Dakar Here We Come! Meet Toyota Gazoo Racing’s New Dakar Weapon
Four-Car Gazoo Factory Team Ready to Race Toyota’s New Long-Travel Fat Wheel Dakar Hilux
It was inevitable. Once the Dakar Rally finally ratified new regulations to equalize its 4×4 and buggy rules, it was just a matter of time before Toyota Gazoo Racing took its race Hiluxes to the gym. And now, officially, here it is!
It’s Already Race Proven
The all-new GR DKR Hilux T1+ is no secret. It’s raced already. Twice. Even if it did not count in the results. But the Gazoo gang Wednesday confirmed the new machine for Dakar 2022. Now out of its prototype phase, T1+ will continue to be developed and refined in the lead up to the early January Dakar Rally. It completes the team’s biggest technological leap for the since its inception in 2011.
Hilux T1+ nicks its 400 HP 485 lb.-ft 3.5 liter biturbo V6 from the new Land Cruiser 300. The lighter lump gives GR DKR Hilux T1+ more low-down torque than its predecessor to allow the team to better ballast to the new 2-tonne class weight for ultimate handling in the dunes. The standard engine is enough to meet Dakar performance limits and even uses stock Toyota turbochargers and intercooler, although that was tweaked to fit the racer
The turbo V6 turns a Sadev 6-speed sequential shift gearbox via a 215 mm ceramic twin plate clutch. That drives limited slip front, center, and rear differentials. Double wishbone suspension travel increases from 11 to 14 inches. To allow the drivers maximum attack on fat new BF Goodrich tires. They have grown from 32 to 37 inches in diameter, and from 9.5 to 12.5 inches wide on natural aluminum finish Method 17-inch race wheels for best brake heat radiation.
Stock Engine, Spaceframe Chassis
Built around a tubular spaceframe with composite Hilux panels, DKR T1+ retains the classic front-mid-engine 4×4 Dakar layout used since 2016. It also retains a core cockpit layout, but now carries only two spare tires rather three. The Dakar Hilux has a 120-gallon safety cell fuel tank. The V6 is controlled by a Motec electronic control unit.
Flying the same latest Gazoo Racing colors it shares with Toyota’s WEC and WRC racers, the T1+ promises to be a leading contender in the January epic, and beyond. This year’s team continues as per 2021 with four all-new GR DKR T1+s. They will be crewed by Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah and French notes man Mathieu Baumel. Backed by three South African crews. Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy, Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings, and Shameer Variawa and Danie Stassen.
“Our all-new Toyota GR DKR Hilux has progressed extremely well over the last few months of development,” Toyota Gazoo Racing SA Team Principal Glyn Hall explained. “We’re confident that it is now ready to take on the Dakar Rally. The Land Cruiser turbo V6 has proven reliable from the get-go and working with it in stock form means that we don’t have to stress the engine to extract maximum performance.”
Nasser Likes it in the Rough
“I continue to be impressed by the new car,” triple Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah enthused. “It’s particularly good on the tough terrain. Now wet can tackle it with the new, bigger tires. “The new engine also delivers excellent power and torque. “We can’t wait the experience car in race conditions this coming weekend.” “We’ve worked hard on the new car,” former Dakar winner Giniel de Villiers added. “I believe we are very close to an ideal setup,. “We hope to validate that in the weekend’s Parys race.”
“I’ve done a fair amount of testing,” South African champion Henk Lategan explained. “The new tires and suspension are truly spectacular.” Former SA champion Shameer Variawa is also impressed: “The new V6 engine has been highly impressive from the start and can’t wait to finally get behind the wheel of the new car. “We have just one round left in the South African championship at Parys this weekend. “After that, all eyes will turn to Dakar.”
Images: Toyota
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