Toyota to launch AMG rival: TMG

[Wretched]

Race division to develop high performance TMG range for Toyota and Lexus.

Toyota will launch a new performance division from the ashes of its defunct formula one team. Toyota Motorsport GmBH (TMG) president Yoshiaki Kiroshita confirmed that his company has begun work on high-performance road cars which will carry the TMG badge.

“I cannot show you today but we have such kind of car, not an AMG; change the A to T,” Kiroshita said.

“It’s official plan. After we stopped formula one, we decided several things. One of the things was to become a homologated [performance car] company.”
The first development is a Lexus LS460 sedan that is being heavily modified by the engineers at the state-of-the-art factory based in Cologne, Germany.

TMG technical director Pascal Vasselon said TMG would give the car a complete overhaul rather than just be a tuning operation.

“We are not looking to do tuning,” Vasselon said. “We are looking to do high-performance cars.”
The LS is powered a 485kW twin-turbo V8 petrol engine coupled to a dual-clutch transmission. It also features re-styled bodywork – including a large rear wing – and the suspension has also been overhauled.

It has already been tested at the Nurburgring in Germany and Japan; it is likely to debut at the Essen motor show in September.

But the LS is just one of several Lexus and Toyota models that TMG is assessing for its new hot-rod range.

One obvious choice for a higher performance version is the Toyota 86 sports car that recently went on sale. But tellingly Kiroshita ruled out the new 86 coupe because it was “too small” suggesting the initial plan calls for the bigger, more expensive Lexus models to be given priority.

“It’s one of the trials for which kind of car we can make,” Kiroshita said. “Our strong point is we can make special chassis and special engines and special aerodynamics. Our weakest point is how to get the [car to meet the stricter] Euro V emissions, how to get Euro VI, how to get homologations. So we are now learning these things.”

Although the final decision has yet to be made on going ahead with the TMG brand, Kiroshita is confident.
Vasselon said a decision could come before the end of the year.

“It’s something to be finalised in the next six to nine months,” Vasselon said.

“Which badge has on the car is one of the decision that needs to be made in the next few months.”

Toyota's history in performance tuned cars isn't strong; only recently it tried to take on local heroes HSV and FPV with a supercharged version of its Aurion large car and Hilux ute - sold under the TRD, or Toyota Racing Development badge - but the project flopped.

Toyota invested heavily in the TMG factory in Colonge during its time in formula one. It is capable of producing and testing every aspect of a racing car and can accommodate up to 1000 staff.

Asked if the idea was to turn the TMG factory into Toyota’s answer to AMG Kiroshita was quick to respond.

“Yes,” he said.

The factory is not big enough to produce the cars but would instead become the design and development of the cars.

TMG is also responsible for Toyota’s Le Mans program which uses a super capacitor hybrid system; which provides a larger power boost compared to a conventional hybrid system. Vasselon admitted that TMG has looked at using the super capacitors in the road cars.

“We have been thinking about it, but we have nothing actively in development,” he said.

Kiroshita also revealed that TMG is also working on a potential return to the World Rally Championship using a hybrid Yaris and a new 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine that can be used for rallying and the World Touring Car Championship.

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-new...620-20mqk.html

[Kryton]

SOunds interesting.
Cant wait to see the finished product and how it performs.

[RASER]

One word....

HAMMER! [As in AMG Hammer]

[Rodge]

They'll never get anywhere near the cred of AMG.

[dimka100]

Will this be just as successful NOT as the Toyota F1 team? considering its the same mob ...

[PridenJoy]

Beats T(u)RD thats for sure.

[Bud Bud]

Originally Posted by PridenJoy

Beats T(u)RD thats for sure.

I used to think it stood for TRy harD but I like yours better.

Love the bit at the bottom about the return to rally with a hybrid Yaris. It would be interesting to see a rally car perform with the acceleration of electrics and the endurance of conventional fuel.

What would Clarkson say if it won a world championship???

Bud Bud

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by WAForce8

I am not so sure about badge snobery, I see a lot more Nissan GTR "Godzilla's" getting around then other super cars Ferrari, Lambo's et all.

As the song goes "the times they are a changing".

Thats because GTR's cost about a quarter of the price of the them.

Originally Posted by SCUD

Hopefully the body add ons are just mocked up for testing, and not the real bits, cause it looks hiddeous.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Thats because GTR's cost about a quarter of the price of the them.



Hopefully the body add ons are just mocked up for testing, and not the real bits, cause it looks hiddeous.

So comparing a Toyota 86 at $30-$40k to a Porsche Cayman at $120-$160k would be a similar exercise?

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by flappist

So comparing a Toyota 86 at $30-$40k to a Porsche Cayman at $120-$160k would be a similar exercise?

The poster stated he's seen more GTR's than Ferraris, Lambos etc.

Of course you are more likely to see 150k cars Vs cars that are worth in excess of 500k.

Just like it will be more likely in a few years time to see more 86's worth 30k than Boxsters worth 120k+.

