GR Factory
The GR Corolla is built at the Motomachi plant in Japan, where as the Lexus LFA and Supra A80 have been built. It has a dedicated GR production line which has also produce the GR Yaris. Instead of the traditional conveyor system, the body and assembly lines comprise several different cells connected by automatic guided vehicles rather than the conveyors featured in conventional car plants. This fully flexible method of working, with many manual assembly techniques, enables precise body and suspension alignment, with variations in vehicle dimensions and weight kept to a minimum.

While the assembly of each GR Corolla takes longer than a conventional mass-produced car, the production line has been streamlined for performance, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has brought together highly skilled technicians from throughout the company to work on the new model. This team not only assembles the GR Corolla but also contributes to the technical skills of workers at other Toyota facilities.

The pricing has not been announced though whatever price it has, there will undoubtedly be no shortage of buyers. While the GR Yaris was a limited run, the GR Corolla will be produced in larger numbers as it will also be sold in North America (which did not get the GR Yaris).

The story behind TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and why it was created

The Father and Daughter racers in the Vios Challenge

When a father has a passion for a sport, it often gets picked up by his children too and as they grow up, they learn the skills from him and can one day also become stars. In many cases, it’s often the boys who get the father’s encouragement and support but in Eddie Lew’s case, it’s his daughter and clearly, he believes that the sport is not restricted to just males.

So at this weekend’s Season 5 opening round of the Vios Challenge one-make race series (part of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival) at the Sepang International Circuit, we have the presence of a father and daughter in the racing. It is probably the first such pair in Malaysian motorsports and while they are not racing directly against each other (in the same class) or even on the same team, perhaps one day that might happen.

Exposed to racing since 3 years old
Eddie’s daughter is Adele, 20, who’s been tagging along with him and his friends to races since she was 3 years old. “He used to compete a lot at the then Pasir Gudang Circuit (Johor Circuit), and I’ve been following him to all his races ever since, from the Malaysia Championship Series and the MSF Series to the Sepang 1000km Endurance Race,” Adele said, revealing that she started driving fun karts only last year and just managed to do it for a month before the Movement Control Order (MCO) came into force.

She is currently an undergraduate at one of the private institutions of higher learning in Kuala Lumpur and her father resides in Johor. So Adele’s training sessions have since gone online with the two spending hours communicating. “Believe me, our calls can last for hours with super long conversations on racing!” she revealed.

“When we’re together, he makes me drive a manual transmission car and we spend time on the racing simulator where he teaches me to become familiar with the many racing lines and braking points,” added Adele.

GR Young Talent Development Program
While her father, an accomplished racing veteran with a history that dates back to the early 90s, inspires her, Adele has also been given an opportunity to develop her racing skills through the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia/GR Young Talent Development Program. She is among the six young Malaysians who make up the second batch of the program. Candidates selected are between the ages of 16 and 20 who are keen to transition from karting and simulator racing to real-world saloon car racing. It is part of UMW Toyota Motor’s initiative to provide young drivers with a platform to climb the motorsports ladder, and to bring new blood into the sport.

The GR Young Talent Development Program provides intensive training just like what professional racing drivers go through. Simulator time is an important activity and top Malaysian drivers provide valuable guidance.

Adele and the other 5 rookies have undergone systematic training which covers core aspects of becoming a professional driver. From top drivers like Alex Yoong, Tengku Djan Ley and Mark Darwin, they learn racecraft and how to prepare themselves in fitness, nutrition and even psychologically. It is quite an intensive program and when they have graduated, they are given opportunities to race in the Vios Challenge and other events, as Adele will be doing this year.

“Compared to the others, I am a real beginner with limited experience and that means I have to put in twice the effort. We’ll see how things go as the season progresses, but I’d really like to get on to the podium and make my Dad proud. From several sessions on the track with the Vios racing car and being guided by several different coaches – some of whom were last year’s Rookie Class racers – I’ve learnt a lot especially in mentally preparing myself. And the car is also very easy to drive,” she said.

