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Issue #17:July 3, 2024
For approximately two weeks between June 17-28, 2024, TLC conducted rally car development testing for the Dakar Rally 2025 in Morocco on the African continent.
The purpose of the test is to enhance the improvement points from the 2024 Dakar Rally and to elevate the driving performance and durability on rough terrain to compete in the Dakar Rally; a rally which is becoming more difficult to clear every year. Updates have been made to the ’24 rally car with a focus on increasing the suspension stroke within the regulation range and improving the tires to reliably transmit the car's performance to the road surface.
In this test, the car drove approximately 4,000 km in an environment similar to the Dakar Rally, which included terrain such as gravel and sand dunes. Akira Miura (General Affairs Division, Public Relations Department), who was in charge of the test drive, said: "Not everything went perfectly, but it turned out to be a very easy and fun car to drive, and I’m keen to show a solid performance at the upcoming Dakar Rally 2025." Driver Miura spoke with a sense of confidence and satisfaction in the evolution of rally cars.
Meanwhile, Philippe Challoy, Chief Mechanic and Engineer, looked back on the test and commented: "The desired performance improvement was as expected, and in the heat wave that reached over 40 degrees Celsius over consecutive days, the rally car experienced heat-related problems caused by the high temperatures; issues that had never occurred before. The fact that we were able to identify issues that need to be overcome in an environment with a greater load than the Dakar Rally at this time is also very noteworthy, as we want to build up an even higher level of reliability for the Dakar Rally." Regarding the mechanics from Japan who accompanied him at the test, he expressed his high hopes: "Mechanic Sonda, who joined the team this year, and Mechanic Tanigami, who is in his second year, have been working tirelessly on the test, and it was an opportunity to deepen a mutual understanding with the French mechanics. I am confident that Mechanic Sonda will gain more experience and become a force in the Dakar Rally, and I feel that Mechanic Tanigami has grown considerably through his experience with the last Dakar Rally."
Team Manager Yuji Kakutani (General Affairs Division, Public Relations Department) said: "Overall, we were able to make it a good test, and we had time to work on new issues. I would like to share accurate information not only within the TLC team but also with the development team of production cars. I would like the strengthening of rally cars to lead to the creation of even better Land Cruisers. In addition, the team members performed their parts well, and I feel confident relying on them; they demonstrated flawless teamwork."
We will work together as a team to win our 12th consecutive victory in the Dakar Rally 2025 in the Stock category, and to create a future "Better Land Cruiser" based on motorsports. Thank you for your continued and ongoing support.