TEAM LAND CRUISER

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  • 2023
  • 2022
Land Cruiser 300 rally cars complete Dakar Rally 2024
One-two finish for 11th consecutive victory in Production Car category

On January 19, the final stage of the 2024 Dakar Rally was held on a 174 km loop course SS from Yanbu in Saudi Arabia.

Issue #14: January 20, 2024
Challenge in second half: Evading rocks in endless psychological battle
Car #501 rear-ended but unharmed

On January 18, Stage 11 of the 2024 Dakar Rally was held between AlUla and Yanbu in Saudi Arabia. With the finish line of the rally coming up on January 19, this will be last long SS.

Issue #13: January 20, 2024
Both cars clear mountainous loop stage with no trouble
Car #501 finishes with no punctures

On January 17, Stage 10 of the rally was held in northwestern Saudi Arabia in hilly terrain on a loop course starting in AlUla.

Issue #12: January 19, 2024
Trouble free run through a mountainous stage
Both cars follow each other to evade risks

On January 16, Stage 9 of the 2024 Dakar Rally was held between Ha’il and AlUla in Saudi Arabia on mountainous terrain.

Issue #11: January 18, 2024
Heading north across mountainous terrain for the second day of the second half
Car #500 assists Car #501 with problems and they reach the finish

On January 15, the 8th stage of the Dakar Rally 2024 was held between Al Duwadimi and Ha’il. The route headed towards the mountainous terrain up north where the surface of the SS (competition section) changed from sand to gravel and rocks.

Issue #10: January 17, 2024
Eventful first day to start off the second half of the rally
Reaching the finish following recovery after getting stuck and going off course

On January 14, the second half of the Dakar Rally 2024 started. The 483 km race was held between Riyadh and Al Duwadimi in Saudi Arabia.

Issue #09: January 16, 2024
End of the first half in a one-two formation in the Stock category
Rest Day in Riyadh and getting ready for the second half

For the Dakar Rally 2024, it is Rest Day on January 13 in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.

Issue #08: January 15, 2024
Ultimate challenge: Car #500 finishes 1st in “THE 48H CHRONO STAGE” in the Stock (Production Car) category while Car #501 continues to compete

From January 11 to 12, the Dakar Rally 2024 proceeded with a new undertaking called “THE 48H CHRONO STAGE” near Shubaytah in southeastern Saudi Arabia. Running over two days with a 547 km SS set in the Rub' al Khali Desert known as the "Empty Quarter", most of the road surface is soft sand.

Issue #07: January 14, 2024
First day in the challenging Empty Quarter stage
Car #501 delayed after unfortunate bogging but both cars arrived safely

On January 10, the 2024 Dakar Rally took competitors to the Rub' al Khali Desert in southern Saudi Arabia where a 118 km competition section was held around Shubaytah in the eastern end of the desert.

Issue #06: January 12, 2024
Car #500 safely finishes the stage despite trouble with the steering system
Car #501 makes it to Al-Hofuf by a narrow margin after suspension damage

On January 9, the fourth stage took teams from Al Salamiya to Al-Hofuf in the east. For the second day of the semi-marathon stage, it was a 299 km competition section.

Issue #05: January 11, 2024
First day of the semi marathon safely cleared with no major damage
Both cars make it through without punctures or getting stuck

On January 8, the third stage of the 2024 Dakar Rally was held between Al Duwadimi and Al Salamiya in Saudi Arabia.

Issue #04: January 10, 2024
A long 460 km stage with challenging navigation and sandy conditions
Solid run leads to a smooth one-two formation in the Stock category

The second stage took the teams from Al Henakiyah to Al Duwadimi on a long 462 km SS in the hilly terrain of central Saudi Arabia which featured sand dunes and hilly sections where high-speed driving is possible.

Issue #03: January 9, 2024
Both cars clear a tough stage on day 1
A smooth start without major issues

On January 6, the real competition for the 2024 Dakar 2024 began. The first stage took place between AlUla and Al Henakiyah in the northwest of Saudi Arabia.

Issue #02: January 8, 2024
Both cars make a solid finish in the prologue run
Everything is lined up for the start of the real competition

On January 5, a 27km prologue run was held for the 2024 Dakar Rally near AlUla, a town in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Issue #01: January 7, 2024
Dakar Rally 2024 Course Announcement

On November 20, A.S.O. (Amaury Sport Organisation), the organizer of the Dakar Rally, announced the outline for the 2024 rally, including route details.

Issue #24: November 24, 2023
Land Cruiser 300 GR SPORT competes in the Rally of Morocco 2023. The team tackles remaining issues with full force.

Between October 12, (Thursday) 2023 and October 18 (Wednesday) 2023, TLC participated in the Morocco Rally 2023 which was held in Morocco on the African continent.

