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Season 5 of Vios Challenge/TGR Festival starts this weekend at the Sepang International Circuit

This weekend, besides the start of the 2022 Formula 1 World Championship, there will also be the start of the Vios Challenge one-make series in Malaysia, going into Season 5 in 2022. Now a firmly established event on the country’s motorsports calendar, the event, 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, with RM70,000 and RM50,000 to the overall champions of the Super Sporting and Sporting Classes, respectively.

“The Vios Challenge and TGR Festival continue to evolve in line with our aspirations to contribute to the development of Malaysian motorsports. From a series that attracts professionals, gentlemen drivers and local celebrities, it has today grown into one of the most ideal, accessible and affordable platforms to hone the skills and experience of young drivers coming up the ranks in motorsports. And this year, we want enthusiasts and fans to become even more invested in the series by introducing a fantasy game that will enable them to better relate to their favourite drivers on the track,” said UMW Toyota Motor President, Ravindran K.

*The first round will be held at the Sepang International Circuit using the North Track which is 2.706 kms per laps and has 5 straights with 9 turns.*

“The Vios Challenge, in more ways than one, is growing into what we would like to call ‘the people’s race’ and, in 4 seasons, we have kept to this objective by not only promoting motorsports to the masses both on ground and online, but maintaining a one-make race format that makes the event attractive to all levels of racers,” he added.

3 rounds, 6 races up till September
Season 5 will have 3 rounds with a total of 6 races. After the first round at the Sepang International Circuit this weekend, Rounds 2 and 3 will be held in June and September, respectively. Over the past 4 seasons, the event has attracted more than 8 million spectators and online viewers, garnering a social media reach exceeding 19 million, making it one of the most viewed domestic motor-racing events.

Due to the ongoing pandemic and the need for safety of everyone, spectators will not be able to watch from the stands. As in previous years, the races will be streamed live throughout the two days so wherever you are, you will still be able to catch the action.

There are 4 classes as before: the popular Promotional Class; the Super Sporting Class; the Sporting Class; and the Rookie Class. For the Promotional Class, there will be 9 personalities competing against each other. Returning to defend his title is Season 4 champion and actor Shukri Yahaya; last year’s runner-up and actor Zizan Razak; television host Nabil Ahmad; actress Janna Nick; singers Wany Hasrita, Nabila Razali and Khai Bahar; TV personality Ahirine Ahiruddin; and actress and presenter Ain Edruce who is making her return to the Vios Challenge from a break last year after welcoming her first child.

Ain Edruce took part in the Promotional Races during Season 3 in 2019/2020 but was absent after that. The 28-year old actress and presenter returns after having given birth to her first child and is ready for the challenge in Season 5.

*Reigning and triple-crowned Super Sporting Class champion Tengku Djan Ley will be looking to add another crown to his Vios Challenge collection.*

Veterans to duel again
The Super Sporting Class will see an epic battle with a field of former champions, veteran drivers, talented young drivers and several former internationals. Reigning and triple-crowned Super Sporting Class champion Tengku Djan Ley returns with the Prima Pearl Auto team this season but instead of a solo entry, he will be partnering international touring car Mitchell Cheah in a 2-car assault for the team.

Also fielding two-car teams are Laser Motor Racing’s Mark Darwin who will be alongside veteran racer Eddie Liew; and M7 Japan Project Team who will take to the grid with international touring and GT car driver Mohamed Fariqe Hairuman and young gun Amer Harris who moves up the ladder after graduating from the very first Vios Challenge Rookie Class last season.

Amer joins two other young drivers who are under the age of 20 competing in the Super Sporting Class. They are teenage prodigy and former Sporting Class champion Hayden Haikal and international single-seater driver Alister Yoong who is also the son of ex-F1 driver Alex Yoong. Both will drive for the Axle Motorsports team which was established by Alex. Driving a third entry for Axle Motorsports will be former Super Sporting Class champion Boy Wong.

“The TGR Festival and the Vios Challenge is by far the best platform for racing in Malaysia at the moment. It is professionally run, the cars are great and why wouldn’t we want to seize the opportunity to be part of it,” said Alex. “Boy is one of the most underrated senior drivers in the country. He is, and has been very quick throughout his racing career. In the academy that I run, we have brought in close to 1,500 new young drivers into the sports via our simulator competition and races but only tens have successfully made the transition to driving real race cars. This, however, doesn’t mean we are going to ignore senior drivers. I hope to see Boy Wong, Naquib, Hayden and Alister being very competitive this season.”

Although she is not the first female to race in the Vios Challenge, Shasha Shafie will be the first woman to compete in a category outside of the Promotional Class. As with every participant, her Vios will have to meet strict regulations for the one-make race where the performance of every car is virtually identical and it will be driver skill that makes the difference.

In the Sporting Class – one of the most fiercely contested with a field of 20 drivers – there will also be a female among the drivers on the starting grid. She is R&R Sport Speed Garage’s Shasha Shafie, one of three new drivers to the class who also include Super Evergreen Motorsports’ Muhamad Roni Risman and 23 Motors’ Abdul Miqail.

Two racing families
The Rookie Class will see a fresh group of newcomers who have received training to develop their skills. The 6 new faces are Adele Liew, Ashen Shanmuganathan, Muhammad Hamdany Abdul Hamid; Nabil Azlan, Sharique Zulqarnain; and Muizz Musyaffa. The parents of Adele and Ashen, Eddie Liew and Shanmuganathan Arumugan, are also taking part in the Super Sporting and Sporting Classes, respectively, while Nabil is the brother of last year’s Rookie Class champion, Naquib Azlan. Like his brother, he has developed skills through sim racing and now get to use them in real-world racing.