Not racing directly against Dad – yet
Technically, Adele will be competing in the Rookie Class (for the graduates of the program) while her father is in the Super Sporting Class for veteran and professional drivers. However, father and daughter will be in the same race as the two classes run together. So who knows – Dad might just see his daughter’s car appearing in his mirrors one day!

“This is a very special moment for the both of us. In order for me to be able to race my father shows just how long he has been in motorsport. This is going to be a whole new experience for the two of us and my dad is equally very excited. He is definitely the best mentor I could have ever hoped for to prepare for my first ever race weekend,” said Adele.

Racing fans and enthusiasts have been able to catch the weekend’s action and stage performances by local celebrities streamed live on the UMW Toyota Motor website at www.toyota.com.my and on the Toyota Malaysia and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia Facebook pages

UMW Toyota Motor starts GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival and Vios Challenge enter Season 5 this year

After disruptions to its activities over the past two years, the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival (TGR Festival) is expected to be able to proceed smoothly and with a full calendar for Season 5 this year. As before, the highlight will be the Vios Challenge one-make series which has been extremely popular, as well as the GR Velocity Esports Championship.

In the 4 seasons so far, the TGR Festival and Vios Challenge has successfully attracted more than 8 million spectators and online viewers, with social media reach exceeding 19 million, to make it one of the most watched domestic motor-racing events.

“Racing has opened up a multitude of opportunities for Toyota domestically and we will continue to build on this strong momentum to drive both the Toyota and GAZOO Racing brands ahead with exciting activities as well as products,” said UMW Toyota Motor President, Ravindran K.

Season 5 will have 3 rounds and a total of 6 races with Round 1 being run on March 18 – 20), followed by Round 2 in June (24-26) and the third and final round in September (23-25). Two of the rounds will be held at the Sepang International Circuit and one will be a purpose-built street circuit (venue not mentioned yet).

Over the years, the Vios Challenge circuits have been specially designed at venues in Penang, Johor, Terengganu and the Klang Valley. Spectators have liked such circuits as they can be closer to the action – but safely behind protective barriers.

*The street circuits (specially built for the races) allow the spectators to be closer to the cars as they race by, adding to the excitement.*

4 race classes
The races will again be divided into 4 classes – Promotional Class for local celebrities; Super Sporting Class for top-level and professional drivers; Sporting Class for amateur and gentlemen drivers; and the Rookie Class for young drivers new to racing.

In total, there will be more than a half a million ringgit in prize monies, with RM70,000 and RM50,000 going the overall champion of the Super Sporting and Sporting Class champions, respectively, at the end of the season. This makes the Vios Challenge the most lucrative motorsports event in the country, which has been the case for the last 5 years.

*The cars are all similar in performance, so it’s mainly driver skill that makes the difference. The tight purpose-designed street circuits have made for close racing which spectators enjoy seeing.*

Affordable series for all
The format of a one-make series in the Vios Challenge has made it attractive and affordable for not only amateur racers, but also the professionals, many of whom are in teams supported by Toyota dealers. Affordability and the level playing field it created also began attracting young drivers to participate and in Season 3, a 16-year-old was remarkably crowned the overall champion in the Sporting Class.

Today, the series has grown to include even talented rookies competing under the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program which is envisaged to provide more young drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 with an impactful and affordable platform to transition into saloon car racing in Malaysia.

*Naquib Azlan, one of the talented rookies of the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program who performed impressively in his first season.*

Additionally, from the very first season, the Vios Challenge has been the only event of its kind to have a class for local celebrities to race against each other. The races have been crowd-pullers, with fans of the celebrities following them to each venue and cheering for them. Special sessions have been organised at each round so they can also get close to their favourite celebrities.

