TF108 Launch Thread

[ShiftingGears]

Hey, someone had to make the thread :p :

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/1/7245.html

Interesting to note that they're also using the lower nose to allow the bridge element, as well as making the wheelbase longer.

[Giuseppe F1]

Alot of new pics over at sutton-images.com


Infact, I REALLY like the look of this new Toyota - this could be the year they make a significant jump.........he says!

The only thing that car is likely to win is the award for the biggest waste of money & resources on the grid.

[bontebempo]

wonder who will get the chop over winter? Thats what Toyota do best!

[SGWilko]

The only thing that car is likely to win is the award for the biggest waste of money & resources on the grid.

I've just read the tech analysis over on Autosport, and Toyota say this is an all new car, whereas the previous cars were all evolutions.

An evolution of a 5h1t car, is never going to produce a frontrunner. Could they never work that out for themselves??????

And an all new car - borrowing the 2007 McLaren nose and front bargeboards, Renault inspired integrated wing mirrors. Mind you, they have finally introduced a decent undercut sidepod for once......

[jens]

Wow, no-one has given an annual complaint about the livery yet! :D

Looks like a mix of Ferrari and McLaren in some way. But a mix of their last year's cars, so Toyota is still one year behind in development...

Longer wheelbase? Does that mean that Toyota will struggle at Trulli's favourite circuit - Monaco - like they did last year? :(


The only thing that car is likely to win is the award for the biggest waste of money & resources on the grid.

Don't underestimate Honda in that competition. ;)

[SGWilko]

Don't underestimate Honda in that competition. ;)

They hit rock bottom in '07, the only way is up. There is NO way, with RBr on board he is going allow himself to look like a numpty and make no impression in his first year........

[jens]

They hit rock bottom in '07, the only way is up. There is NO way, with RBr on board he is going allow himself to look like a numpty and make no impression in his first year........

A year ago Honda was expected to fight for the title and some said that there is no way Honda can fail in 2007. :s
Even Brawn can't guarantee success.

[SGWilko]

A year ago Honda was expected to fight for the title and some said that there is no way Honda can fail in 2007. :s
Even Brawn can't guarantee success.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting them to win the WDC or WCC this year, but I do expect them be near the front of the midfield, and amassing a reasonably decent points haul.

[Big Ben]

Wow, no-one has given an annual complaint about the livery yet! :D

Actually I like the new livery A LOT!

[truefan72]

looks like last year's livery so what's the big deal

[ShiftingGears]

Wow, no-one has given an annual complaint about the livery yet! :D

Well, the boring livery went without saying :p :

Also the car looks VERY ugly due to the longer wheelbase.

[Cozzie]

NOT AGAIN!!! Seriously they had the worst livery in 2002 and they haven't had the sense to improve it YET. Why can't they design a livery more close to the 20007 NASCAR launch/show car.

[Ranger]

Doesn't look too bad compared to other Toyota's (not saying much!) :D

Looks like Jarno's got a new lid too (from autosport):
http://www.autosport.com/gallery/picture_free.php/dir/2008toy1/image/l_trulli-helm-links-2

And Timo's for good measure:
http://www.autosport.com/gallery/picture_free.php/dir/2008toy1/image/l_glock-helm-links-2

[Stuartf12007]

looks like a ferrari clone.

[Sleeper]

This does look a fair bit different to the previous car(s), which is a big change in itself for toyota, who have seretley been running the same car since 2002. :p

[BTCC Fan#1]

Bold statement from Toyota about getting a first win this year, it really does look like it's 'make or break' this season... or maybe 2009 when it'll definately be 'their year'!

I'd really like to believe that they've made a step forward, after all Trulli can't realistically have that many years left in F1 and it'd be a shame if he went out with a whimper thanks to yet more cr@p from Toyota..

[gloomyDAY]

Must be the Kool-Aid, but I think the car is going backwards in those pictures.

[cy bais]

i see toyota is competing with rival honda for the worst livery in f1 :)

[dime3]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting them to win the WDC or WCC this year, but I do expect them be near the front of the midfield, and amassing a reasonably decent points haul.
Sorry, I don't see it happening. Dropping Gascoyne was the biggest mistake this team ever made. Ever since they've been circling the drain.

[SGWilko]

Sorry, I don't see it happening. Dropping Gascoyne was the biggest mistake this team ever made. Ever since they've been circling the drain.

