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Kyalami, Midrand - Toyota has built an (almost) completely new Hilux racing bakkie for the 2017 Dakar Rally in South America, on public display for the first time at the South African Festival of Motoring.
The major change is that Toyota Gazoo Racing SA has opted for rear-wheel drive for the Hilux Evo racer, rather than all-wheel drive as in the past - mainly because the rules for two-wheel drive vehicles allow a lot more freedom than is allowed to 4x4s.
Minimum weight is 1300kg, a huge advantage compared to the previous all-wheel drive version. The rules also allow 940mm wheels and tyres rather than the 805mm of the 4x4, significantly more suspension travel and an onboard tyre inflation and deflation system for running in soft sand - one of the defining characteristics of the Dakar Rally. FIA rules do not allow onboard tyre-pressure systems on all-wheel drive vehicles.
Something old
We did say almost completely new: the Hilux Evo bakkie has the same well-sorted petrol V8 as its predecessor, placed well back in the new, lighter chassis so that all the weight of the engine and transmission is between the axles - and well away from the front suspension, so that it can be mounted lower between the frame rails, significantly lowering the centre of gravity.
But here there's a twist - the average altitude of the proposed 2017 Dakar route is more than 2000 metres - which will affect the naturally aspirated V8 Hilux much more than the smaller-engined turbocharged cars - so the diameter of the compulsory restrictor for the V8's has been increased from 36mm to 38mm, which means that for the first time the Toyotas will be running the same size inlet tracts as their Mini and Peugeot rivals.
Team principal Glynn Hall said: "We've taken all the testing and real-world experience we gained with the four-wheel-drive Toyota Hilux over the past five years, and repackaged it in the lighter, faster Toyota Hilux Evo."
The crews
The Toyota Gazoo Racing SA line-up for the 2017 Dakar Rally - which will start in the Paraguayan capital of Ascension on 2 January 2017 - includes two former winners of the world's toughest motorsport challenge.
Joining the team will be double former Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah from Qatar and his French navigator Matthieu Baumel, who not only won the 2015 Dakar in a Mini, they took that year's Cross-Country World Cup - and they've posted five consecutive wins in the 2016 series in a South African-built Hilux racer, clinching this year’s title in the process.
Local hero Giniel de Villiers, who won the 2009 Dakar in a Volkswagen Touareg, will again be partnered by German navigator Dirk von Zitzewitz. They've been running 4x4 Hiluxes in the Dakar since 2012, finishing third that year, second in 2013, fourth in 2014, second again in 2015 and third in 2016.
South African Cross-Country champions Leeroy Poulter and Rob Howie will race their fourth Dakar in 2017 - but with one of the world's fastest and most consistent crews as team-mates they'll need to up their game.
"Leeroy was fast enough to win stages in 2016," said Hall. "He'll keen to gauge his performance against Nasser's this year."
"Winning the Dakar isn't easy," he added. "There are a lot of people trying really hard. It takes more than just fast drivers, good navigators and a reliable car. We've got all that, but you also need Lady Luck to smile on you. Who knows, maybe 2017 is our year?"
Think this will be the best team ever... .LeeRoy seems to be improving day by day and both Geniel and Nasser are seasoned veterans. But I do hope that it's Geniels this time... he is not known as Mr Consistent for nothing
Or for stability, the rear looks like the correct width, front is wider than the vehicle.
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow!
1999 Hilux 2.7i 4x4 Raider DC with 3.4 Prado V6. Rear diff-lock, Bull Bar and rock sliders, 31" Cooper ST Maxx, Snorkel, Alu-Canopy, VHF Motorolla radio, West Coast Rust, Mikem Suspension, Ball Joint Spacers in front and Mikem extended shackles at the rear, 25watt LED Spots
For front suspension travel as well. The longer the front wishbones or whatever they are called the more travel you get. They will have to drive much faster with this buggy than a 4x4 to keep going so they need extra suspension travel and shock absorption...
Thys de Jager Fired as CEO and Refreshments Manager at Team Offroad.
2018 FJ Cruiser - #stofgevreet
1984 Mercedes 126 Black Widow Vernon Koekemoer Edition email: thysdj@gmail.com
ThysdJ wrote:For front suspension travel as well. The longer the front wishbones or whatever they are called the more travel you get. They will have to drive much faster with this buggy than a 4x4 to keep going so they need extra suspension travel and shock absorption...
Daai maak nogal sin wat jy daar sê. Wonder net hoekom is die agter track dan so kort
ThysdJ wrote:For front suspension travel as well. The longer the front wishbones or whatever they are called the more travel you get. They will have to drive much faster with this buggy than a 4x4 to keep going so they need extra suspension travel and shock absorption...
Daai maak nogal sin wat jy daar sê. Wonder net hoekom is die agter track dan so kort
Agter het hy 'n soliede as as ek reg onthou... en dis makliker om hom te laat op en af travel. Ook 'n smaller agteras is minder gewig..
Thys de Jager Fired as CEO and Refreshments Manager at Team Offroad.
2018 FJ Cruiser - #stofgevreet
1984 Mercedes 126 Black Widow Vernon Koekemoer Edition email: thysdj@gmail.com
Some good news to ALL you Toyota Dakar fans - - - at our rally meeting lastnite it was announced that Hallspeed ( builders of the Dakar Toyotas) will be sponsoring the last rally event of the season on the provision that they can run the Buggie as a test run, possibly two of them.
Event will take place 4-5 November in the Bronkhorstspruit area, so here's you chance to see it live in the flesh, close-up.
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow!
1999 Hilux 2.7i 4x4 Raider DC with 3.4 Prado V6. Rear diff-lock, Bull Bar and rock sliders, 31" Cooper ST Maxx, Snorkel, Alu-Canopy, VHF Motorolla radio, West Coast Rust, Mikem Suspension, Ball Joint Spacers in front and Mikem extended shackles at the rear, 25watt LED Spots
pietpetoors wrote:Are they using the buggies or did they go 4x4?
They are using 4X4's for both.
While a two-wheel drive Hilux was experimented with, TGRSA found that the four-wheel-drive was overall more reliable, better equipped and better suited for the demands of the rally.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa will be entering two teams into the 2017 Dakar Rally. The teams are made up of Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah with French navigator Matthieu Baumel in #301 and South African driver Giniel de Villiers with German navigator Dirk von Zitzewitz in #302.
No, they've stuck with the 4WD. They felt that the 2WD Buggie needed more development ( wasn't fast enough). Now with the changes in regulations, this has brought the Peugeot and Mini's a lot closer to the performance of the Hilux.
One can see how the cars are more on par, except Mini who seems to be lacking a bit. Lets see when the Dakar moves into the desert as to the performance.
pietpetoors wrote:TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa will be entering two teams into the 2017 Dakar Rally. The teams are made up of Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah with French navigator Matthieu Baumel in #301 and South African driver Giniel de Villiers with German navigator Dirk von Zitzewitz in #302.
There is a third driver, Conrad Rautenbach, who's driving for Toyota RSA but under the Overdrive banner.
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow!
1999 Hilux 2.7i 4x4 Raider DC with 3.4 Prado V6. Rear diff-lock, Bull Bar and rock sliders, 31" Cooper ST Maxx, Snorkel, Alu-Canopy, VHF Motorolla radio, West Coast Rust, Mikem Suspension, Ball Joint Spacers in front and Mikem extended shackles at the rear, 25watt LED Spots
Dankie Pieter, lyk my na n groot taak net om poduim dan te kan haal, maar dis Dakar hy sal nou konstand goeie tye moet doen en die hilux in een stuk hou. Dis jammer, want hilux lyk vinniger die jaar.
Ek dink Nazzar is te hard op n voertuig. Hoeveel keer het hy al voorgeloop en dan nie klaar gemaak nie. In verskillende voertuie. Geniel is mnr berekend. Balans tussen agressie en besparing van die voertuig. Jy moet eers klaarmaak voor jy kan wen