Toyota sets a new Nürburgring lap record.

7:22.329 seconds.    Nürburgring lap records are notoriously unofficial but that time puts Toyota's  electric powered EV P002 in the top ten on most lists.   That's faster than an Nissan GT-R, a Porsche GT2 RS or even a Maserati MC12.  Impressive.

The Radical based P002, developed by Toyota Motorsport GmbH in Cologne and driven by Jochen Krumbach, smashed TMG previous EV record by over 25 seconds and is the second EV success for Toyota this year following the record set at Pike's Peak  by Monster Tajima.

Electric car racing will be a reality, like it or not and Toyota has been developing independent means of recharging batteries without additional infrastructure at racing venues.   Not there with the ideal solution of  removable battery packs yet but Toyota uses a "battery van" containing large cells that then can transfer the charge "battery to battery"   anywhere.

“Since our Nürburgring record last year, we have developed our electric powertrain to deliver more power, more consistently, over a longer distance by managing the temperature of batteries, motors and inverter." Ludwig Zeller, General Manager of Electrics and Electronics at THG. "Pikes Peak was a clear illustration of the improvements and we have now reinforced that at the Nürburgring. But this achievement is not only about on-track performance; we are also very proud of the DC Quick Charger which again provided a reliable power supply in a remote location. This is an aspect of electric motorsport which has not been discussed at length but it is very significant; electric race cars need to be charged and it is a challenge to have the right infrastructure at race tracks, particularly temporary street circuits. Together with our partners at Schneider Electric, we have developed a solution to charge a race car literally anywhere in the world. This, along with the TMG EV P002 powertrain, represents a major step forward for electric motorsport.”

The EV P002 is powered by electric motors delivering a nominal 350Kw of power and 900 Nm of torque, that's 469HP and 663 ft/lbs.   Top speed is is listed at a relatively low 150 mph, curious because the Radical SR8 is  good to 170 plus. I wonder what the limiting factor is, weight, gearing?  Certainly looks faster than 150 in the video .

An impressive result though, to really win over fans, EV racing still have to develop what may be impossible, a seductive sound.

Police Confiscate Fake Ferrari.

A Lithuanian citizen was charged with copyright infringement and had his "430 Scuderia Spyder" confiscated by Italian customs as he tried to make his way into Switzerland.  

Well done we say,  anyone dumb enough to have anything to do with a Toyota MR2-"Ferrari", or any other fake kit car for that matter,  not only deserves to be left to walk home but should be publicly spanked ... at least on the internets!

(Corriere della Sera)

Huge Crash at Le Mans

Both are committed to the turn, Davidson tries to squeeze a late pass. Perazzini in the Ferrari should have let the pass happen earlier but he can't just disappear either.

Both drivers got out on their own.

Check out the crash at full speed. You can see how air moves the Toyota as it flies through the air!

Toyota TS030 test session and onboard video

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First tests for the Toyota TS030 hybrid LeMans racer at Circuit Paul Ricard.
What's certainly striking is the car sounding like a electric go-kart from hell while in pit lane.
I'm not sure what the point of all that is but certainly Toyota Motorsport's experience with the Nürburgring record holder Alpha1/EV P001 must have come in handy.


More videos after the jump

Watch Max Papis and Alex Zanardi Drive a Toyota NASCAR at Monza

Part of the festivities at the annual Monza Rally show. The course is set up for rally cars, Max takes the gravel line at Parabolica...much to the amusement of Zanardi.

He also got to run the banks, that was cool.



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Toyota GT86

What do you guys think?
RWD, it has about 200hp, is rumored to be under 3000 lbs and has a very low center of gravity. It also looks way better than a Miata....

Toyota zaps Nürburgring electric car record!

We told you it would happen, but even we are surprised by how much Toyota, the power behind the e-Wolf Alpha 1, would crush the previous record.
The old record, held by Peugeot, was 9 minutes 1.338 seconds and we were expecting something around the 8 minute mark, we were off by quite a bit. The new 100% electric record stands at 7:47.794!

to put it in perspective, that's faster than Porsche was able to drive a Nissan GT-R, faster than a 997 Turbo, faster than a 360 Challenge Stradale. OK it's a Radical but it was running on road legal tires which eerily make the only noise you hear!




Official press release and full laps are after the jump....







