Toyota is coming back to Le Mans

[harvick#1]

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/19012008/3/toyota-bring-hybrid-vehicle-le-mans.html

now, hopefully, Nissan, MB, BMW, and the rest will return :D

[Tom206wrc]

I've also read the strong rumours !! Simply crazy :eek:


But I really really wish they come back this year :bounce:

[Mixa]

Thats good news but what the car will look like? GT-One look type of vehicle would still be quite effective I think but I just dont think it will be an another GT-One copy.

Good news anyway and if not for this year then for next year. Its time for Toyota to invest their money for real motorsports again so Im really happy. We still know the time limit given for Toyota in F1 so well see what happens. Rumours are still rumours before a confirmation.

As many others down here I still hope this to be a return of the manufacturer times at this awesome form of motorsports.

[Sleeper]

I'm rather skeptical on this, it doesnt give any specific information and Toyota arent stupid enough to think they can build a ground up race car for Le Mans in 5 months and have anything like a decent showing, same goes if they're just doing the engine.

[Hotlavaaaa]

Toyota won the 24 hours of Tokachi in Japan with a hybrid Supra so they have technology that can do 24 hours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h61Qpqokh8Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Izktjs7ygs

[V12]

Will this be with a prototype or just a GT? Great news if it's the former (and the fact that the news item says they are "aiming to earn the company's first victory in the competition" suggests a prototype for outright victory but it doesn't say explicitly in the article)

[harvick#1]

I'm sure prototype

[Osella]

I'm rather skeptical on this, it doesnt give any specific information and Toyota arent stupid enough to think they can build a ground up race car for Le Mans in 5 months and have anything like a decent showing, same goes if they're just doing the engine.

Well, it worked for Peugeot... ;) But I suspect they will be looking at next year, not this.

[ShiftingGears]

Toyota won the 24 hours of Tokachi in Japan with a hybrid Supra so they have technology that can do 24 hours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h61Qpqokh8Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Izktjs7ygs

Then I think it would be a safe bet that they would be entering Le Mans with that Supra, not a prototype.

[Sleeper]

Well, it worked for Peugeot... ;) But I suspect they will be looking at next year, not this.
Hardley, the Peugeot hit the trak for the first time about this time last year, and thats after about, what, 7 months of design work?

Anyway, in todays Autosport Toyota claim they are looking at a whole host of different catergories that they could use the technology in, with nothing decided or even an apparent time-line on when they will decide, but they do consider Le Mans unfinished buisness after the GT-One failed to win in 98/9.

[Hotlavaaaa]

Then I think it would be a safe bet that they would be entering Le Mans with that Supra, not a prototype.

Not gonna happen. The Supra used was an old Super GT/JGTC model that would not fit GT1 or GT2 regulations. The Supra has not been sold for many years and has not been developed at all since they switched to the SC430 in Super GT two seasons ago. Toyota ran a hybrid Lexux GS sedan in the Tokachi 24 hour race the year before, so the Supra is more of an engineering exercise than testing to use the car outside of Japan. If Toyota was going to use a GT car it would probably be the LF-A which is supposed to include a hybrid model.

[harvick#1]

well Toyota officially denied rumors that they will head back to Lemans, but they did say there is still unfinished business there

[Sleeper]

Not gonna happen. The Supra used was an old Super GT/JGTC model that would not fit GT1 or GT2 regulations. The Supra has not been sold for many years and has not been developed at all since they switched to the SC430 in Super GT two seasons ago. Toyota ran a hybrid Lexux GS sedan in the Tokachi 24 hour race the year before, so the Supra is more of an engineering exercise than testing to use the car outside of Japan. If Toyota was going to use a GT car it would probably be the LF-A which is supposed to include a hybrid model.
They are developong a new Supra though, but its still unlikely that they will take it to Le Mans.