Issue #23: October 24, 2023
Competing in the Dakar Rally 2024: TLC challenges their 30th rally as they aim for 11th consecutive victory in the production car category.

At the Sanage Adventure Field in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, on Thursday, October 5, 2023, TLC announced its entry in the 2024 Dakar Rally.

Issue #22: October 5, 2023
RLand Cruiser 300 GR SPORT competes in Rally of Morocco 2023

Between October 12 (Thursday) and October 18 (Wednesday), TLC will be competing in the Rally of Morocco 2023 which is being held in Morocco on the African continent, as a real-world test for the 2024 Dakar Rally.

Issue #21: September 28, 2023
Rally car development testing in preparation for completing the 2024 Dakar Rally
Rally car improvements and durability performance confirmed.

In preparation for the 2024 Dakar Rally, TLC performed development tests of a rally car based on the Land Cruiser 300 GR SPORT in Morocco on the African continent for about two weeks to increase the level of both the vehicle and the team.

Issue #20: June 22, 2023
Outline Announced for 2024 Dakar Rally

On June 3, 2023 (local time), the organizer of the Dakar Rally, Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.), announced the outline for the 2024 Dakar Rally.

Issue #19: June 6, 2023
Full-scale 2023 activities commence for the 2024 Dakar Rally

TLC has commenced full-scale activities for the 2024 Dakar Rally and will be conducting development tests for its rally car in Morocco from early June.

Issue #18: May 30, 2023
Message of Condolence for Team TLC Contract Navigator Laurent Lichtleuchter

Navigator Laurent Lichtleuchter from the TOYOTA AUTO BODY Team Land Cruiser (TLC) rally team has passed away following a tragic accident during the Morocco Desert Challenge on April 26, in which he was privately participating.

Issue #17: April 28, 2023
Land Cruiser 300 wins in a one-two finish in the production car category
TLC sets a momentous record of 10 consecutive victories in their category

On January 15, the 2023 Dakar Rally took participants to their final SS (competition stage), a 138km stage which took place between Al-Hofuf and Dammam in Saudi Arabia.

Issue #16: January 16, 2023
More chaos in the toughest section of the Empty Quarter
Team Basso in car #250 falls behind with turbo trouble
Team Miura in car #246 safely arrives in Al-Hofuf

The stage for January 14 was held between Shaybah and Al-Hofuf. The 153km SS (competition stage) took place close to the bivouac in Shaybah, where TLC’s Land Cruiser 300 cars arrived at the finish with the following results.

Issue #15: January 15, 2023
Both cars clear the tough marathon stage
Car #250 faces delays due to steering trouble but safely makes it to the finish

It is January 13, and it is the second day of the marathon stage. The 185km competition section was held between the Empty Quarter bivouac and Shaybah.

Issue #14: January 14, 2023
Day 1 of the grueling marathon stage is over
Car #246 performs well, and car #250 safely makes it to the finish despite some trouble.

On January 12, the 2023 Dakar Rally entered the 2-day marathon stage starting in Shaybah in southeastern Saudi Arabia.

Issue #13: January 13, 2023
The 2023 Dakar Rally heads towards its most challenging sections
Smoothly clearing the dune stage on the first day in the Empty Quarter

It is January 11, and in the 2023 Dakar Rally a 114km SS (competition stage) was held between Haradh and Shaybah, after which crews arrived at the highlight of the rally - the “Empty Quarter”, a vast desert area in southeastern Saudi Arabia.

Issue #12: January 12, 2023
2023 Dakar Rally enters second half at long last
Car #250 makes it to finish despite problems with cooling system

For the 2023 Dakar Rally, January 10 marks the beginning of the second half of the rally.

Issue #11: January 11, 2023
The cars get refreshed on rest day in Riyadh
Preparations are in place for what is expected to be a challenging second half

The 2023 Dakar Rally had its rest day on January 9 in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh.

Issue #10: January 10, 2023
TLC holds on to the top two positions in the production car category for the first half of the rally
Arriving at Riyadh with cumulative rankings of 98th for car #250 and 124th for car #246

January 8 marked the final day of the first half of the rally. The competition stage took participants from Al Duwadimi to Riyadh over a distance of 346km, and the Land Cruiser 300 cars in the production car category finished the SS.

Issue #9: January 9, 2023
Both cars clear the first day of the marathon stage in solid form
Maintenance is performed on vehicles in the service park and are in top shape for the second day

The first half of the 2023 Dakar Rally has reached its climax, and on January 7, the first day of the marathon stage, a 333km SS (competition stage) was held between Riyadh and Al Duwadimi.