NEW EV LAP RECORD FOR TMG

30 August 2011
Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) has set a new lap record for an electric vehicle (EV) at the legendary 20.8km Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany.
The TMG EV P001, with 100% electric powertrain and Jochen Krumbach at the wheel, set a new lap record of 7mins 47.794secs to beat the previous lap record, which stood at 9mins 1.338secs, by a very substantial margin.
Using two electric motors, the TMG electric powertrain has a top speed of 260km/h which combined with 800Nm of torque to achieve impressive speeds on the extremely challenging Nordschleife track, which includes significant elevation changes and lengthy flat-out sections.
TMG’s target prior to the 29 August record run was to become the first electric vehicle break the eight-minute barrier and this was achieved comfortably on a day when the notoriously changeable Nürburgring weather stayed fine, although track temperatures were relatively low.
Such performance shows TMG’s electric powertrain is ideal to power any future single-make electric motorsport series and TMG will begin commercial sales of this technology in 2012. TMG continues to advance its electric vehicle capability for motorsport applications with in-house development of the electric powertrain and ongoing investigations into alternative chassis solutions.
Pascal Vasselon, TMG’s Technical Director, said: “The goals for this project were twofold: obviously we wanted to set a new EV lap record and I am very pleased we could achieve that so comprehensively. On the other hand, we also wanted to learn more about the operation of our electric powertrain in extreme circumstances; in motorsport there is no more extreme circuit than the Nürburgring. On the record lap the TMG EV P001 performed better than in testing due to the improvement we already could make based on that experience. We have enhanced our electric powertrain development thanks to the information our engineers have gained and our future EV products will benefit from this project.”
Rob Leupen, TMG’s Director Business Operations, said: “This is a very impressive achievement which really shows the huge potential for electric powertrains to deliver fast, exciting action on the race track. There’s no doubt that electric motorsport can be every bit as thrilling as traditional racing and it was an amazing sensation to watch the TMG electric vehicle fly past on the Nordschleife, with only the sound of wind rushing past and tyres squealing. To achieve a new lap record at the first attempt, and by such a huge margin, is a great achievement and I am very proud to see TMG’s name in the record books. But this is not the end of the story for TMG and I hope we will see our electric powertrains in action on the track again soon.”
The new lap record was completed on road-legal tyres, using the complete Nordschleife track. It was verified by independent lap timing.
TMG extends its thanks to its partners in this achievement: Aguti created and implemented the livery concept while rational motion integrated the electric powertrain, traction battery and control strategies. EVO Electric motor technology delivered the power. The TMG EV P001 is based on a Radical chassis as modified by TMG for e-WOLF.

Toyota aims to pulverize Nürburgring lap record...

...for electric vehicles. The current record is held by Peugeot which lapped its weird sci-fi looking EX1 in 9:01.338. Fast for a golf cart but in real life teams, way slower than a Range Rover Sport.



Toyota Motorsport GmbH has a 160 mph, 0-62 in 3.9 second electric car hiding in the forests of Germany and figures they'll send the Peugeot lion scampering home. Usually, when these things are announced, it means the time has already been beaten unofficially and now it's just a matter of finding a nice day to film the event...

You'll be amazed when the time is revealed, that's one fast golf cart! Care to take a guess?

(more on Pitpass).

Hispania wants the Toyota TF110

Toyota's would have been 2010 car looks faster standing still than some of the cars currently struggling on the back of the grid.

Now it's a hot used car. Never mind Toyota team boss Jon Howett crashed one a bit of hooning fail, that will buff right out!

From Italiaracing:

Everyone wants the Toyota TF110, the two cars the team based in Cologne had planned, but never got on track. There are two copies of the TF110, one has already been damaged, apparently in the courtyard of the German headquarters, the former team principal John Howett had thought to say goodbye to the pit wall with a scoured. Failed badly. The second one is there on display. The remaining sixty people in Cologne, now working as a service. The aerodynamics of Mygale F3, for example, was deepened from them. With the TF110 wanted to participate in the current global Stefan the GP, but Zoran Stefanovic seems to have fallen into disfavor with the Toyota because, as claims Autosprint did not pay the full amount to buy. For this reason the cars are available to the best offerente.

So that's came along Ivone Pinton, of Durango, suggesting interest in viewing and TF110 in these cars can come into F1 if the Russian group which is dealing with will prove practical. But there is an existing F1 team that seems to have the chance to be more specific and use the TF110 and spare parts. Italiaracing knew that the Hispania Jose Ramon Carabante. The Spanish team has just officially break with the Dallara, who designed and built the car which is currently used by them in F1. How should we do for 2011? Here is that Toyota is the best solution and less demanding because the cars ready and certainly needs some development as a world created to address the 2010.