*Adele Lew and Ashen Shanmuganathan, both newcomers to the Vios Challenge, have been inspired by their fathers who will also be racing in other categories.*

“This is a very special moment for the both of us,” said Adele, 20, who has had limited experience in fun karts. “In order for me to be able to race with my father means that he has been in motorsports for a very long time. And to my knowledge, there has never been a father-daughter racing in the same event and on the same weekend in Malaysia! This is going to be a whole new experience for the both of us and my father is equally very excited. He is definitely the best mentor I could have ever hoped for to prepare me for my first race weekend.

”

GAZOO Racing Dream Team TGR Fantasy
While the event remains closed to the public as a safeguard against the pandemic, the action will be live streamed during each day. This year, a new feature that gives the public a chance to be more involved is the GAZOO Racing Dream Team TGR Fantasy. This is a racing platform where players sign up and compete against each other by creating their very own TGR Dream Team of racers they think will perform best throughout the season. Participants will have to select 3 drivers from each of the 4 classes of racing, and their team will accumulate or lose points based on the real racing results throughout the 3 rounds in Season 5. The player with the most number of points will be declared the winner at the end of each round and prizes will be given out at the end of the season.

Racing fans and enthusiasts can 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.

The story behind TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and why it was created

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

UMW Toyota Motor starts 2022 with almost double the sales volume compared to January 2021

Toyota, which last year reclaimed its position as the No. 1 non-national brand after 6 years, started 2022 on a strong note with a total sales volume of 7,528 units (including Lexus models). This was a 96% increase compared to the 3.845 units that were reported in the same month last year.

The Vios remained as UMW Toyota Motor’s bestselling model, accounting for 28% of the total sales volume, while the Hilux accounted for 38% of sales and has been the country’s bestselling pick-up truck for 15 years.

Strong sales helped by promotions
The strong sales numbers have been helped by ongoing promotions such as the ‘Stay Ahead’ campaign which gives buyers savings up to RM4,500. The promotion offers the Vios at monthly instalments from RM540 with 100% sales tax savings of RM2,216. For the sportier Yaris hatchback, customers can own one with H-P loans that have instalments from RM493, plus additional RM2,192 in sales tax savings.

“We are thankful for the government’s decision to extend the Sales and Service Tax (SST) exemption incentives for passenger vehicles until June 30, 2022. This has greatly helped automotive players like us to recover from the impact of the pandemic during the last two years. We also encourage Toyota fans to take advantage of the extended tax exemption to purchase their dream car, coupled with the value-for-money deals UMW Toyota Motor is offering such as the ongoing ‘Stay Ahead’ sales campaign to enjoy the best savings during this period,” said Ravindran K, President of UMW Toyota Motor.

Locally-assembled Toyota hybrid electric vehicles
In support of Toyota’s global agenda to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, as well as similar objectives by the Malaysian government, UMW Toyota Motor will assemble models with hybrid electric vehicle technology. This has started with the Corolla Cross Hybrid which was launched last month which is seeing growing demand

According to Mr. Ravindran, since it was made available for booking in October last year, the Corolla Cross Hybrid has met with positive response, accounting for more than 40% of the total sales of the Corolla Cross crossover SUV. “This shows that Malaysians are in support of environmental sustainability and are taking their first step towards going green through hybrid electric vehicles. We urge our customers to place their bookings early in order to avoid missing out on the SST exemption for better savings,” he added.

While the Corolla Cross Hybrid (above), priced from RM136,550 (without insurance), has the typical high quality and durability that has made the Toyota brand so popular worldwide, UMW Toyota Motor also offers a 5-year warranty with unlimited mileage. More importantly, for the owner’s peace of mind, the hybrid battery pack has a separate which covers replacement of the hybrid battery pack, inverter and Power Management Control Unit if defective during the first 8 years of ownership (with no limit on mileage). Customers can also extend this warranty by 2 years at the time of purchase.

Being a good Corporate Citizen
In addition to the positive sales results, January also saw the company doing its part at a good corporate citizen to help Malaysians affected by the floods. Partnered with Yayasan Raja Muda Selangor through its ‘Back On Your Feet’ programme, the company contributed RM10,000 to Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Lui for the school’s repairs of its flood-damaged premises. The company also donated essential home appliances to the affected community in Sungai Lui such as rice cookers, kettles and gas stoves.

*Employees of UMW Toyota Motor went to flooded areas to assist in clean-up work and also brought essential items donated by the company.*

“UMW Toyota Motor endeavours to propel society forward by empowering people beyond the road. We are glad to have been given the opportunity to partner with Yayasan Raja Muda Selangor to give back to the community we operate in and help them get back on their feet during these trying times,” Mr. Ravindran said.

Besides initiating a Toyota Flood Assist Program as an immediate response to help flood victims in December, a flood ‘Command Centre’ was also established at the UMW Toyota Motor headquarters in Shah Alam, Selangor, as part of its broadened initiatives. This will also function as a soup kitchen and relief distribution centre for victims in the event of a similar phenomenon in the future. Additionally, up to 100 parking spaces in the compound will be allocated in such situations for flood victims to park their vehicles safely.

For more information on Toyota products and services in Malaysia, visit www.toyota.com.my.

First impressions of the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid (video)

Cumulative sales over 11 months for Toyota and Lexus 26% higher than in 2020

Toyota and Lexus sales in Malaysia mirrored the Total Industry Volume (TIV) of November, which is expected to be less than the October TIV. However, demand for the two brands distributed by UMW Toyota Motor remains strong and the difference was only 14 units compared to the total volume for October when the total number sold nationwide was 8,500 units.

The total sales volume for November is 8486 units consisted of 6,620 passenger cars and 1,866 commercial vehicles (including pick-ups). For the period from January to November 2021, total sales for the Toyota and Lexus brands have reached 63,105 units, 26% higher than the same period in 2020 when a total of 50,074 units had been sold.