*The celebrities who race have many fans who follow them to each race and in between races, there are opportunities for the fans to meet them.*

Additional events
Also included in this year’s GAZOO Racing calendar will be the Vios Sprint Cup, which is run independently from the Vios Challenge. Two rounds are scheduled for April and July in tandem with the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS). Each round will have 2 races with a total of more than RM200,000 in prize monies. The event will provide even more racing and rewards for participating drivers, teams and dealers already signed up to compete in the Vios Challenge.

*Last year’s season also saw a night race being run for the first time in the Vios Challenge.*

GAZOO Racing will also continue to make its presence felt in the national series by once again entering a team to participate in the Sepang 1000KM Endurance Race (S1K) in November. The race will also see the second running of the Vios Enduro Cup which will have a RM30,000 prize purse.

“Overall, the objective of our racing activities is to contribute to growth of Malaysian motorsports from all aspects – to not only provide an affordable platform for competition; to grow awareness and appreciation for motorsports amongst the masses; and to uncover, develop and provide a conducive platform for the nation’s next generation of young and talented drivers to step up in motor-racing,” said Mr. Ravindran.

*Finals of the GR Velocity E-sports Championship in 2020.*

E-Sports series in fifth season
Besides the real racing on the tracks, racing will also continue online with the fifth season of the GR Velocity Esports Championship. Billed as one of the most lucrative local online racing series in the country, the championship (first held in 2018) today attracts close to 1,000 participants with more than 1 million online spectators. UMW Toyota Motor continues to have the distinction of becoming the first and the only Malaysian car company to be directly involved with E-sports activities related to motor racing.

New GR products
Expect to see new GR and GR-Sport models during the year, along with enhancement of the GR Garage network and activities nationwide. Besides new models, Toyota and GAZOO will be organizing of GR driving clinics, experiences and activities for the owners to enable them to fully enjoy the high performance of their cars safely. They will be able to fully immerse themselves and get the most from owning a GR vehicle.

The current models available in Malaysia are the GR Supra, GR Yaris and GR Sport Vios. The GR-Sport Vios, assembled at UMW Toyota Motor’s own plant in Bukit Raja, Selangor, is a tribute to the Vios Challenge racing cars. It is also the very first ASEAN-manufactured vehicle to wear the GR badge.

Toyota Vios GR-Sport — *Toyota GR-Sport Vios – first ASEAN-manufactured vehicle to wear the GR badge.*

Efforts are already underway to enhance and expand on UMW Toyota Motor’s network of dedicated GR Garages nationwide which are the only outlets that offer GR models. This will include offering a comprehensive aftermarket parts list as well as merchandise for GR and Toyota owners.

GAZOO Racing has also announced the continuation of 3-time Vios Challenge Super Sporting Class champion Tengku Djan Ley as its Malaysian Ambassador. Tengku Djan was instrumental in assisting to develop the GR-Sport Vios.

Special mention should be made of Akio Takeyama who, besides his role as Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor, was also the Chief Motorsports Officer. Besides being a driving force for the racing series, he personally took part in the Vios Challenge for all four seasons, racing together with the celebrities. Mr. Takeyama’s tenure in Malaysia ended recently and he will be taking on a new position in Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan. His successor as Deputy Chairman is Takashi Obata.

“I would like to record my excitement and commitment to chart the way forward for GAZOO Racing to continue to make an impactful and valuable contribution to Malaysia – via our involvement in motorsports and the development of young talent, through more GR experiences and touchpoints through our GR vehicles, the assembly of GR-Sport vehicles in Malaysia, the expansion of the GR Garage network and the offering of performance parts and merchandises for Toyota and GR customers,” said Mr. Obata.

The story behind TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and why it was created

No human required for this Toyota Supra to drift! (w/VIDEO)

With autonomous cars on the horizon and the involvement of humans in actually driving becoming unnecessary, dramatic driving manoeuvres like cars sliding sideways or doing handbrake turns may become a ‘lost art’. In fact, such manoeuvres would not be done as the supercomputer ‘driver’ would deem them dangerous and its job would be to avoid such things.