What did I say in any way that compared the 2 in any other terms other than the number seen on the road.

[danthefordman]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Thats because GTR's cost about a quarter of the price of the them.



Hopefully the body add ons are just mocked up for testing, and not the real bits, cause it looks hiddeous.

Thats not the add ons, that's the genetics, Toyota has a fantastic reputation for reliability resale value etc but please someone tell me the last time they made a car that wasn't as ugly as a hat full of a$$****s, evreything they make is ugly

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by PridenJoy

Beats T(u)RD thats for sure.

I always called it TaRD

[KIWI-1]

Originally Posted by PridenJoy

Beats T(u)RD thats for sure.

With rear drum brakes

[buggo]

The kid at school who copies the cool kid never becomes cool.

And soo much engrish in those quotes.

[flappist]

Ted Mulry Gang?????......oh of course....c'mon jump in my car.....

[mik]

i think the TRD was a bit of an experiment, i really don`t think they put a lot into it, i may be wrong, but i would`nt be so sure that mr toyota can`t have a good go at the big boys, remember when toyota took a crack at benz with the luxo ls400 back in the 90`s, the car looked like, and some say was a copy of the benz in a lot of ways, but it got rave reviews, world car of the year, some said car of the decade, i would`nt under estimate mr toyota if he has a big go at amg.

[gcg2503]

Badge snobbery will see this venture fail.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by gcg2503

Badge snobbery will see this venture fail.

I disagree. It is 2012 and new tech tends to trump the establised in many areas. Cars are just be another.

I mean who would buy a car made in Japan or Korea with silly names like Toyota or Hyundai when you can buy Valiants and Leylands and Triumphes and Morrises and Austins and........

Written on my IBM PC running Lotus 123 and Netscape on PCDOS connected to my US Robotics modem while I make a phone call on my Phillips mobile phone and watch a show on my Rank Arena television.

[Nikked]

Toyota 86 TMG?

[malazn mafia]

Just waiting for the day Hyundai come up with a performance division and name it Hyundai Special Vehicles.

[csv8]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

Just waiting for the day Hyundai come up with a performance division and name it Hyundai Special Vehicles.

They do
http://worldwide.hyundai.com/wcm/idc...p/hw019972.pdf

[GA_0009]

Originally Posted by csv8

They do
http://worldwide.hyundai.com/wcm/idc...p/hw019972.pdf

Hahaha my JD ended up all over my iPhone.

[KIWI-1]

Originally Posted by csv8

They do
http://worldwide.hyundai.com/wcm/idc...p/hw019972.pdf

Rhys Millen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfF55LIxZo4
and here's his old man playing in the back yard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81DeYYK8Dtc

[Bossxr8]

Carbonfibre weaved cardigans?

[KIWI-1]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Carbonfibre weaved cardigans?

Brown.

[Poetic Justice]

Take note of the current CEO of Toyota. Racing background and has repeatedly said he wants to inject some fun and interest back into the company.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by SCUD

Take note of the current CEO of Toyota. Racing background and has repeatedly said he wants to inject some fun and interest back into the company.

I have always said that Ford's and Holden's greatest threat was that the Japanese and now the Koreans and Chinese would start to make vehicles of an similar style to the Falcadore.

If you ever get a chance take a Lexus ISF for a run, it will completely change your view of Toyota........well assuming you have more than one eye......

[gcg2503]

Originally Posted by flappist

If you ever get a chance take a Lexus ISF for a run, it will completely change your view of Toyota........well assuming you have more than one eye......

Stating the facts or not sharing your view doesn't mean I am one eyed.

How has Lexus' foray into the luxury car market gone?

How many LS460s do you see on the road vs S500 or 740i's?

I applaud Lexus and do recognize that they produce a great vehicle for the money

However, as I posted before the snobbery will prevent them from
Seriously challenging the Germans.

Maybe they can try the supercar market........like Honda did with the NSX . Great car, why did it fail again?

[flappist]

Originally Posted by gcg2503

Stating the facts or not sharing your view doesn't mean I am one eyed.

How has Lexus' foray into the luxury car market gone?

How many LS460s do you see on the road vs S500 or 740i's?

I applaud Lexus and do recognize that they produce a great vehicle for the money

However, as I posted before the snobbery will prevent them from
Seriously challenging the Germans.

Maybe they can try the supercar market........like Honda did with the NSX . Great car, why did it fail again?

Lexus sell quite well in USA. As far as Lexus vs Merc or Volvo I see far more Lexus than Volvo here although less than Merc but then I also see fewer HSV than FPV.

If you want to do a comparison look at Tickford and then FPV or HDT and then HSV.

Evolution is learning from mistakes.

Honda did not fail with NSX, it learned and applied that knowledge to subsequent models as do all successful marques.

Look at our own Falcon. How many major and minor stuffups have been made in the 52 year evolution of the XK to the FG2?

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by SCUD

Take note of the current CEO of Toyota. Racing background and has repeatedly said he wants to inject some fun and interest back into the company.

Close it down then.