Toyota goes 2WD for Dakar

Toyota’s quasi works offroad racing arm, Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa, has unveiled the all new - now 2WD – Hilux it will use in the 2017 Dakar Rally in South America. The new rear- wheel- drive model was shown for the first time at the South African Festival of Motoring event at the Kyalami circuit near Johannesburg at the end of August. While still powered – like the 4WD 2016 version – by the latest ( 2UR) version of Toyota’s 5.0l ‘ Lexus’ V8 engine, the new Dakar challenger has been built to the more open 2WD regulations with overall event victory very much in mind. Weight is way down ( to 1300kgs from 1915kg) and in 2WD form the Hilux can now use 37 in. dia. tres rather than the 31 in. dia. ones 4WD models are limited to. Event rules also allow 2WD models to have more suspension travel and remote t yre pressure monitoring and inflation/ deflation systems not allowed if you run 4WD. As previously the Dakar Hilux models are effectively purpose-built spaceframes with bolt- on carbon-fibre body panels. The 2017 Dakar Rally starts at Asuncion in Paraguay on January 02 South African ace Giniel de Villiers, who won the 2009 Dakar in a Volkswagen Touareg, will again be partnered by German navigator Dirk von Zitzewitz in one of the Toyota Gazoo Racing SA Hiluxes. The pair have been running 4WD models for the past five years, finishing third overall in 2012, second in 2013, fourth in 2014, second again in 2015 and third in 2016. Joining the team will be double former Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah from Qatar and his French navigator Matthieu Baumel, who not only won the 2015 Dakar in a Mini, they took that year’s Cross- Country World Cup – and they’ve posted five consecutive wins in the 2016 series in a South African- built Hilux racer, clinching this year’s title in the process. A third Hilux Evo will also be run for South African CrossCountry champions Leeroy Poulter and Rob Howie.