This doesn’t mean that the computer isn’t capable of such dramatic actions and the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) in America has demonstrated in a world first. As shown in the video, a sportscar drifts on a closed track and while there is someone inside, he is not actually controlling its movements. Combining a deep knowledge of both vehicle dynamics and control design, TRI’s Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) approach extends the vehicle’s operational domain to the very limits of its performance.

Not a frivolous exercise
While the demonstration is impressive, it was not just a frivolous exercise and the idea behind it programming controlled, autonomous drifting is to ‘teach’ the computer how to avoid accidents by navigating around sudden obstacles or on very slippery road conditions.

“At TRI, our goal is to use advanced technologies that augment and amplify humans, not replace them,” said Avinash Balachandran, Senior Manager of TRI’s Human Centric Driving Research. “Through this project, we are expanding the region in which a car is controllable, with the goal of giving regular drivers the instinctual reflexes of a professional race car driver to be able to handle the most challenging emergencies and keep people safer on the road.”

‘Skills’ comparable to expert drivers
One year ago, TRI and the Dynamic Design Lab at Stanford University set out to design a new level of active safety to help avoid crashes and prevent injuries and fatalities. With the support of automotive performance specialist GReddy and drift legend Ken Gushi, this latest achievement is another step in that journey. By building skills comparable to an expert driver, this technology can amplify and augment a regular driver’s ability to respond to dangerous and extreme situations, helping keep people safe on the road.

“When faced with wet or slippery roads, professional drivers may choose to ‘drift’ the car through a turn, but most of us are not professional drivers,” said Jonathan Goh, a TRI Research Scientist. “That’s why TRI is programming vehicles that can identify obstacles and autonomously drift around obstacles on a closed track.”

This achievement brings TRI researchers closer to understanding the full spectrum of vehicle performance. The software advances announced today calculate a whole new trajectory every twentieth of a second to balance the car gracefully as it goes around the track.

NMPC explained
Combining the vehicle dynamics and control design insights from drifting-specific approaches with the generalized framework of NMPC yields a control scheme that extends the vehicle’s operational domain beyond the point of tyre saturation. This allows the vehicle to drive beyond the notions of traditional open loop stability to where the vehicle is skidding but still controllable due to closed loop driving control.

The NMPC controller can smoothly transition from dynamic, non-equilibrium drifting to grip driving, while accounting for multiple objectives including road bounds. This approach was tested on a Toyota Supra that has been specially customized for autonomous driving research. It is equipped with computer-controlled steering, throttle, clutch displacement, sequential transmission, and individual wheel braking. Vehicle state information is obtained from a dual-antenna RTK-GNSS-aided INS system at a rate of 250Hz, and the NMPC controller runs on an x86 computer.

For the purposes of data collection with expert drivers in a controlled environment, the suspension, engine, transmission, chassis and safety systems (eg roll cage, fire suppression) were modified to be similar to that used in Formula Drift competitions.

Teaching autonomous vehicles to recognise the behaviour of human drivers

A Toyota GR Yaris that runs on hydrogen is under development

Since May this year, a special Toyota Corolla Sport run by the ROOKIE Racing arm of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has been competing in the Super Taikyu Series 2021. Its engine doesn’t run on petrol but uniquely, on hydrogen. This is not the same as the powertrain in the Mirai EV which has its electric motors powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. For the engine in the Corolla Sport, a prototype, the combustion process uses hydrogen.

Combustion in a hydrogen-fuelled engine occurs at a faster rate than in petrol engines, resulting in a characteristic of good responsiveness. While having excellent environmental performance, hydrogen engines still have the typical character of a combustion engine, especially ‘familiar’ sounds and vibrations. Except for the combustion of minute amounts of engine oil during driving, which is also the case with petrol engines, hydrogen engines emit zero CO₂ when in use.

*Prototype Corolla Sport with hydrogen engine racing in Super Taikyu series in Japan.*

Moving to the next steps
As the R&D engineers gain increasing experience and feedback from running the engine in the harsh conditions of motorsport in Japan, they are progressing towards the next steps. This is demonstrated in an experimental hydrogen-powered GR Yaris which shares same powertrain as the prototype Corolla Sport racing car.