Massimo Costa

Looks perfectly safe to me....

Rally-Raid is not just the Dakar, check out some clips from the 2009 Siberia-Mongolia Expedition.

What could possibly go wrong on this bridge over Siberia's Vitim river?..



A Mongolian gas station and other "perfectly safe" bridge crossings after the jump...
(Stipistop.com)


Mongolian Gas station.


A few puddles



Couple of rocks



another totally safe looking bridge...



I see no potential issues here...

That's different: Lexus LFA's engine sound.

Curious, what do our reader's think of Toyota's supercar?


(Toyota)


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Tears from Toyota

Toyota F1 team boss Tadashi Yamashina was apparently overcome by emotion when he announced the company would "do what it can" to help find jobs for it's Formula 1 team employees and especially the two Japanese drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Kazuki Nakajima.

Just for the record: Toyota and Honda left F1 as has Bridgestone. Kawasaki dropped out of MotoGP. Suziki and Subaru quit the WRC and Mitsubishi has called off its Dakar efforts.

All these Japanese companies announced they will pour their future motorsport efforts into Gran Turismo 5....



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Japan Calls it Quits on F1

Honda, Bridgestone, now Toyota, as was hinted at back in August, is said to be out of the game leaving no Japanese involvement in the world's leading motor racing series.

It remains to be seen if they will continue as an engine supplier and how they will deal with the fact they signed a contract to race in F1 through 2012. Upshot is it looks like Formula 1's getting closer and closer to Max Mosley's dream of a Cosworth powered spec series and what a huge mistake it was for FOTA not to break away and be done with Formula 1 as it now exists.

More Toyota on Axis

Why Kamui Kobayashi may be the most important man in F1

Without a doubt Kamui Kobayashi's has had the most exciting debut in Formula 1 for a long, long time. How was that for complete refusal to be intimidated combined with impressive consistency?

After his first F1 race in Brazil, Kamui had been pidgenholed by a lot of media who talked about his, open your book of clichés, "kamikaze" move on Nakajima usually without mentioning Mark Webber had made precisely the same move on Kimi Raikkonen (what, he gets no "Crocodile Dundee" comments?).

Button slammed him for daring not to let him through without a fight ("he moved in the braking zone, GP2 stuff") and irony of ironies in the very next race, the two had another date on track....

Entertainment value aside, even David Couthard had to admit that based on his two race performance Kobayashi had earned a place in F1 for next season. Compare that with the debut of the much touted Roman Grojean or Jaime Alguersauri or even, one step up , Sebastian Buemi not to mention Piquet Jr. last year.

A viable Japanese contender would be huge for Formula 1, huge for attracting new sources of sponsorship at a time when F1 is not even sure where it will get its tires from after next season.

Go Kamui!

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Toyota-Ru Coupe testing?

The camouflage makes it look like an e36 318ti with a Panamera testing wing. Smallish even tires suggest 4wd though rather than the rumored rwd for this Toyota -Subaru developed coupe.


(auto sport und motor)


Axis Home page

Rumor roundup: Toyota next to quit Formula 1 and Kimi's points deal.

There's a rumor that Toyota has a sent a letter to its employees telling them to start looking for jobs. Toyota's future in F1 will be decided in November but the fact that Williams is already looking for an engine deal is a pretty good clue.

Contingent on him finding a ride elsewhere for 2010, Ferrari is rumored to be proposing a deal where they would pay Raikkonen a bonus for every point Ferrari scores rather than paying his severance all at once. However Ferrari is in a pickle, what if Massa is not the same when he returns?

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Automotive Seasoning

Toyota it taking their Lexus LF-A back to the Nürburgring for a little "automotive seasoning" in preparation for the 24 hours later in the month. as this Gazoo racing video explains.





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FIA releases Mclaren radio transmissions

I would say a new era of transparency from the FIA has begun, for better or for worse:

Press Release

Stewards Decision - Australian GP

02/04/2009

PENALTY IMPOSED ON DRIVER NO 1 LEWIS HAMILTON AND COMPETITOR VODAFONE MCLAREN MERCEDES

SUMMARY OF KEY CONSIDERATIONS

At the first hearing following the Australian Grand Prix the Stewards did not have the benefit of the radio exchanges between driver No 1 Lewis Hamilton and his Team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes nor did they have access to the comments to the Media given by Lewis Hamilton immediately after the end of the race.