Issue #8: January 8, 2023
Car #246 recovers from trouble and achieves top time in the production car category in the SS
Car #250 maintains the lead in cumulative ranking for production car category
Destination changed to Riyadh due to inclement weather

Miura and Lichtleuchter, who had some drivetrain trouble on January 5 in car #246 on the SS (competition stage), were able to make repairs just in time for the start at the bivouac and continued the rally.

Issue #7: January 7, 2023
Huge delays for Miura/Lichtleuchter in car #246 due to drivetrain trouble
Basso/Polato in car #250 keep a firm hold on 1st place in the production car category

The second loop stage in Ha’il was held on January 5. This massive 645km loop stage was set up on sandy terrain expanding out to the east of the bivouac and included a 373km SS (competition stage).

Issue #6: January 6, 2023
Both cars make good progress and clear the Ha’il loop course
TLC keeps a firm grip on 1st and 2nd positions in the production car category

January 4 is the first day for the loop courses starting in Ha’il. Yesterday’s route to Ha’il was cancelled due to inclement weather so there was no racing in the Ha’il area, but today, weather conditions have recovered and the 425km competition stage was held as planned.

Issue #5: January 5, 2023
Inclement weather brings the SS to Ha’il to an end just before the finish
Basso/Polato are safely back with car #250 after yesterday’s issues to continue in the rally

Ronald Basso and Jean-Michel Polato in car #250, TLC’s Land Cruiser 300, arrived at the bivouac in AlUla just after 1:30 am after suffering steering problems in the final section of the SS on January 2.

Issue #4: January 4, 2023
Steering trouble causes delays for Basso/Polato in car #250
Miura/Lichtleuchter in car #246 are back to continue in the rally after their car took a tumble on the previous day
TLC and their debut Land Cruiser 300 rally car continue being put to the test

On January 2, the 2023 Dakar Rally has a 430km competition stage (SS) which runs from the Sea Camp to AlUla.

Issue #3: January 3, 2023
Rollover causes huge delays for team Miura/Lichtleuchter in car #246
1st place finish in the production car category for team Basso/Polato in car #250

On January 1, the 2023 Dakar jumped into its full-scale competition schedule. The first stage of the rally took place on a 368km loop course starting at the Sea Camp near Yanbu.

Issue #2: January 2, 2023
The 2023 Dakar has started off from Yanbu on the Red Sea coast
A smooth prologue run for the Land Cruiser 300 debut

On New Year’s Eve near Yanbu on the Red Sea coast in northwestern Saudi Arabia, the rally’s opening ceremony was held. Starting with a 13km prologue run on January 1 to decide starting positions, the 45th Dakar Rally commenced.

Issue #1: January 1, 2023
Course details announced for 2023 Dakar Rally

On December 1 in France, A.S.O. (Amaury Sport Organisation), the organizer of the Dakar Rally, announced the outline and route information for the 2023 rally.

Issue #22: December 5, 2022
Participating in the 2023 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia
Taking on the challenge for a 10th consecutive victory with the debuting Land Cruiser 300

On Monday 14 November 2022 at Sanage Adventure Field, TLC held a rally press announcement for the debuting 2023 Dakar Rally car based on the Land Cruiser 300 GR SPORT and announced the team structure for the rally.

Issue #21: November 14, 2022
Final development testing including Rally of Morocco is over.
Moving on to final adjustments for the Land Cruiser 300’s Dakar Rally debut win!

Aiming for a debut win in the 2023 Dakar Rally in the production car category, TLC performed testing in Morocco on the new generation rally car which is currently undergoing development and is based on the Land Cruiser 300 GR SPORT.

Issue #20: October 11, 2022
Final development testing for Land Cruiser 300 includes participation in 2022 Rally of Morocco for Dakar Rally debut win

In Morocco on the African continent, from 21 September, TLC will be performing final development testing with the new generation rally car based on the Land Cruiser 300 GR SPORT, aiming for a debut win in the production car category in the 2023 Dakar Rally.

Issue #19: September 21, 2022
New generation rally car undergoes development testing.
Excellent feedback for driving performance on sand dunes.

In June 2022, over a 3-week schedule in Africa’s Morocco which covered about 3,000 km, TLC performed development testing for the new generation rally car based on the Land Cruiser 300 GR SPORT which will make its debut in the 2023 Dakar Rally.

Issue #18: June 28, 2022
Outline announced for the 2023 Dakar Rally

On June 5, 2022, organizers of the Dakar Rally A.S.O. (Amaury Sport Organisation) announced the outline for the 2023 Dakar Rally.

Issue #17: June 7, 2022
Full-scale activities begin for the 2023 Dakar Rally!
New generation rally car undergoes development testing in Africa’s Morocco

TLC is set to debut the new generation rally car in the 2023 Dakar Rally’s production car category. The car is based on the Land Cruiser 300 series, and full-scale activities for the 2022 round have begun.

