World-first gathering of Toyota’s mighty Le Mans cars at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Toyota will bring together four of its works Le Mans race cars at a single event for the first time at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed in June. Charting the progress from the TS010 of early 1990s through to this season’s contender, the new TS040 Hybrid, which will be unveiled on 27 March, the gathering will provide a unique snapshot of how Toyota has consistently pushed the boundaries of race car design and technology.

Toyota Racing driver Anthony Davidson will be back at Goodwood, demonstrating the TS040’s speed and handling on the hill climb course on all three days of the festival.

The original TS010, which campaigned in the 24-hour race in 1992 and 1993, will be joined by the svelte and formidably powerful TS020 – better known as the Toyota GT-One – one of the most advanced machines of its day. The first racing Toyota to be computer designed, it broke new ground with its carbon fibre monocoque chassis and twin-turbo V8 engine, delivering around 600bhp.

Toyota returned to Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2012 with the TS030 Hybrid, a car which showcased how advanced hybrid power technology can successfully be applied to the highest levels of international motorsport. In two seasons of racing it garnered five pole positions and 10 podium finishes, including five race victories.

Toyota is still working to secure its elusive first Le Mans victory, and Toyota Racing has entered two of the new TS040 Hybrid cars for this year’s contest, as part of a full FIA World Endurance Championship campaign. The new car’s Festival of Speed debut will follow hard on its Le Mans debut over the weekend of 14 – 15 June.

There will also be a first festival appearance for Toyota Motorsport’s TMG EV P002, the mighty 470hp electric car. Race-prepared with help from Pikes Peak veteran Rod Millen, the open-cockpit car bettered the existing course best by more than two minutes, with Japanese driver Fumio Nutahara stopping the clock at 10:15.380.

Away from the hill climb, the festival’s rally stage will welcome the Imperial Toyota Hilux that netted a class victory and fourth place overall in this year’s Dakar Rally in South America, piloted by Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz.

These cars will be joined by more classics from Toyota’s long and successful race and rally heritage, entertaining the festival crowds on both the hill climb and rally course. Just as famous as the cars, some of the great names associated with Toyota international competition success will be taking the wheel, together with members of the current WEC squad.