Toyota announces WRC plans

[EightGear]

I hope so!!

First 3 years will be a Yaris according to the interview makinen_fan posted.

[lewalcindor]

First 3 years will be a Yaris according to the interview makinen_fan posted.

The GT86 might be gone from the market after 3 years if Toyota and Subaru can't figure out other cars to build on its RWD platform. The cars were hot sellers at first, but their sales have cooled since then. Pretty much everyone who's wanted one has already bought one. For other consumers, The cars aren't that cheap (though still somewhat inexpensive), and they're not especially practical or comfortable. In essence, it's a car that appeals only to a limited market.

If Toyota and Subaru can figure out how to create a hatchback, convertible, wagon/estate, or even a small sedan based on the GT86 platform, then it might still have a chance.

[bluuford]

Finland is logical choiche. Toyota headquarter is in Nagoya, 11 km from the hotel I am living at the moment. Shortest flight from Nagoya to Europe is to Finland, 9 hours and you are in Helsinki. If Japanese want strong control, then it is the most logical option - direct flight every day with very good flight times. Toyota is so important for locals here that they just cannot give all the WRC team responsibility to Europeans. There will be strong Japanese involvement I belive (compared to Hyundai for example).

[AndyRAC]

So, they're going to build new premises in Jyvaskala? When they have a perfect place already in Cologne? Hmmm... Not very logical...

Well, it's their money...

[Barreis]

Hardly will be a success when doing outside factory but time will tell...

[bluuford]

Come here and you can understand how they work. I have been here for 7-8 days now and I can see it easily (well, one of my scientific group leaders is Japanese and I have been working with him for 5 years already).
1. When they plan big investment then they want to control it 100%.
2. They trust Tommi and it is one of the most important thing for them. Winning their respect is not easy job and it is among the most important things here
3. Cologne is too far from here and no proper connection with their headquarter. If they take business class ticket to Finland then they can have proper good-night sleep and they are on their base in 10 hours. It is additional 4 hours to Germany (all my German and even Italian colleagues here came by Finnair via Helsinki) + drive to Cologne, that means they loose a day=big money etc. It just does not fit into their plans.
4. They did not had good memories with Cologne base = better to use it as some kind of sub-base.

[dimviii]

A detailed interview with Makinen about the plans. Apparently the team will be based in Jyvaskyla and both an R5 and WRC will be developed at the same time. Michael Zotos will be the chief designer and technical director.

http://www.rallye-magazin.de/wm/nach...nen-die-tests/

Michael Zotos (Greek)was chief engineer of Makkinens car at prodrive days.
I had the pleasure to talk to him some times,and he helped us with some setups problems before some years.
Very helpful guy,hope the best for him,even i have my doubts about the way Toyota want to engage at wrc.

[OldF]

Michael Zotos (Greek)was chief engineer of Makkinens car at prodrive days.
I had the pleasure to talk to him some times,and he helped us with some setups problems before some years.
Very helpful guy,hope the best for him,even i have my doubts about the way Toyota want to engage at wrc.

You have then connections to the team . What was he doing before this appointment, working at Prodrive?

[AL14]

Come here and you can understand how they work. I have been here for 7-8 days now and I can see it easily (well, one of my scientific group leaders is Japanese and I have been working with him for 5 years already).
1. When they plan big investment then they want to control it 100%.
2. They trust Tommi and it is one of the most important thing for them. Winning their respect is not easy job and it is among the most important things here
3. Cologne is too far from here and no proper connection with their headquarter. If they take business class ticket to Finland then they can have proper good-night sleep and they are on their base in 10 hours. It is additional 4 hours to Germany (all my German and even Italian colleagues here came by Finnair via Helsinki) + drive to Cologne, that means they loose a day=big money etc. It just does not fit into their plans.
4. They did not had good memories with Cologne base = better to use it as some kind of sub-base.

The questions are:
Apart from point 2, did previously Cologne was closer to Japan? Did they plan big investments without controling them 100%? Did they had better memory of Cologne?
This kind of situations show confusion most of the time. I hope it is actually the right choice for a better development of the car (it can be of course). For sure they've wasted money so far imho.

[OldF]

Bad memories = Toyota turbo cheat.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Motorsport_GmbH

“In 1995 TTE was banned for 12 months[1] from the World Rally Championship (WRC) for cheating by designing an illegal air restrictor[2] on the ST205 that included both a bypass mechanism and spring-loaded devices to conceal it from scrutineers.”

[1] http://homepage.virgin.net/shalco.com/tte_ban.htm

http://www.inpmedia.com/2014/06/03/t...ctive-amnesia/