Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) made Nürburgring history on 29 August by setting a new electric vehicle (EV) lap record on the fearsome Nordschleife track.
TMG set itself a challenge to lap the legendary German track within eight minutes using only electric power. That was a tough target considering only relatively few road-legal super cars have ever achieved broken the eight-minute barrier.
TMG electric vehicle
Do you associate speed, excitement and on-the-limit driving with electric vehicles? Thought not. But Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) is working hard to change that and this month we hope to surprise a few people.
TMG will attempt to set the electric vehicle (EV) lap record at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife, using a two-seater sports car powered by TMG’s own 100% electric powertain. The current record is just over nine minutes but we want to break the eight minute barrier, which seems within reach based on testing.
2012 Toyota Hilux
The car display in the atrium of our offices in Brussels recently underwent a refresh. Currently, an all-new 2012 Hilux is sitting there in all its magnificence. Whenever I walk past the pick-up (or “bakkie” as it is called in my native South Africa), I keep being reminded of a fond memory from my first week with the company.
Back in 2007, I attended an orientation programme for new recruits. The three day training concluded with a trip to Toyota Motor Manufacturing France to see the Yaris being built, in proper “genchi genbutsu” style – a Toyota Way concept which means going to source to understand how things are done.
2011 Toyota Motor Europe