*Second generation of the Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) which uses hydrogen in a process that generates electricity.*

The car’s hydrogen fuel, fuel tanks and refuelling process are the same as those found in Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) which is now in its second generation. The hydrogen combustion engine technology is still in the early stages of conceptual development and experimentation, having started in 2017, and is not yet ready for commercialisation. Nonetheless, Toyota’s experimental hydrogen-powered Corolla Sport is already delivering high performance at motorsport events in Japan with almost zero tailpipe emissions.

Modified GR Yaris engine
The engine modified to run on hydrogen is the G16E-GTS, 1.6-litre, in-line 3-cylinder, turbocharged unit used in production versions of the GR Yaris, but with a modified fuel supply and injection system for use with hydrogen as fuel.

*GR Yaris 3-cylinder turbocharged engine (version in production model shown) has been modified to run on hydrogen.*

Toyota has been strengthening its efforts towards achieving carbon neutrality, such as by aiming to promote the use of hydrogen through the popularisation of FCEVs and numerous other fuel-cell-powered products. By further refining its hydrogen engine technologies through motorsports, it intends to aim for the realisation of an even better hydrogen-based society.

Motorsport as a testing ground
The uses of motorsport as a testing ground reflects the firm belief of Kiichiro Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Motor Corporation, that sporting competition is a driver for progress. In March 1952, he said: “Japan’s auto industry must succeed in building passenger vehicles. To this end, manufacturers must participate in auto-racing to test their vehicles’ durability and performance and display their utmost performance. With competition comes progress, as well as excitement among motoring fans. The aim of racing is not just to satisfy our curiosity, but rather to enable the development of the Japanese passenger vehicle industry.”

“We’ve taken the first step to compete with and develop our hydrogen-powered engine with the mindset of taking on the challenge. I imagine things will look a little different 10 years from now, and I hope people will look back and see how we took on the challenge with positivity and enjoyed every moment of it,” added Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation as well as grandson of Kiichiro.

Transitioning to electric vehicles is one approach Toyota is taking to help create a carbon-neutral society. To achieve this goal, it is developing multiple electrified technologies, including hydrogen, which it views as one of the key building blocks for CO₂ reduction.

Second generation fuel cell modules
To help expand its hydrogen technology from cars to more diverse applications, it has repackaged the advanced fuel cell system used in its Mirai saloon into compact fuel cell modules. From January 2022, Toyota will start production of these second generation modules.

The new system has been packaged into modules that are more compact, lighter in weight and provide greater power density. They are available in two formats: a cube and a flat, rectangular shape, allowing greater flexibility and adaptation for different applications.

Toyota began fuel cell development in 1992 and has since continued to refine its hydrogen technology. The second generation fuel cell modules will be assembled by a manufacturing team at Toyota Motor Europe’s (TME) R&D centre in Belgium. The new facility houses a pilot assembly line combining advanced technology content with high-quality assembly techniques.

Toyota chose Europe as the location for its second generation fuel cell module assembly as it sees demand growing significantly across the region. Working with businesses interested in using Toyota’s technology in their applications, TME’s Fuel Cell Business Unit will offer the necessary engineering support for integration. Proximity to its partners and the ability to closely monitor emerging business opportunities will allow the company to scale up supply quickly.

Hydrogen clusters
The expansion of a European hydrogen economy will be a key element in achieving the Green Deal’s objective of net-zero global warming emissions by 2050. The European Union has stated that, to meet this challenge, industry will need ‘climate and resource frontrunners’ to develop the first commercial applications of breakthrough technologies in key industrial sectors by 2030. The emergence of hydrogen clusters in Europe sees different sectors uniting and bringing their skills, technologies and applications together, such as truck, bus and taxi fleets and H2 infrastructure, to create viable business opportunities. This will allow them to flourish and become the nucleus of larger-scale activities.

