Toyota has a performance-oriented range called Gazoo Racing
Toyota has recently been adding new products to its Gazoo Racing (GR) range including the Supra and Yaris to name a few. It seems that Toyota has taken it a notch further (or below) by introducing the small Roomy minivan as its next car in this GR range. It is difficult to fathom such a small utility vehicle being turned into some track-based racing machine.
Sold in Japan exclusively, the Roomy minivan doesn’t enjoy the designation of Kei (small cars sold in Japan) just because it is powered by a 1.0-litre petrol engine. Although by its size it doesn’t deviate much from being a Kei. To put things in perspective, it only gets a wheelbase of 2490mm. For reference, Maruti WagonR wheelbase is 2435 mm.
Updates in design
The catch here is that the Japanese manufacturer is not launching a dedicated GR version of this minivan, instead has introduced select GR parts for dressing it up. These components include aerodynamic parts such as front and rear bumpers, rear spoilers and larger side skirts which have decreased the ground clearance by 15mm. It is beautifully complemented by LED DRLs at the front bumper spoiler.
Other notable highlights include a front under stripe, rear under stripe (plating) , side mudguards, fog lamp garnish and front grille garnish. The overall sporty appeal is also enhanced by the presence of door visors, front and rear mudguards, a carbon-fiber finished license plate frame and door handle protectors. As usual, it gets generous amounts of GR logos that round up the looks.
Other Details
The youthful looking interior has not been tinkered with. It gets a decent amount of features which include air conditioning, multifunction steering wheel, power windows, a TFT instrument cluster and lots of storage spaces. It even gets a 5-litre removable center trash bin. The cabin can fit five adults, although shoulder collision is common at the rear seat due to the cramped room.
Under the hood, the Roomy gets a 1.0-litre petrol engine which generates 68 bhp and is offered in both 2WD and 4WD configurations. The cost of the car in the Japanese market is 1.55-1.73 million yen which roughly translates to INR Rs 10.90-12.20 lakh. Although the specs are not suitable for any track specific racing the Japanese carmaker has attempted to give it a sporty visual overhaul. The Roomy is essentially a rebadged Daihatsu Thor which is also sold as Subaru Justy in the Japanese market.
Gazoo Racing in India
A few weeks back, Toyota India officially launched the TGR – Toyota Gazoo Racing brand in India. As of now, the brand is limited only to gaming via an online motorsport contest. To participate in this contest, you need to have access to PlayStation4 and driving simulator. Top three finalists from India will be awarded 100k, 75k & 50k respectively.
