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The Funny Car is probably unique to the USA where drag racing is popular and a class called the Funny Car class was created for a certain type of drag-racing car. The cars appeared in the mid-1960s and because of their heavily modified bodies which made them look odd, they came to be called ‘Funny Cars’.

The class has continued to this day in events organised by the US National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and among the contenders is Toyota. The brand has been competing in Funny Car competition since 2012. Up till this 2021 season, Toyota has used a Camry and prior to that model, the Celica and Solara were run.

180 wins in 20 seasons
The 2021 season thus marks the 20th anniversary of Toyota’s official involvement with the NHRA and competitors in both Top Fuel and Funny Car classes. Over the 20 seasons. Drivers using Toyota cars have won 137 Top Fuel and 43 Funny Car races along with 6 Top Fuel and 3 Funny Car championships. For the 2022 NHRA season, Toyota will use a new racing car and will, for the first time, campaign the latest GR Supra.

This year, Toyota has been using a Camry-based racer which will be replaced for the 2022 NHRA season by a new racing car based on the GR Supra.

Support from TRD
Toyota has always chosen to enter racing cars that closely resemble production models and this GR Supra-based Funny Car is no exception. The new body for the GR Supra Funny Car marks the most significant styling characteristics of any previous Funny Car.

“After 10 years of fielding the Camry in NHRA Funny Car competition, it’s really exciting for us to be moving to the GR Supra and ultimately the next generation of Funny Cars for NHRA,” said Paul Doleshal, Group Manager of Motorsports for Toyota Motor North America.

“Our team at TRD (Toyota Racing Development), along with the design team at Calty (Toyota’s advanced studio in Los Angeles), worked hard to incorporate as many features as possible from the production GR Supra into the Funny Car that J.R. Todd and Alexis DeJoria will drive in 2022.”

Safety enhancements
In addition to the augmented styling characteristics of the new GR Supra Funny Car, safety enhancements have also been made during the development of the new car. TRD worked closely with Toyota Champion Funny Car driver, J.R. Todd, on many of the safety enhancements during the nearly two-year development process.

These include giving the driver more visibility while sitting behind the wheel and adding more room around their helmets along with additional safety foam in the cockpit.

“It’s been a really unique experience getting to work with the engineers at TRD on the new GR Supra Funny Car,” said Kalitta Motorsports Funny Car driver J.R. Todd. “We all worked together on some of the issues we’ve faced for some time including visibility.”

One of the most popular non-national cars out there, the Toyota Vios has been upgraded with more accessories and refreshed looks, offering better value for money.

 

For the top-of-the-range Vios TRD, the bodykit now has enhanced sporty looks with new colour-coordinated stripes. The exclusive bodykit, designed by TRD Asia, not only gives a sportier look but also offers functional benefits in the form of improved aerodynamics. The door mirror covers are now finished in black for added stylishness.

For the remaining variants, there is a new design of bodykit with honeycomb design grille that follows the latest styling trends. For the 2018 model, the interior looks have been refreshed with new seat cover designs for GX, E and J grades. The leather seat cover for GX variant is perforated to provide ventilation and improve comfort.

Parking sensors are fitted to the Vios 1.5 TRD, GX and G variants to make parking easier and safer. The rear sensors are useful especially for reversing, while the front sensors will help in getting into tight spots and avoid bumping against other objects which can damage the paintwork on the bumper.

All variants of the Vios are now fitted with a compact Shark Fin antenna on the roof, following current design trends. The Shark Fin antenna for the TRD variant is black in colour to enhance the sporty looks while the other variants follow the body colour. Due to its slim cross-section, this type of antenna has lower wind noise compared to the conventional pole type and does not need to be retracted or removed if the car is passing through an automated car-wash machine.

Scuff plates are also installed on the door sills of all variants to provide protection for the paintwork as well as add a stylish touch. Except for the Vios 1.5 J, the stainless steel scuff plates on all the other variants also illuminate when the doors are opened. The foot lamp illumination has been given a new look with amber colour for the TRD variant and white for other variants.

Advanced accessories such as Panoramic View Monitor, Digital Video Recorder and more advanced DVD-AVN infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen and smartphone and internet connectivity are still available for all Vios. For Vios 1.5 J owners who wish to upgrade their infotainment system, there is an optional DVD-AVX system with a 6.2-inch touchscreen that comes with Bluetooth connectivity, HDMI, Voice Dial as well as the Reverse Camera.

The cost of these accessories can be included in the hire purchase (H-P) loan amount if specified at the time the car is purchased. They are fitted at UMW Toyota Motor’s own Accessories Centre by trained installers and come with a warranty against manufacturing defects.

There are six variants available to choose with affordable prices as low as RM74,980 (W/O insurance). From now until the end of February 2018, purchasers of the new Vios can save up to RM2,512 and get an ang-pow worth RM988, plus free accessories. All offers are for selected variants and subject to terms and conditions, while stocks last.

All Toyota models come with a 5-years warranty and unlimited mileage for peace of mind ownership. The warranty is available for the next owner within the first 5 years coverage which further enhances the value of the car.

To find out more about the latest Vios and the special offer for Chinese New Year, customers can visit any Toyota showroom where test-drives are also available, or visit toyota.com.my.

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