Toyota to use motorsports to develop hydrogen-fueled engine (w/VIDEO)

GR Supra A91-CF Edition – the most exclusive Mark 5 Supra to date

If the way the GR Supra looks is not sporty enough for you and you live in North America, there’s an opportunity to get one which is more exclusively styled and also limited to only 600 units. It’s the GR Supra A91-CF Edition which is said to be the most exclusive Mark 5 Supra to date. Customers can choose either a 3-litre or 2-litre engine, the former an inline-6 and the latter, an inline-4.

On the outside, the A91-CF Edition has handmade carbonfibre on the front splitter with larger canards, while its carbonfibre rockers define the sides. Around the back, the carbonfibre treatment continues, with a duckbill spoiler catching the air as it flows off the rear glass, and larger, lower canards doing so down below.

This aero kit isn’t just for looks; its functional purpose improves downforce and stability during both everyday drives and hot laps around the track. Additionally, unique 19-inch wheels sport a matte-black texture that complement special edition’s matte-grey Phantom paint colour, besides Absolute Zero White and Nitro Yellow which are other colour choices. Additionally, depending on the version, there are also colours like Nocturnal, Renaissance Red, Tungsten and Turbulence Gray.

The cockpit is also given an exclusive touch with refinements throughout. A red-and-black theme is used and there’s Alcantara and leather trim. The sport seats have red stitching details with 14-way power adjustment as well as heating. Carbonfibre is also used inside for some interior trim, while the 3-spoke steering wheel is leather-wrapped and sport pedals are standard.

For the 2021 model year, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing engineers boosted output of the Supra’s turbocharged 3-litre 6-cylinder inline-six from 335 to 382 bhp, a 14% increase after just one year on the market. Torque has been increased by very slightly to almost 500 Nm and peaking 500 rpm higher.

The 2-litre 4-cylinder engine shares much of its technology with the 3-litre unit, including a twin-scroll turbo, direct fuel injection and continuously variable timing on both the intake and exhaust camshafts. It delivers up to 255 bhp/400 Nm to take the Supra from standstill to 60 mph (96 km/h) in a claimed 5 seconds. An 8-speed transmission is standard for both engines.

The Supra 3.0 chassis was also tweaked heading into its second year of production. Lightweight aluminium braces were added to increase lateral rigidity, along with front and rear bump stops and new damper tuning. Revised programming for the electric power steering, Adaptive Variable Suspension, Vehicle Stability Control and Active Differential have improved stability through quick transitions, such as compound turns.

To purchase a GR Supra in Malaysia, click here to locate a GR Garage.

Piston.my

Toyota GR

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6-speed manual gearbox for Toyota GR Supra only for 3-litre model

GAZOO Racing to have 11 races in 2022 with addition of Vios Sprint Cup and Vios Enduro Cup

Toyota GR Supra to get manual transmission this year

Toyota GR Corolla makes global debut, 300 bhp/370 Nm with GR-Four AWD and 6-speed manual transmission

The Father and Daughter racers in the Vios Challenge

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival and Vios Challenge enter Season 5 this year

No human required for this Toyota Supra to drift! (w/VIDEO)

A Toyota GR Yaris that runs on hydrogen is under development

GR Supra A91-CF Edition – the most exclusive Mark 5 Supra to date

38 participants for GR Vios Sprint Cup this weekend at Sepang

6-speed manual gearbox for Toyota GR Supra only for 3-litre model

GAZOO Racing to have 11 races in 2022 with addition of Vios Sprint Cup and Vios Enduro Cup

Toyota GR Supra to get manual transmission this year

Toyota GR Corolla makes global debut, 300 bhp/370 Nm with GR-Four AWD and 6-speed manual transmission

The Father and Daughter racers in the Vios Challenge

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival and Vios Challenge enter Season 5 this year

No human required for this Toyota Supra to drift! (w/VIDEO)

A Toyota GR Yaris that runs on hydrogen is under development

GR Supra A91-CF Edition – the most exclusive Mark 5 Supra to date

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