[Motor]

Toyota reveals new Le Mans car

What do we know about Toyota’s new Le Mans entry?

Toyota announced in late 2011 that it would be entering the 2012 Le Mans 24hrs, and a select number of other endurance races. Toyota Motorsport GmbH, based in Cologne, Germany, has designed, developed and built the LMP1-spec chassis, and the petrol-hybrid powertrain is being produced by Toyota in Japan.

Toyota has chosen a closed-cockpit design for its new racer (Audi switched to a closed-cockpit design last year, while Aston Martin’s massively uncompetitive AMR-One went the other way) and the huge ‘shark fin’ stretching from the cockpit back to the rear wing is mandated by race regulations and is an attempt to stop the cars flipping during high-speed spins.

Toyota hasn’t yet revealed the exact specifications of its hybrid powertrain, but the race regulations limit naturally aspirated petrol engines to a maximum capacity of 3400cc, while forced induction engines are set to a 2000cc maximum – turbodiesels are set to 3700cc. All vehicles must weight at least 900kg whatever their choice of fuel, and petrol-hybrid racers have a maximum fuel tank capacity of 73 litres (it's 75 for petrol cars, 65 for diesels, and 71 for diesel hybrids).

The 80th running of the Le Mans 24hrs is 16-17 June 2012.

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[GSBoek]

Hybrid. It's coming whether we like it or not.

 

[Motor]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BHyqTUeE4Us" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Toyota Motorsport GmbH TS030 HYBRID LMP1

Toyota’s LMP1 racer — dubbed the TS030 Hybrid – sports an all-new carbon fiber chassis and, of course, a hybrid powertrain, which happens to be one of Toyota’s specialties. But unlike the Hybrid Synergy Drive found in Prii and Lexus models roaming our roads, the TS030 will feature a Toyota Hybrid System –Racing (THS-R) powertrain, which includes a 3.4-liter, naturally-aspirated engine. Completing the hybrid equation are two electric motors (one in the front and the other out back) and a capacitor storage system, which stores energy while braking and releases a power boost when needed. FIA regulations will only allow energy deployment to two wheels at a time.

TheTS030 Hybrid was developed by Toyota Motorsport GmbH based in Germany, and is a successor to the TS010 and TS020 car, which raced and earned podium finishes at Le Mans throughout the 1990s. The first team of drivers has already been confirmed and will include Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre, and Kazuki Nakajima.

“It was cool to drive the TS030 HYBRID car for the first time. Just leaving the garage on the electric power is very futuristic, then when you let the clutch go and the internal combustion engine kicks in it is like an old friend has returned,” said driver Alex Wurz. “I am definitely very happy but my nature is to also be analytical and therefore I know there is still a lot of work to be done.”

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[many]

Nice look!

 

[Motor]

Update!

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0bFShHZv4wk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

From another perspective. That sound

 

[mrfunny107]

wow. good to see toyota back in motorsports.

 

[GSBoek]

Not too shabby sound for a 3.4L V6.

 

[Motor]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lrNLuZrp1lM?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[HardtopGTS]

That sound

:thumbup: Cool chit.

 

[Soo__Fuego]

That last vid looks like a Radical.

 

[Motor]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vzDJrZNSwNs?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[bt216]

:drool:

 

[Motor]

http://live.lemans-tv.com/

<iframe frameborder="0" width="480" height="270" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/xqxkvh_live-24-heures-du-mans-2012-lemans-tv-com_sport"></iframe><br /><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqxkvh_live-24-heures-du-mans-2012-lemans-tv-com_sport" target="_blank">Live 24 Heures du Mans 2012 : lemans-tv.com</a> <i>by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/lemans-tv" target="_blank">lemans-tv</a></i>

If you click on the source, you'll see the rankings. Toyota's in the top spots.

 

[Motor]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fp7Zp_PeAQc?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UKsJYLfnhCU?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kKvVm2msv9Y?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Fucking Ferrari :angry:

 

[Soo__Fuego]

Here it is in real time. Yikes.

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[trdmsprts27]

you know that shit had to hurt

 

[Motor]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/y_OIGMRj-AE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[mrfunny107]

How did the 2nd toyota car break down??? Not going to lie but the glowing brakes are cool.

 

[Motor]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ie3HzlHj8sw?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Motor]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5kyIBT3wS5w?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>