Issue #16: June 2, 2022
Aiming for ever better cars, 2022 motorsports activities have commenced.

TLC has started activities for 2022 that are based on motorsports activities and making ever better cars. The goal is a debut win for the Land Cruiser 300 Series in the 2023 Dakar Rally.

Issue #15: April 4, 2022
9th Consecutive Victory in the Production Car Category
A spectacular finish for Land Cruiser 200

On Friday January 14, teams ran the 2022 Dakar’s final SS (competition stage) over a distance of 166.57 km before reaching the finish. The podium ceremony was held on an F1 circuit set up in the seaside city of Jeddah, marking the end of the 14-day rally.

Issue #14: January 15, 2022
Both Cars Support Each Other on Tough Dune Stage
The last stage is finally coming tomorrow

Stage 11 was held on the 13th with a loop stage starting in Bisha. The 346 km SS (competition stage), which proved to be quite difficult, consisted mostly of soft sandy terrain.

Issue #13: January 15, 2022
Both Cars Steadily Finish Intermountain Stage
Ready in top shape for the difficult areas in the final stages

Stage 10 was held on Wednesday January 12. The timed section took place on the way from Wadi Ad-Dawasir in the south of Saudi Arabia to the final bivouac in Bisha on intermountain terrain over a distance of 375 km.

Issue #12: January 14, 2022
Both Cars Clear the Dune & Wadi Stage
Heading for the final stages still in a one-two formation

For stage 9 on Tuesday January 11, teams took a loop course from Wadi Ad-Dawasir. The SS (competition stage) of 286.96 km was set up in a vast area to the west among the mountains.

Issue #11: January 13, 2022
Both Cars Safely Finish a Brutal Dune Stage
Car #245 sets a top record time for a production car category

On Monday January 10, the stage took the teams south from Al Dawadimi to Wadi Ad-Dawasir.

Issue #10: January 12, 2022
Second Half of the 2022 Dakar Rally Starts
Soft sand stage with difficult navigation cleared

On Sunday January 9, the second half of the 2022 Dakar Rally started. The 401.74 km stage went west from the capital Riyadh to Al Dawadimi.

Issue #9: January 11, 2022
Rest Day at the Saudi Arabian Capital Riyadh
Both Land Cruiser 200 cars get fully refreshed to prepare for the second half

For the 2022 Dakar Rally, Saturday January 8 is when everyone welcomes rest day in Riyadh, the Saudi capital.

Issue #8: January 10, 2022
First Half of Rally Complete & Holding the One-Two Lead
Both cars handle the trouble on rough SS terrain

On January 7, teams competed on a loop course starting from Riyadh, covering a distance of 347.57 km.

Issue #7: January 9, 2022
Keeping the One-Two Lead While Overcoming Minor Setbacks
Facing two consecutive days of loop courses in the outskirts of Riyadh

On January 6, a 394.81 km SS (competition stage) loop course starting in Riyadh was held, where the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 cars reached the finish with the following rankings.

Issue #6: January 8, 2022
Staying Focused for a Sharp Finish
Overcoming setbacks and keeping the one-two lead in the production car category

Stage 4 was held on Wednesday January 5. Heading south from Al Qaisumah to the capital city Riyadh, this was the longest SS (competition stage) covering a staggering distance of 464.76 km.

Issue #5: January 7, 2022
Overcoming Minor Setbacks & Clearing the Sand Dune Stage
Rankings are up for both cars while maintaining the one-two lead in the production car category

Stage 3 of the rally took place on Tuesday January 4 with a loop course starting in Saudi Arabia’s Al Qaisumah.

Issue #4: January 6, 2022
Steadily Clearing the Sand Dune Stage
Car #245 regains its position and recreates the one-two formation in the production car category

The route on Monday January 3rd runs from Ha’il to Al Qaisumah. Both TLC Toyota Land Cruiser 200 cars cleared the 338 km SS (competition stage) without any trouble.

Issue #3: January 5, 2022
The Real Competition Begins in Ha’il
A long day on a stage with complex sand dunes

The real competition at the 2022 Dakar Rally began on January 2nd with stage 1B and an SS (competition stage) looping from Ha’il in the north over a distance of around 333 km.

Issue #2: January 4, 2022
Both Cars Smoothly Clear the First Competition Section
After a ceremonial start in Ha’il teams brace themselves for the start of the competition

The 2022 Dakar Rally started on January 1st with the first competition section (1A) being held between Jeddah and Ha’il over a distance of 19.51 km. Afterwards, a ceremonial start took place at Ha’il.

Issue #1: January 3, 2022