Toyota Vios and Hilux bestsellers
Among the passenger car models, the Vios continued to be the bestselling Toyota model, accounting for 33% of sales, while the Hilux continued to be the bestselling pick-up truck in Malaysia, a position it has held since 2005.

*Toyota’s bestselling models in Malaysia – the Vios and Hilux.*

“The continued growth of the market is a sign that we are steadily progressing towards recovery. The New Normal means that some things have to be done differently and we have to be conscious of SOPs, and at Toyota, we have adapted our processes accordingly. Customers can visit our showrooms or send their vehicles to authorized service centres with peace of mind that they are protected health-wise,” said UMW Toyota Motor President, Ravindran K.

“During the final month of the year, we will have great deals and with our ‘Now Is The Time’ promotion, there are savings of up to RM5,500 on selected models. Additionally, the government’s exemption of sales tax is ongoing which means additional savings,” he said.

Countdown to hybrid launch
Preparations are being finalized for the launch of the first locally-assembled Toyota hybrid electric vehicle in the near future. This will be the new Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid which is now undergoing pre-production activities at ASSB, UMW Toyota Motor’s assembly plant in Bukit Raja, Selangor.

“Since we opened for bookings for the new Corolla Cross Hybrid, response has been good and we are happy to see that many Malaysians are keen to switch to Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technology. Toyota has been producing hybrid electric vehicles since the late 1990s and has constantly improved and advanced the technology so Malaysians will benefit from this long experience,” said Akio Takeyama, Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor.

ASSB Bukit Raja, Selangor — *The ASSB plant in Bukit Raja, Selangor is now assembling the first Toyota hybrid model in Malaysia, alongside the Vios and Yaris.*

“We are aware that many customers are eager to receive their Corolla Cross Hybrid and we ask for your patience. There are many quality processes which ASSB must complete to ensure that the cars delivered are of the highest standard in every respect. And I would also add that once the car is delivered, the new owners will also be assured of an ownership experience of the highest standard,” Mr. Takeyama added.

The new Corolla Cross Hybrid has an estimated price starting from RM137,000 (without insurance) and comes with a 5-year/unlimited mileage factory warranty. Additionally, for peace of mind, there is a separate 8-year/unlimited mileage warranty covering the hybrid battery pack, inverter and Power Management Control Unit. Customers can also extend their warranty for a further 2 years to make it a total of 10 years, the first such warranty in the local industry.

Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid nearing launch as orders are accepted; pricing from RM137,000

Toyota Yaris impresses on first-ever appearance in Sepang 1000KM race

The Toyota Yaris which was entered in the Sepang 1000KM endurance race (S1K) recently was the first ever appearance of the model in a local race and it was a ‘baptism by fire’ on all accounts. Competing in the top MTC Production Class, the Yaris, driven by the pair of 16-year old Hayden Haikal and 24-year old Timothy Yeo, had taken the chequered flag 3 laps ahead of their nearest rival. However, a post-race penalty reclassified the duo to third position in class and fourth overall.

Three Toyotas occupied the top 5 front positions on the starting grid for the 9-hour/181-lap race laps around the 5.534-km Sepang International Circuit. The number #39 Yaris had been the highest-placed Toyota on the starting grid, qualifying second with a time of 2 min 38.932 seconds. They were followed by Wing Hin Motorsports team mates and the pair of Boy Wong and Dannies Ng in the number #38 Vios.

Two entries from GAZOO Racing Malaysia
Backing them up were the trio of Tengku Djan Ley, Naquib Azlan and Akio Takeyama from TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia in car number #37 (another Vios) which was fifth fastest. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia fielded a second entry, another Vios crewed by a trio comprising celebrity Zizan Razak, and young drivers Jwan Hii and Mika Hakimi in the SP2 Production Class in car number #36. Despite qualifying 30^th , they went on to finish 20th in class and fifth in the inaugural running of the Vios Enduro Cup.

With three Toyotas in contention for overall victory, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s number #37 Vios, the number #39 Yaris and the number #38 Vios showed their dominance from the beginning to the final hours of the race. Four cars traded places for the lead throughout the race, but no one expected a huge turn of events that was to unfold in the closing laps.

Bad luck for #38 Vios
The number #38 Vios’ hopes of a podium finish were essentially erased due to technical issues, forcing it to rejoin 6 laps down but still managing to finish fourth overall and in Class. The number #37 Vios, meanwhile, was well poised for victory until 26 laps to the finish when the front left wheel was ripped away, dropping the team to 11th in Class.

Their misfortune left the race for the taking of car number #100 driven by Mitchell Cheah and Brendan Paul Anthony, but their hopes of a victory too came to a crushing end when mechanical problems 10 laps from the finish put them into retirement.

Yaris takes podium finish on debut
As all this unfolded, the charging #39 Yaris kept piling on the pressure and clocking consistent lap times right up to the chequered flag. “The Yaris performed impeccably, not putting a foot wrong! This is a huge testament to the car’s performance and reliability under extreme conditions, and to finish on the podium in the prestigious S1K race on its debut is, without a doubt, an amazing result,” said a happy Mr. Takeyama who is also GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer.

“We would like to have won and seen two or all three cars on the podium but unfortunately, in racing, nothing is ever certain until you cross the finish line, and this is a disappointment we will have to graciously accept despite running very competitively until the final hours,” he said.

“The S1K is a challenging test of nerves not only on the reliability and durability of the car, but also the physical and mental strength of the competing teams and drivers,” he said, with his personal experience of racing in the event. ”As a team, we have proven to ourselves that we are competitive, and this setback has certainly fuelled our desire to come back and be even stronger next year.”

The Yaris’ third place finish, however, was made that much sweeter with one of the drivers (Hayden) being a competitor and the youngest ever champion in Toyota’s Vios Challenge racing series. In fact, eight of the drivers in the top 4 cars in contention for the race win had competed in the one-make series which has run for 4 seasons.