From the video recordings available to the Stewards during the hearing it appeared that Jarno Trulli’s car left the track and car No 1 moved into third place. It then appeared that Trulli overtook Hamilton to regain third place, which at the time was prohibited as it was during the Safety Car period.

During the hearing, held approximately one hour after the end of the race, the Stewards and the Race Director questioned Lewis Hamilton and his Team Manager David Ryan specifically about whether there had been an instruction given to Hamilton to allow Trulli to overtake. Both the driver and the Team Manager stated that no such instruction had been given. The Race Director specifically asked Hamilton whether he had consciously allowed Trulli to overtake. Hamilton insisted that he had not done so.

The new elements presented to the Stewards several days after the 2009 Australian Grand Prix which led to the reconvened Stewards Meeting clearly show that:

a. Immediately after the race and before Lewis Hamilton attended the Stewards Meeting he gave an interview to the Media where he clearly stated that the Team had told him to let Trulli pass.

b. Furthermore, the radio exchanges between the driver and the Team contain two explicit orders from the Team to let the Toyota pass.

The Stewards, having learned about the radio exchanges and the Media interview, felt strongly that they had been misled by the driver and his Team Manager which led to Jarno Trulli being unfairly penalised and Lewis Hamilton gaining third place.

Hamilton's statement to the media after meeting with the stewards

Mclaren radio transmissions during the final safety car period

(FIA)

And here is the rest of it.

Brawn, Williams and Toyota Diffusers are legal.

Stewards in Melbourne rejected protests by Red Bull BMW Ferrari and Renault. Teams will probably have to copy the Brawn, Toyota , Williams diffuser solution. If pre-season testing times stand up, this is a huge advantage for the first "away" races part of the season.




And here is the rest of it.

Formula Chaos

One week before the 2009 season start in Melbourne and Formula 1 is in turmoil. If you have not followed the pre season dramatics let me try and summarize for you:

On track:

No doubt you have heard about Brawn GP's miraculous testing times by now. Bernie Ecclestone himself tipped Button for as a possible world championship contender (poor Rubens...).

While the Brawn is obviously a good car, it must be remembered that this is testing and there are no obligations for cars to pass tech inspection. Further scrutiny of slow corner exit acceleration hints the Brawn could be running below fighting weight. Barring vastly superior mechanical grip, the 5 to 6 mph differential observed cannot be explained otherwise, especially as the Brawn is not getting any help from a KERS system.

The buzzword in this 2009 pre-season has been "diffusers" and there have been accusations, starting with Flavio Briatore, but in the last week also Ferrari's Stefano Domenicali, that some teams have interpreted regulations a bit too loosely.

The teams in question are Brawn, Williams and Toyota. Just yesterday the FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting told Auto Motor und Sport that while no official complaint have been made to date, the diffusers in question were designed exploiting a gray area in the regulations.

Will there be a protest similar to Mclaren's protest of Ferrari's sprung floor? A good possibility, especially as limited testing makes successfully coming up with a copy more complicated.

Other assorted tidbits and rumors:

Mclaren's troubles are in part due to a structural problem with their diffuser which flexed enough to disturb the airflow. They tried a different extractor design but if we see a MP4-24/b soon we'll know this was more than conjecture.

Red Bull is sandbagging.

Off Track:

Briatore may like it but I have read not one single positive comment about the last minute scoring change the FIA dictated this past week amongst fans. Stunning, especially as this change was purportedly the result of a fan poll.
While last year Hamilton was crowned champion with one less win than Massa, with the new system you might have a champion scoring less points than second place. You might also have the season decided very early in the season. Quite a difference coming from two seasons decided in the last few laps. A simple increase in the points awarded to first place would have worked so much better.

The mandated two tier budgets from 2010 on, unlimited but with technical restrictions or 30 million pounds ($42M) with technical innovations allowed, is very much about money but also about a power struggle between the FIA and the constructor's association, FOTA.
FOTA had, amazingly, managed a very united front in its brief existence, the FIA's newfound love for the little guy aims squarely at driving a wedge in the group. It's fairly complicated and appropriately Machiavellian, if you want to delve into it more I highly recommend you read Chris Sylt about F1's commercial rights and then GrandPrix.com's "The danger of getting what you want"

Teams will of course pick the option with allowing technical innovation, and the budget cap? Well there is an obvious solution already used by Red Bull: you run two teams.

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