http://www.crash.net/wrc/news/207215/1/toyota-gt86-r3-to-debut-on-rally-germany.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss
The new R3-specification Toyota GT86 CS-R3 will be the zero car of the 2014 Rallye Deutschland ahead of a full roll-out in 2015.
Toyota has confirmed its new R3 rally car based on the GT-86 coupe will make its first appearance during the ninth round of the 2014 World Rally Championship in Germany.
A return to Toyota's rallying roots – and a predicted prelude to a probable full-factory return to the WRC class in 2017 -, the TMG-prepared GT86 is a rear-wheel drive car that has taken inspiration from the iconic Celica Twin Cam Turbo (TA64), which enjoyed success in the 1980s.
After almost a year of development, TMG will put the CS-R3 through its paces as a zero car on Rallye Deutschland, which takes place around Trier on 21-24 August and will thus not be officially competing.
Former female world champion Isolde Holderied will drive the CS-R3. One of her main tasks will be to evaluate the car, which is currently a prototype, in order to refine the design prior to confirmation of the final specifications, a necessary step before R3 homologation is completed.
The CS-R3 will be offered for sale to private customers and TOYOTA dealerships, providing a cost-effective way to enjoy the thrills of competitive rallying, from local events up to and including the WRC.
“This is exciting news for TMG and, I hope, for rallying in general. To see a new rear-wheel-drive rally car hitting the stage for the first time should be a real spectacle. It's important to say that the GT86 CS-R3 which Isolde will drive is not the finished article; we need the data from Rallye Deutschland to finalise our development programme.
“Therefore it represents a significant step in the GT86 CS-R3 story and gives a clear indication to our future customers that this project is progressing quickly. We are testing our prototype on a very public stage, the FIA World Rally Championship, which shows how confident we are in this project. Interest in this car has already exceeded our expectations and we are looking forward to hearing customer and fan feedback in Trier.”
Kirk Coughlin
Woodbury, MN and River Falls, WI
Quemadmodum gladius neminem occidit, occidentis telum est.
