The 44th 24 Hours of Nürburgring is scheduled to take place from May 26-29, 2016 along the 15-mile long track that will cover both Nordschleife and the German Grand Prix Circuit. 2016 marks 10 years of Toyota's participation in The Gazoo Racing.
As represented by The News Wheel, Toyota president Akio Toyoda recounts these years in his "I remember GAZOO Racing first taking on the challenge of the Nürburgring in 2007 in an Altezza like it was yesterday. There are so many memories running through my mind - the interaction with the roads of the Nürburgring, whose characteristics seem to change with each shift in the weather, the meeting and parting with new and valuable friends. But, the one thing that remains the same is the unforgiving conditions of the circuit and the intensity of the racing. Every year, we use these conditions to hone both our team members and our cars. I have experienced this approach at first hand over the last nine years and, for me, this is the real meaning of motorsport."
He concluded with "I also think that the commitment we show under these harsh conditions has a positive impression on our customers. That's why Toyota, under the banner of Toyota GAZOO Racing, will continue to take part in motorsports - to build ever-better cars, boost the number of vehicle enthusiasts, and bring a smile to the faces of our customers around the world."
Leader Call revealed that the automobile giant plans to roll out a triple entry in the competition this year, with its C-HR Racing, Lexus RC and a Lexus RC F. Lexus RC will get on the floor for a second time, and it is said that Toyota is set to use the knowledge and expertise of TOM'S for its Lexus RC-F. But the big news is that C-HR Racing, which is the end product of a Toyota/Scion C-HR combination, is all set for production. The final model will see further developments and upgrades based on its performance on the race track.
Autoblog, which includes the company's press release, mentions that a "more production-ready race-specification version of the Toyota C-HR Concept" has already been showcased at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September, 2015. The images released by Toyota sees the latest production-ready model in classic black-and-white combination with a giant rear wing and a front splitter. This model bears close resemblance to the one set to race the track.
Toyota Gazoo Racing started in April 2015 with an aim to bring GAZOO Racing, Toyota Racing, and Lexus Racing under one big concept. Entering a cross-over in this competition is a first for the squad.
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