“The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival and Vios Challenge will next year enter its fifth successive season and we hope that it has not only made a huge impact towards enhancing the profile of Malaysian motorsports by bringing it to the masses, but also in creating a strong foundation for the development of existing, new and especially young drivers. We are committed in making an impactful contribution to Malaysian motorsports and this is an initiative we intend to continue to expand on moving forward,” Mr. Takeyama promised.

Inaugural Vios Enduro Cup
In the inaugural Vios Enduro Cup, Aylezo Motorsports’ trio Mirza Syahmi Mahzan, Zen Low and Aiman Haziq completed 166 laps enroute to collect a cash prize of RM10,000. It was a 1-2 victory for Aylezo with Dato’ Danny Yip, Kenneth Teh and Chang Choon Ming placed second. In third spot was 23 Motors’ Al- Farouk and Abdull Miqail, followed by Toyotsu Racing’s Liew Jo Choon, Tan Chan Wei in fourth.

A total of 10 Toyota cars took to the track for the S1K race which attracted 38 teams, with three cars competing in the MTC Production Class and the remaining seven vying for positions in the SP2 Production Class and the inaugural running of the Vios Enduro Cup.

Highlights Of The Season 4 Vios Challenge Night Races (Second Night)

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia doing battle in Sepang 1000KM Race this weekend

Even before the excitement of the last round of Season 4 of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival/Vios Challenge has faded away, GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Vios racing cars are going into battle again. This time, it is not a one-make races and the team will be up against other models in the Sepang 1000KM Endurance Race (S1K) this weekend.

The annual race will also see the running of the inaugural Vios Enduro Cup for privateers and dealer teams competing in the SP2 Production Class.

GAZOO Racing Malaysia will field a two-car entry in the MTC Production Class and SP2 production class. Fighting for outright victory in the MTC Production class will be the trio of 3-time Vios Challenge Super Sporting Class champion and also GAZOO Racing Malaysia Ambassador, Tengku Djan Ley. He will be teamed up with newly-crowned Vios Challenge Rookie Class champion, 20-year old Naquib Azlan, and GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer, Akio Takeyama.

The S1K race will be the first for Naquib who, up until last year, had only been racing online behind the wheel of a simulator. He was one of six drivers recruited into the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program and later provided with the opportunity to compete in the Rookie Class for young drivers.

20-year old Naquib Azlan has shown that simulator racing provides some skills that can be used in real racing, and in the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program, those skills were developed further.

The SP2 Production Class, meanwhile, will see the combination of Vios Challenge Rookie Class drivers Mika Hakimi and Jwan Hii partnering Promotional Class driver, actor and Season 4’s first runner-up Zizan Razak. Zizan proved to be a worthy contender in this year’s Vios Challenge Promotional Class races by clinching podium finishes in all races. Being the most experienced racer amongst the SP2 Production Class team, Zizan is expected to bring his A-game and winning attitude as well as flair into the race.

*The recent finale round of Season 4 of the Vios Challenge/TGR Festival was run at night, a first for the series.*

Mika and Jwan finished had third and fourth overall respectively in the recently concluded Vios Challenge, and will also be making their debut in the S1K. Like Naquib, both drivers are also graduates of the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program. Mika, 17, also has a background of simulator racing while 18-year-old Jwan’s racing experience had been karting before having a chance at cars.

“The two entries in S1K are to fulfill several objectives if you look closely at the driver line-up. Yes, we will be gunning for both outright and class victories; it is also the start of expanding GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s presence in Malaysian motorsports, but the participation is also to provide a platform for new, talented and especially young drivers to race in an even more competitive environment beyond the Vios Challenge,” said Mr. Takeyama, who has also been racing in the Vio Challenge for all 4 seasons.

The Vios Enduro Cup will run concurrently with the S1K and is designed to bring the Vios Challenge race cars and its drivers beyond their traditional hunting grounds. The Cup will offer a first prize of RM10,000.00, while the second and third place winners stand to win RM8,000.00 and RM6,000.00 respectively. A cash prize of RM4,000.00 and RM2,000.00 is also up for grabs for the fourth and fifth place finishers in the race.

Unlike the short races of the Vios Challenge, the S1K is a 1,000-km race which can cover up to 181 laps and take around 9 hours. It is also held at the Sepang International Circuit. In the 11 years that the race has been held (2009 to 2019), Toyota cars have won the race twice with private entries behind the wheel of an AE86 in 2010 and a Corolla Altis in 2011.

Highlights Of The Season 4 Vios Challenge Night Races (Second Night)

Highlights Of The Season 4 Vios Challenge Night Races (Second Night)

The finale of the fourth season of the Vios Challenge one-make racing series, part of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival, saw lots of suspense and on-track drama from start to finish. Like the F1 race held in Qatar the same night, the final round (consisting of two races for each class) was run at night, a first for the series.

Malaysia’s prince of drift and also TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia ambassador drove to his third overall championship title in the Super Sporting Class for veteran drivers, while Clement Yeo charged to his first ever overall title in the Sporting Class for amateur drivers. Actor Shukri Yahaya finally captured his first overall title in the Promotional Class after 4 seasons of racing, and young simulator racer Naquib Azlan was crowned the first ever overall champion in the Rookie Class.

The final race of the season at the Sepang International Circuit produced some of the year’s most intense battles on track as no less than 3 individuals were in close contention for the overall championship title in each of the four classes.

“We could not have asked for a more exciting finish to the season,” said TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia Chief Motorsports Officer Akio Takeyama, who was also a participant in the races. “Faced with an incredibly challenging season as a result of the global pandemic, we are thankful that we were able to conclude the championship. The introduction of a night race also made the Vios Challenge even more unpredictable and quite a spectacle enjoyed by both drivers and spectators.”