We may have a crossed wire here. My quote was in respect of the arrival of RBr at Honda, not the Toyota situation. :)

I agree however, that unless Toyota pull something out of the hat pretty darn quick, they will merely become an engine supplier.

It that DID happen, who would buy their entry do you suppose?

[jens]

That's really sad that Toyota is in such hopeless situation. :( The most important persons in the team have said that they still believe in the 'Toyota Way' and it somehow has to start working in F1... Headstrong, yes... or on the other hand they must have amazing belief in their ideology. Even their NASCAR-programme started producing some results at the end of last year, but F1... :\

I'm among those few, who continually has no problem with their livery.
http://www.autosport.com/images/upload/1199960478.jpg
Especially I like that pattern on the nose of the car. :)

[SGWilko]

The most important persons in the team have said that they still believe in the 'Toyota Way' and it somehow has to start working in F1...

The delicious irony there, is that, the Toyota way IS Toyota, and everything it holds dear. If they admit it is wrong, there'll be a lot of bloody swords in Japan............

[WSRfan82]

i cant understand you lot...moaning about how the livery looks so what if it boring its whats under the cover that matters...and so what if the toyotas a clone of the ferrari is that such a bad thing...i expect big things from toyota this year and honda for that matter and im a ferrari fan

[Malbec]

The delicious irony there, is that, the Toyota way IS Toyota, and everything it holds dear. If they admit it is wrong, there'll be a lot of bloody swords in Japan............

All that 'Toyota way' stuff is just publicity blurb and is so nebulous that any way of doing things that finally delivers success can be labelled as being the 'Toyota way'.

I can't see anyone buying their entry though if they leave, and I wonder who'd buy their F1 team/factory in Cologne, or would they trim it down a bit and send them rallying/Le Mans racing instead?

[ioan]

i cant understand you lot...moaning about how the livery looks so what if it boring its whats under the cover that matters...

As I posted in another thread most of the people around here have little knowledge of what F1 is really about, all they know is what color the cars are painted and who drives them. So all they can comment about is the drivers and the livery! :D

[SGWilko]

so what if it [the livery] is boring its whats under the cover that matters...

Not if you are a Sponsor who has paid a wedge of cash for exposure it isn't. It's how your brand is presented.

That's why the Jordan B&H gold livery didn't last, it came across very badly on the TV.

It's also why RBS plumped for Williams over McLaren, Mclaren could not accommodate the corporate colours due to the title sponsor's colours, Williams however could......

[ioan]

Not if you are a Sponsor who has paid a wedge of cash for exposure it isn't. It's how your brand is presented.

As far as I know none of the forum members is sponsoring Toyota F1 or any other F1 team for that matter. :p :

[SGWilko]

As far as I know none of the forum members is sponsoring Toyota F1 or any other F1 team for that matter. :p :

See post #27 (now edited), is that betterer? ;)

[Malbec]

It's also why RBS plumped for Williams over McLaren, Mclaren could not accommodate the corporate colours due to the title sponsor's colours, Williams however could......

It was also one of the many reasons why Vodaphone went for Ferrari, red and white clashed with the Jordan yellow that B and H demanded.

[jens]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64733

Don't even know, whether that's good news or not. :confused:

+ As there don't seem to be any teams joining F1 any time soon, then at least we won't start losing them...

- It would be awful to see them continually underachieving for at least five more years...

[Ranger]

Well they could be a successful engine supplier by that time, who knows!

The factory team on the other hand...

[markabilly]

Must be the Kool-Aid, but I think the car is going backwards in those pictures.


Actually, it is the latest secret and unique idea for their car to meet a very special need that they noticed last year when LH kept running off the road, getting stuck in kitty litter, or stuck behind team mates in pitstops and so forth, and as repeatedly pointed out by DC, will be more of a problem this year due to traction control absence, called reverse gear.

No doubt maC will steal it, leading to FIA investigations with threats of being banned again after RD calls MaX after a certain team mate of LH complains to RD about being docked five grid places cause of some whining from Ham and threatens to reveal that they have been practicing backing up...... :eek:

However, this year Merc steps in and excercises its "options" on RD to make him disappear, so instead of a ban, Max and Norbert H break on down to the nitty gritty, singing Deustchland Uber Alles.... :s mokin: