Dakar Rally 2021 - Land Cruiser

[bloc]

Also a cool shot of the skid plate. I wonder what the structure to the outside near the LCA is for? I can't see it well enough to provide an educated guess. Maybe to protect the LCA pivots/mounts?

I'd also love a close up of the rear trailing arms. They look interesting.

Looks like a guard for the rear shock shafts to me. Something angled or scooped downward to send rocks from the front away from the places they can do harm.

 

[TeCKis300]

The 2020 cars look like they've returned to using auto trannies?

 

[Yossarian]

Pics from the gazoo racing website, stage gallery.

 

[JohnPW]

What size tires are those? Looks fairly skinny, which seems typical for off road racers

 

[bloc]

What size tires are those? Looks fairly skinny, which seems typical for off road racers

In the videos I poured over earlier a couple shots clearly had 285/70/17 on the tire, but the brand has since changed and possibly the size too.

 

[TeCKis300]

What size tires are those? Looks fairly skinny, which seems typical for off road racers

BFG MT KM3s in 285/70R17. Pretty much the standard TRD Rock Warrior approved tire fitment.

 

[bloc]

BFG MT KM3s in 285/70R17. Pretty much the standard TRD Rock Warrior approved tire fitment.
View attachment 2550816

Thanks for the clear picture. Finally tracked down those wheels..

Enkei Motorsport PDM1, forged monobloc 17" aluminum wheels. All I can find online is a 60mm offset.. though the japanese language barrier is definitely a thing.

Not sure where we'd source them, but it would be a unique setup here in the states. Plus I'd have to assume light and very strong, if they are put through dakar.

 

[dmc]

Love seeing the pics and getting details of these racing 200’s. Aside from the twin shocks per wheel, this one appears to have similar factory specs to my LC. You can still purchase a VDJ200 with a manual gearbox. Mine is a 2017 variant from Toyota Gibraltar, and they still sell them there as an LC 200 GX/GXR. You can get them with the TTD V8 or the petrol V6 mated to a manual gearbox.

Learn something new every day. I thought the manual was only available in the 70 series with single turbo 1VDT. and that the twin turbos were auto only. Thanks for the info. I'm also curious why it's LHD as you would think a Japanese team would use a JDM truck.

 

[dmc]

Looks like a newer 200 based on headlights.

Another fail on Toyota’s marketing department since finding any info on these is impossible.

Instead, they made some stupid video about a bro making ice cream out of his Tacoma.

It's not an official Toyota team. If I understand the dynamic right they are some employees of the companies that supply body and paint materials to Toyota. Part of the supply chain that has Toyota associated sponsorship but are not directly.

 

[bloc]

It's not an official Toyota team. If I understand the dynamic right they are some employees of the companies that supply body and paint materials to Toyota. Part of the supply chain that has Toyota associated sponsorship but are not directly.

That is awesome, and probably the main reason there isn’t toyota marketing around it?

 

[Yossarian]

It's not an official Toyota team. If I understand the dynamic right they are some employees of the companies that supply body and paint materials to Toyota. Part of the supply chain that has Toyota associated sponsorship but are not directly.

That seems about right, from the gazoo racing website:

The official Toyota team, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA), first entered the T1 (Improved Cross-Country Vehicles) class in 2012 with their Toyota Hilux, and since then the TGRSA Hilux has performed well, earning a spot in the Top 10 every year. Since 2020, the team continues to strive as restructured into a works team of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing.

Restructured from a factory team to a works team.

I love this part, about how the LC is basically one of the best production vehicles (that's how I read it).

TLC has been participating in the Dakar Rally for over 25 years since their first rally in 1995 with the Land Cruiser in the T2 (production) category. In this category, the vehicle is as close to the production model as possible, with changes only made for safety reasons and in order to meet rally requirements.
Through this rally, TLC aims to push the Land Cruiser to its limits and forge an even tougher car. Their determination culminated in a one-two finish in 2020, making the team the first ever to achieve seven straight wins in the production category.

But not for you NA, thanks Toyota!

 

[OGBeno]

It's not an official Toyota team. If I understand the dynamic right they are some employees of the companies that supply body and paint materials to Toyota. Part of the supply chain that has Toyota associated sponsorship but are not directly.

It's the official Toyota Auto Body team. Formerly, the official ARACO Team. They actually manufacture the truck itself.

Toyota Auto Body is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation and part of the the Toyota Group keiretsu.



The trucks are technically registered in France and are actually European specification VDJ200 trucks.

Driver Akira Miura is an employee of Toyota Auto Body.

The team manager is an employee of Toyota Auto Body.

The bivouac mechanics are a combination of outsourced French mechanics and Toyota ***uoka dealership mechanics.

 

[dmc]

Looks like a guard for the rear shock shafts to me. Something angled or scooped downward to send rocks from the front away from the places they can do harm.

I stole this from a @cruiseroutfit IG post today. I think it's okay since I was standing right next to him at the time he took it. It's a really interesting approach to component protection. But then again we get asked about our center mudflaps on Monica all the time. I'm sure it works very well.

 

[OGBeno]

So awesome that you guys got to see the bivouac and see how they do things. Their operation is so top notch.

Seeing TAB TLC was probably good for you guys on Monica, Dave.

 

[dmc]

So awesome that you guys got to see the bivouac and see how they do things. Their operation is so top notch.

Seeing TAB TLC was probably good for you guys on Monica, Dave.

Kurt and I have a friend in Chile that was project manager for one of the Mini x-raid teams for a few years. Getting into the bivouac isn't cheap and it's really locked down so we felt very fortunate to be able to to wander around. It was surreal experience. The TLC TAB guys were cool and it was great to see them. I even dropped some Japanese on them. But candidly their operation paled as they were right next to the Nikalyev Red bull Kamaz pit. We got to explore Gazoo, Mini x-Raid, Peugeot. We chatted with every American we could find as well. For those that follow Dakar closely you probably all know the Coronels. (eat my cheese!) we hung out with them for about 45 mins. They wee cool as hell, gave us some swag and showed us through the intricacies of their pit. It was fantastic. Such a different animal to Baja. One day. I vividly remember us all looking around at the machinery and gear in the bivouac. I think it was @cruisermon that said very casual, $1 billion? It was probably a close estimate. So maybe not one day but we can dream.

 

[bloc]

Kurt and I have a friend in Chile that was project manager for one of the Mini x-raid teams for a few years. Getting into the bivouac isn't cheap and it's really locked down so we felt very fortunate to be able to to wander around. It was surreal experience. The TLC TAB guys were cool and it was great to see them. I even dropped some Japanese on them. But candidly their operation paled as they were right next to the Nikalyev Red bull Kamaz pit. We got to explore Gazoo, Mini x-Raid, Peugeot. We chatted with every American we could find as well. For those that follow Dakar closely you probably all know the Coronels. (eat my cheese!) we hung out with them for about 45 mins. They wee cool as hell, gave us some swag and showed us through the intricacies of their pit. It was fantastic. Such a different animal to Baja. One day. I vividly remember us all looking around at the machinery and gear in the bivouac. I think it was @cruisermon that said very casual, $1 billion? It was probably a close estimate. So maybe not one day but we can dream.

With a B? Who’s team are we talking here? Or collectively?

 

[dmc]

With a B? Who’s team are we talking here? Or collectively?

Yes with a B. Also Collectively. It felt like every single team had at least one support truck that, stocked with parts, pushed $1m. I have no idea what a brand new Kamaz, Man, Hino or MOG costs but then once outfitted and stocked with tools, spares and gear have to be high 6 figures. So say 400 x $1m before you even start including race cars, trucks and bikes. Then you include the ASO infrastructure and it Swells rapidly

 

[TeCKis300]

I stole this from a @cruiseroutfit IG post today. I think it's okay since I was standing right next to him at the time he took it. It's a really interesting approach to component protection. But then again we get asked about our center mudflaps on Monica all the time. I'm sure it works very well. View attachment 2551538

Awesome pic. It's really hard to find these revealing pics within their content pages.

Other than the protection shield...

- notched frame to make clearance for a second shock and shock tower?!
- limiting strap
- frame bump stop lowered with spacer
- ~3/4" body lift based on the body to frame spacing
- interesting extra pattern of holes on the brake rotor hat?

 

[CharlieS]

I also noticed in the cruiser outfit instagram page that it looks like they carry a spare radiator with them. That must be a heck of a thing to change out mid-stage.

 

[dmc]

Agreed. I wonder if they carry it all the time or just on the marathon stages.