SPORTING CLASS
The second night’s race started in dramatic fashion with no less than 6 cars involved in skirmishes from the very first lap of the race as a result of the wet track. Clement Yeo made a brilliant start from fifth position on the grid to stay within a car’s length of Panglima City Racing Team’s Kenneth Koh, before eventually passing him for the lead. Behind, the battle for third, fourth and fifth positions was even more intense which saw 23 Motor’s Ady Rahimy being the first to be pelted off the track, followed by Team Fokus Tetap’s Lim Chun Beng and subsequently Dato’ Ken Foo, A. Shanmuganathan, Eric Yong and Amirul Haikal.

The early incidents brought out the Safety Car on lap 6 of the 20-lap race, reducing what little gap Yeo had built over Koh. When the race resumed 3 laps later, all the attention then shifted to Dream Chaser’s Bradley Benedict Anthony and Ady who were trading places for third position.

Yeo paced himself well in the remaining 10 minutes of the race, but it was once again Bradley who stole the limelight when he shot pass Koh for second place and that was how the first 3 places on the podium would be decided. The race victory sealed Yeo’s campaign to become Season 4’s Sporting Class overall champion which got him a prize of RM50,000.

PROMOTIONAL CLASS
All eyes were on actors Shukri Yahaya and Zizan Razak who both had their sights set on becoming the overall champion in the Promotional Class. Of the two, Shukri could be considered the most experienced, having participated in all four seasons. Overall victory had eluded him so far and he was determined that this time, he would take home the crown.

The 18-lap race began fiercely with Zizan taking the lead and Shukri in tow, while singer Khai Bahar was in third. Positions remained unchanged in the first 5 laps of the race until Zizan made a mistake by going wide. While Shukri grabbed the lead, Zizan never recovered from that mistake and remained in third while the front two drivers consolidated their lead to being almost 10 seconds ahead.

Shukri was determined to win and put up a strong resistance against Khai who seemed to have a quicker pace. The two were separated by only 0.3 seconds when the chequered flag came out with Shukri barely ahead. A penalty meted out to Shukri however, relegated him to second and promoted Khai to race winner, but the overall points he had consistently accumulated throughout the season was enough for Shukri to claim the overall championship title in the Promotional Class.

SUPER SPORTING CLASS
The battle of the pro racers saw an incredibly fierce battle at the front between 3 drivers, each of whom could win the overall championship. In the end, it was 23 Motors’ Mitchell Cheah who exerted his dominance to win the 20-lap race ahead of Prima Pearl Auto’s Tengku Djan Ley and Telegamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang in third place. However, a post-race penalty against Cheah promoted Tengku Djan to first place.

“There was tremendous pressure going into tonight’s finale with so much being at stake, but I told myself that I needed to run a smart race,” said Tengku Djan Ley who claimed his third Super Sporting Class overall championship title to win a prize of RM70,000.

“It has been both an incredibly challenging and rewarding season. I started the first 2 races of the year very well with back-to-back victories, but the following 2 races did not turn out favourably and as a result we lost a lot of valuable points. A third-place finish in the Saturday race and a win tonight gave us the result that we needed. I would like to take this opportunity to thank not only my team and sponsors, but also to commend everyone in the Super Sporting Class for a very hard-fought season,” he added.

ROOKIE CLASS
This season also saw a bunch of newcomers who received guidance and training under the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program, a demonstration of Toyota’s commitment towards the development of Malaysian motorsports. The programme, for those between the ages of 14 and 20, identified young racers with potential, based on their karting and sim-racing accomplishments, overall performance and level of commitment. They underwent intensive training both on and off the track under the close guidance of instructors to prepare them for racing in Season 4.

Naquib Azlan turned out to the surprising star of the season, having performed consistently and remaining at the top of the results. Impressively, he participated in a saloon car race with only experience drawn from competing as a simulator racer. It showed that there is value in simulators too as well as the realism that can help drivers gain experience in the virtual world.

“It was a dream come true. Never did I expect to enter racing in real life and to have been able to perform as well as I did. I am extremely thankful. I have to say a very big thank you to Toyota for having the trust in me and giving us the opportunity, the team, to Alex Yoong who helped all of the rookies throughout the entire journey. This is something that no other manufacturer has done and to represent Toyota is such an honour. I look forward to doing this again next season,” said Naquib.

Bringing Malaysian motorsports to a higher level
UMW Toyota Motor President, Ravindran K., said the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival and Vios Challenge is aimed at not only creating a series that is more affordable and accessible to the racing community – especially the younger generation of drivers – but setting out to bring as well as promote motorsports to the masses.

“The Vios Challenge has also become an attractive breeding ground for young racing talent due to its lower cost of entry and one-make format that is greatly centred on honing driving skills and racecraft. And with 4 separate categories of racing, the series showcases incredible talent on track for the delight of spectators. Throughout the 4 seasons, the event has successfully attracted more than 5 million spectators (both on-site and online) which I hope will contribute to growing local awareness, interest and especially greater appreciation for motorsports in Malaysia,” said Mr. Ravindran.

Highlights of the Season 4 Vios Challenge Night Races (first night)

Day 2 Report – TGR Festival & Vios Challenge Season 4, Round 2

After yesterday’s racing in hot and sunny weather, the second racing session of Round 2 of the Vios Challenge at the Sepang International Circuit was run in both wet and dry conditions. But like yesterday, the competition was intense for both the new and existing drivers in the series which is now in its fourth season.

“Looking at all the action on and off the track, it was obvious that everyone in the community has been eager to get back to doing what they do best – racing! The competition was just as intense, if not greater, than it had been before the pandemic and this is precisely the boost of energy we all need to steer out of these challenging times,” said GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsport Officer, Akio Takeyama.

“As an event organizer, one of the most demanding aspects of the weekend in these times has not so much been in managing the racing on the track but to ensure that all safeguards are in place and adhered to in order to protect everyone on site from the threat of COVID-19. This remains our number one priority,” he stressed.

The event was closed to the public and spectators in accordance with conditions set by the National Security Council (MKN) pertaining to the organizing of sporting events. However, some 2 million people watched the races online in Malaysia as well as anywhere that was connected to the internet.

SUPER SPORTING CLASS
Unlike Race 1 which was held in blistering hot conditions, Race 2 got underway in the rain with drivers not only having to contend with a slippery track but also poor visibility. Those conditions however, seemed to Favour M7 Japan Project Team’s Syafiq Ali who catapulted himself into the lead from fourth position in the first corner, followed closely by team mate Faidzil Alang.

However, all the excitement of Lap 1 was cut short when the Safety Car had to be activated and circulated for 3 laps. During this time, Syafiq led the convoy behind the Safety Car and ahead of Faidzil, followed by Hayden Haikal who started from pole position.

Mark Darwin who was running in fifth behind overall championship leader Tengku Djan Ley eventually spun going into the first corner after the restart, dropping to 12^th. The fight at the front of the pack was extremely fierce with Cheah charging aggressively with the hope of making it a double race win. After passing Hayden, his duel with Faidzil for second position lasted for 2 laps before he got past and away. His sights were then set on catching race leader Syafiq who was 2.1 seconds ahead.

As conditions worsened, the Safety Car was again called out on lap 10. This erased whatever lead Syafiq had built up. As the rain got heavier, the race was eventually red flagged which meant all racing was suspended. However, the race was able to be resumed minutes later, again under Safety Car conditions, and with 1 lap to go, Syafiq held his ground to take the chequered flag just half a car’s length in front of Cheah, and Faidzil in third position.

SPORTING CLASS
Like the Super Sporting Class race, this race was also run in wet conditions. But the rain was just the ‘x-factor’ Crestmax Motorsport’s Adam Khalid needed to make a huge impact on the race results when he stormed from 15th position on the starting grid to win the 20-lap race.

Adam, who finished the race ahead of Aylezo Motorsport’s Mirza Syahmi Mahzan and Eric Yong who came in third, said: “The rain really helped me, and the team did an awesome job to prepare the car… it was just perfect and by the 6th lap, I found myself in the lead. From then on, I just kept my head down and focused on track ahead.”

ROOKIE CLASS
In the Rookie Class, 17-year-old Amer Harris was the highest placed young driver running seventh overall, in the race which shared the grid with the Super Sporting Class racers. Amer took the chequered flag ahead of fellow teenager Mika Hakimi and 14-year-old Putera Adam.

The race win was Amer’s second podium finish over the weekend, having completed Race 1 yesterday (Saturday) in third position. Finishing fifth and failing to make it four race wins in a row was Naquib Azlan, followed by Jwan Hii in fifth position.

PROMOTIONAL CLASS
The Promotional Class race was almost a repeat of Race 1’s results with actor Shukri Yahaya once again claiming race victory, his second for the weekend. It was a closely-contested 18-lap race, and he finished 7.1 seconds ahead of TV presenter Nabil Ahmad. In third place was fellow actor Zizan Razak.

Starting from fifth on the grid, Shukri piled on the pressure from the very beginning as he picked off one by one Wany Hasrita, Akio Takeyama, and singers Nabila Razali and Khai Bahar to move into the lead.

“I realized that I can be rather impatient in past races and that led to some bad decisions and mistakes on track. Patience is very important in racing. I’ve also been working really hard at improving my driving skills and I made a conscious effort over the last 7 months of break to work on my driving and racecraft on a simulator – that has helped a great deal to prepare me for this weekend,” said Shukri.

With two race victories, both Shukri and Zizan now have a solid chance of taking the overall championship title in the Promotional Class and that is what he is eyeing for. “As a super senior in the class by virtue of this being my fourth season in the Vios Challenge, I owe it to myself and my fans to become champion. I’m definitely going for it!” said Shukri.

Round 3 to be a night race
Round 3 and the season finale of the Vios Challenge will be held on November 20/21, again at the Sepang International Circuit. However, there will be a twist as it will be a night race! At this time, it is not known yet whether conditions will be relaxed to allow spectators to be present. To stay informed, visit the Toyota Malaysia website at www.toyota.com.my, or the Facebook pages of Toyota Malaysia and Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia.

Day 1 report – TGR Festival & Vios Challenge Season 4, Round 2

Day 1 report – TGR Festival & Vios Challenge Season 4, Round 2

After a 7-month break – with half of the time due to restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic – the Vios Challenge of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival (TGR Festival) was on again today. The participants were eager to go racing so it was competition at its most intense in Round 2 at the Sepang International Circuit.

Unfortunately, although the Movement Control Order (MCO) has been relaxed, there are still restrictions set by the health authorities and spectators are not permitted at the circuit to watch. To make sure fans throughout Malaysia could still watch the action, there have been live broadcasts today over Toyota Malaysia’s website and Facebook pages.

All four classes of competitors returned to their dogfights, intent on improving the positions in the championship. The four classes are the Rookie Class, Promotional Class, Sporting Class and Super Sporting Class.

Two of the four new faces making their debut in the Vios Challenge impressed with Malaysian touring car driver Mitchell Cheah and Sepang Talent Development Program driver Ady Rahimy winning in the Super Sporting Class and Sporting Class, respectively. Two other drivers also making their debut in the Vios Challenge are veteran and 2-time Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race champion Faidzil Alang and Malaysia Championship Series driver, Lau Seng Kiat.

“We could not have asked for a more exciting restart to the season, and with the inclusion of 4 new drivers into the series, the Vios Challenge one-make series continues to attract a competitive field of Malaysian racers, “said GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsport Officer, Akio Takeyama, who has also been a participant since the series began.

Round 2 Vios Challenge 2021 — All the cars in the Vios Challenge have identical performance and specifications and inspected by officials before and after each race. So the racing is all about driver skill rather than power, and makes for close competition.

SUPER SPORTING CLASS
In the Super Sporting Class for veteran and skilled drivers, touring car driver Mitchell Cheah powered to victory from start to finish in the 20-lap race, followed by Laser Motor Racing’s Mark Darwin 0.7 seconds behind, and M7 Japan Project Team’s Sayfiq Ali in third place.

Cheah, driving for 23 Motors, set a blistering pace throughout practice and qualifying to clock 1:25.618 for pole position. Being on the front row of the grid, he made a brilliant start in the race but was only able to marginally pull away from the rest of the field behind who were locked in a fierce contest for second and third positions.

In the opening laps of the race, Telagamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang was in contention for second position with Mark in third, and championship leader Tengku Djan Ley in fourth position, but 8 laps later, Mark overtook to consolidate his place for second place. Ang tried to hang on for third but could not stop a charging Syafiq who inevitably proved to become the biggest gainer in the race, finishing third despite starting from as far back as ninth on the grid.

Carrying an extra 40 kgs of ballast by virtue of winning two consecutive races in Round 1, Tengku Djan struggled all weekend with the extra weight, managing only fourth quickest, before finishing Race 1 in 14th and one lap behind after a brush with the concrete on the exit of Turn 8 which caused a puncture.

SPORTING CLASS
Making his Vios Challenge debut, Ady Rahimy was hardly intimidated by the competition to lead the race from start to finish. He very quickly opened a gap of 4.5 seconds but that lead disappeared by the 15th lap when the Safety Car came out on the track. When the race resumed, there was only 1 lap to the finish but Ady gave it all he could and sprinted to the finishing line closely pursued by Dream Chaser’s Bradley Benedict Anthony, with Distinctive Model’s Clement Yeo rounding up the top 3 positions.

The battle for second and third positions was intensely fierce with Yeo, Aylezo Motorsports’s Mirza Syahmi and Bradley exchanging places on several occasions with less than half a second separating all three drivers. Bradley however, attacked consistently despite coming under pressure and managed to get ahead of Yeo in the penultimate stages of the race.

ROOKIE CLASS
In the Rookie Class, the 20-lap race was won by current championship leader Naquib Azlan who collected his third straight victory in 3 races for a perfect track record so far. Coming in second was Mika Hakimi while in third was Amer Harris. Starting from third on the grid, Naquib paced himself patiently, observing the battle ahead involving Putera Adam and pole position driver Mika before mounting his attack for the lead in the closing stages of the race.

Putera Adam, 14, had driven a compelling race that saw him clinch the lead in the 11th lap. He was within 5 laps of what could have potentially been his first ever race victory until a race incident forced him into retirement. Finishing fourth was Jwan Hii.

PROMOTIONAL CLASS
This class has always been a crowd-puller and though they were not physically at the track, it’s a sure bet that the fans of the various celebrities taking part were cheering them on from their homes. Starting from pole position, Shukri Yahaya made a great start and held the lead from start to finish. Finishing second was Nabil Ahmad followed by Nabila Razali in third place.

The opening stages of the race saw Shukri pull away with a comfortable lead as Nabil and fellow racer Zizan Razak tussled for second position. Both drivers were unwilling to give up an inch and exchanged places several times in Lap 2 before contact between the two of them resulted in a damaged suspension for Zizan who was forced into retirement.

That incident promoted Akio Takeyama to third, but it also brought out the Safety Car for 2 laps. The fight for third was intense with Takeyama having to fend off challenges from Ahirine Ahirudin and Nabila Razali for several laps. The two ladies eventually got past Takeyama. But GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsport Officer did not give up easily and tried fighting back for the lost position. His determination, however, put his car in contact with Ahirine’s which promoted Nabila into third.

For Shukri, the Safety Car erased whatever gap he had built and he once again found himself under pressure from Nabil. The actor however, kept his head down and put in consistent lap times over the remaining 10 laps to build his lead from 3.8 seconds to a massive 14.7 seconds ahead of Nabil for the race victory with Nabila in third. The biggest gainer in the race however, proved to be Nabila who jumped 5 places from eighth on the grid to third on the podium.

The second race of Round 2 of the Vios Challenge will be run tomorrow and w all the action will be broadcast live on the Toyota Malaysia website at www.toyota.com.my, and on the Facebook pages of Toyota Malaysia and Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia.

UMW Toyota Motor starts GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program

Driven: Toyota GR Yaris Abused On A Gymkhana Track & At Sepang Circuit!

I would be lying if I said I was not excited about driving the GR Yaris.

“You go la bro, do a written and video review of the drive experience,” said Chips in our Piston/BikesRepublic/MotoMalaya Whatsapp group chat.

I saved the formalities, thanked Chips and dove right in. There was no, “are you sure, bro?”

I love my colleagues, but I love the cars more. There was no way was I going to say no to driving what is arguably the 10 most interesting drivers cars of the past decade. Or maybe 20.

The invite said to be there by 8, the sheer excitement woke me up by 530. I got there by 820. Traffic was bad.

After all the formalities, hellos and a quick breakfast, there it was, the car that had dominated the news for a while, and was deemed as the most exciting hot hatch in a while, and I was unimpressed. I found myself thinking, “damn, it is rather small and unassuming.”

It really is small. Tiny almost. Almost the size of a Mini Cooper 3-door. But wider. Which is not a bad thing. Some of the greatest cars are all short, wide and low. That’s the basics of a great hot hatch. Think Renault Clio V6.

But sit inside and it feels comfortable, with an almost family sort of friendliness to it; the type that feels like you could drive it all day and then some.

And despite all that, there was an aura in the air inside the GR Yaris that set the purpose straight. Telling whoever it is that sits in it that it was something special. This was not a regular Toyota and you could feel it.

Perhaps it was the data logger lookalike head unit that dominated the central dashboard. Or perhaps it was the very obvious focus of the 6-speed manual with an aluminium shifter. Or perhaps it was the plastic laminated sticker that read out the car’s purpose in life – ‘Developed For FIA World Rally Championship’. But the biggest giveaway to the purpose of this Yaris was in its name – Toyota Gazoo Racing Yaris.

“I sat in one of those things,” says my cousin Miki the day after my drive at Sepang.

I drove the Yaris from London to Cardiff, and it was horrid,” he said.

“Yes, but I bet it wasn’t the GR Yaris,” was my answer.

“Of course not, I heard those things are quite special,” was his answer.

He could not be more right. The GR Yaris truly is special. It is also a Frankenstein of sorts as it is the combination of a Toyota Yaris front and a Toyota Corolla back. Hence why it looks so wide at the back, because it is all-wheel-drive, and the wider track helps it go rallying. A perfect canvas for Tommi Makinen’s Toyota GR Rally team to develop a world dominator.

But there is little point in going further here, even if I were to wax lyrical about how much fun the car is to drive, which it really is, on track at least because I haven’t driven it on road – the fact of the matter is that you cannot buy a Toyota GR Yaris anymore. Not a brand new unit in Malaysia at least.

UMW Toyota Malaysia offered only 125 units of the GR Yaris to the Malaysian public, and all of them have been spoken for.

I did question the need to write this article before starting, since you won’t be able to buy it brand new here anyway. But the car is undoubtedly amazing, and deserves an article of its own.

And I totally understand the demand for it, I want one too. I can’t remember the last time I drove something that made me want to do some very illegal things with it. Every couple of years, a manufacturer will release something truly special that will blow away even the most dedicated of passionists – the GR Yaris is one of them.

Visually though there is nothing special about the car – inside or outside.

The uninitiated could easily be fooled into thinking it were a custom Myvi with a wide body kit which had spent time at the chop shop to get rid of the two back doors.

It really isn’t visually impressive. It won’t make your children squeal in delight when they see one, it will make your wife question her marriage to you should you spend over a quarter of a million ringgit in a car the size of a Myvi. It won’t get you the girls.

It will however get you lots of questions from fanboys. Myvi’s will want to race you, the Type R boys will “cucuk” you every chance they get. And the AMG and Golf R boys will have a laugh smoking you.

But that’s okay though, because as soon as you hit the corners, you will have the last laugh, because in the corners is where this Yaris becomes at one with its element.

In fact I dare say that in tight corners and in the right hands, this Yaris will “re-smoke” the AMG and Golf R. Such is its talent and capabilities, but a short wheel-base all-wheel-drive car will always need some experienced, talented hands that know what to do in case things get hairy. And things will get hairy very quickly.

The all-wheel drive system is intelligent, in normal mode, it sends 60% of power to the front wheels, while in track mode it sends 50% of the power to the rear for perfect power distribution, and in sport mode it sends 70% of power to the back wheels, making it a tiny tail happy car.

We did get a chance to feel this layout for ourselves, the sport mode around the gymkhana track which was set up to initiate a slide – a 360 degree donut drift, a slalom course then into a high speed gets the tail out if you pull the handbrake hard enough. Onto another slalom then hard on the brakes.

It was in the track mode that really made me realise that there are certain limitations to the car. Brake hard into a slow corner like turns one, four, nine and 15 of the Sepang Circuit and the rear will threaten to break loose. In fast corners especially turns five and six you have to modulate the pedal and even then there is this niggling sensation that the back just wants to break free.

Power is from a three-cylinder, 1.6 turbocharged engine. It puts out 261PS and 360km/h. Get the shifts right and this Yaris will reach 100km/h in just 5.5 seconds. Top speed is rated at 230km/h.

But it is not how much power it puts out, it’s how it feels doing it.

Floor the pedal and there is no roar or scream that follows the acceleration. It is more of a “whoosh” of the turbocharger. Did you really expect a three-cylinder engine to scream?

I am not mocking the engine here. What Toyota has achieved with a three pot engine makes it the most power three-cylinder engine in the world. Ever! Read that sentence again, perhaps then we can truly appreciate the magnificence of this small car.

Then there is the fact this Yaris is in fact a homologation special – meaning that it was bred for racing. Rallying, to be more accurate.

Toyota built 25,000 units of the GR Yaris, because the rules of homologation says a manufacturer needs to build 25,000 units of a model, and it goes on to say that 2,500 of those can be high performance variants as well. Which suggests that rumours around Toyota building a more hardcore version of the GR Yaris may actually be true. Hello GRMN!

There is no doubt that the Toyota GR Yaris is a special car to drive, though it may not look like it to the untrained eye. This is a car that needs to be driven to be appreciated, and those that know, they know.

My biggest gripe with this car? That UMW Toyota Motor is not able to offer more units than the 125 already sold. That more people are not able to enjoy such a fantastic machine. This is a car that could potentially define a generation, a legend like the Golf GTI and the Renault Megane. And unfortunately enthusiasts will have to turn to the grey import market to buy it, robbing them of official Toyota after sales support.

There is also word from friends who have booked the GR Yaris that their bookings are a money making tool now. Some are getting random phone calls offering to buy their booking for double the booking fee paid. Demand is so hot that at the point of writing, the GR Yaris offers better return on investment than any form of investment type, be it properties, gold, petroleum or energy stock.

A great car it is, one of the modern legends, but it remains to be seen how that three-cylinder engine deals with all that abuse.

And if your wife threatens to leave you because you spent a quarter of a million ringgit on a car that looks like a Myvi, tell her that it is a better investment than the jewellery she forced you to buy her. For now at least.