With an encouraging resurgence in motorsports, Toyota Gazoo Racing has announced its arrival in Malaysia with the launch of the Vios Challenge one-make race series at the Sepang International Circuit today.
The Vios Challenge will be the feature event at the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Racing Festival, a weekend-long carnival set to take place in Penang, Johor and twice in Kuala Lumpur.
Each of the four events of the race series will take place at specially prepared street circuits in the aforementioned locations. The Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM) along with consultants from Toyota will ensure the circuits are safe yet exciting for spectators, and all regulations are inscribed according to FIA rules.
A total of 30 drivers will compete in the race series, all in identical, race-prepared Vios sedans, for a chance to take home a trophy and other prizes. The field will also include eight local A-list celebrities – Danny Koo, Geraldine Gan, Venice Min, Shawn Lee, Diana Danielle, Shukri Yahaya, Fattah Amin and Janna Nick – to inject some glamour and excitement into the event.
Race number one is scheduled to be held in August this year (location to be revealed later), and the series will continue on through to the first quarter of 2018 for the remaining three races.
As for the race car itself, it is based on a Vios 1.5J MT but with a number of modifications to make it track ready. TRD-sourced parts include an aerodynamic kit, exhaust system, clutch and limited-slip differential (LSD), suspension system, brake pads, tower bar and lower brace bars, and a full roll cage.
Other additions include 15-inch Enkei rims shod with Toyo Proxes tyres (195/50), a Motec C125 racing display, a fire suppression system, OMP Corsica Superleggero steering wheel, OMP First-R racing seat and tow hooks (front and back). All cars are prepared by Wing Hin Motorsports here in Malaysia.
According to Toyota, the Vios Challenge car produces 10% more power compared to the standard car although exact numbers weren’t given. The 2NR-FE four-cylinder unit makes 107 PS at 6,000 rpm and 140 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm in the regular Vios 1.5J MT.
It may not sound like substantial gain but Toyota says this is to ensure the dynamics of the Vios isn’t heavily altered. Adding more power would require other areas of the car to be upgraded (a never-ending process), which ruins the race series’ formula of a car that is fun to drive and provides good spectator value.
Interested? Well, Toyota is currently accepting orders for the Vios Challenge car from privateer and racing teams looking to be a part of the race series. The non-street legal car will cost RM90,000 but will include all the parts, engineering and testing required. Buyers will also receive one set of FIA-approved racing suit and six sessions of racing school training for novice drivers (starting in May).
Those who want to participate in the race series will only need a national racing licence issued by the AAM, and of course, to purchase a Vios Challenge race car. Unfortunately, current Vios owners will not be allowed to modify their road-going cars into race cars for this competition.
Toyota explains doing so is not in the spirit of the Vios Challenge as the car could be different from the rest that have been prepared officially. Additionally, the idea of the race series is to have racers showcase their skills rather than relying on mechanical advantage – bringing motor racing back to its purest form.
The sporty, fun and vibrant character of the Toyota Vios has been understated at times and in line with our ‘All About The Drive’ campaign, we believe the Vios Challenge will be able to effectively helps us demonstrate these characteristics especially to younger Malaysians,” said Ravindran Kurusamy, president of UMW Toyota Motor.
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Sam Loo racing team
Standard Axia without engine tuning can tapaw this car easily.
Toyota explains doing so is not in the spirit of the Vios Challenge as the car could be different from the rest that have been prepared officially.
actually Toyota can also create another cup known as Toyota Vios Open and Turbo Open. they can race together (all the 3 classes) but win a separate trophy.
Well done UMW.
seriously !?! WAHAHAHahahha…
Bwahahahahah my rear wheel drive 193bhp/245Nm E36 325i can easily smoke this nyamuk on the track
More like those capalang wiralution or satria can smoke this nyamuk
power is nothing without skill
Wah already E36 why want to compare with smaller cars. Bring that old junk into the track and see if it can endure.
Bring it on! That car endured in BTCC and DTM, no sweat
Yup, I agree with you on those prep ones for DTM and BTCC.
What about your very own E36? I have one myself, a 2.8 straight 6 and I can tell you, given its age its cooling and braking efficiency is inadequate for track use.
Be humble bro.
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AWAS is down again?
MP there put cover over it…
Liddat good MP, summore assign undercover
Seriously, I really don’t have the racing feel with this Vios, what make them think it does?
It’s gimmick
Toyolta now loosing streak against honda with the popular honda city
Its been all over asia lah. Please read a bit and gain general knowledge, if you can read lah.
City taupau vios in term of sales month after month. Nothing new about vios development. Toyota should sack their designers, r&d and not least, umw.
Toyota shud SACK toyota… oh wait..
They should have sold this as the real Vios TRD without the price increase.
The current TRD is basically just future facelift for the Vios G – but being sold at the current time line. lol
when u were at school back in 2009, Toyota had created the first TRD with 1 inch lowered suspension system. UMW called journalists for test drives, and they dont like it.. because of low comfort level. because of that, UMW decided to sell only TRD Sportivo (means only TRD streetwear/bodykit)
When I was still in school (way far before 2009), TRD means high-cam, 4-1 extractor, short ratio gearbox, shorter final drive, etc.
Your 1″ lowered suspension system is nothing compare to the following:
>> Vios 1.5J MT but with a number of modifications to make it track ready. TRD-sourced parts include an aerodynamic kit, exhaust system, clutch and limited-slip differential (LSD), suspension system, brake pads, tower bar and lower brace bars, and a full roll cage.
Proton r3. This is what you can do to promote the new saga, or the persona.
How i wish to see a national malaysian car racing series that travels around malaysia ala the malaysian cub prix. Malaysian grass roots car racing has been neglected for so long, lets see how this toyota race series goes, and hopefully this can be a catalyst for better (hopefully more affordable, like axia 1 make race for example?) events in the future.
Hmmm got so many stock stranded in warehouse…this should move some, plus gain much needed hype to push the model. Really bad decision before to push the price upwards while offering sub par value to customer. Now gas to do the pr thing to recover..
Vios Ah Beng Edition. Walauweh!
WTF??? Hey fellas…don’t get fool since this a month of april. THINK WISELY LOL!! This holyshit not a RACE MACHINE though!!! this crab mainly used to PASAR and fetch up children from school!!! wtf u guys been thinking?!!!
any prizes for winning the race?
No TRD-
air filter
Ignition system
Short shifter
Motor oil cap
What else do they offer in the TRD catalogue….
Better motor oil
Reminds me of the previous generation Vios that also had something like this spec along this line for promo purpose.
Oh and rm90,000 inclusive of the labour to strip the whole interior?
90k, use a J Spec Manual Vios and add some decal on it….. and some bodykit on it. Said got tuning but most likely is becoz the driver rev the car higher becoz is Manual.
Walah 10% performance over standard vios….. and that is not hard to overcome also since vios 0-100km is around 11.9sec…. 10% improvement then your 0-100 will be at 10sec not fast also.
Looks like Toyota is serious in regaining their lost ground when they introduce this Vios challenge in partnership with the well known Toyota Gazoo Racing.
Good job Toyota. The only setback i can see is the – “need a national racing licence issued by the AAM & 2 purchase a Vios Challenge race car.” This will sound like trying to push off old stock.
only 10% increase in power? a stock honda city with 120 hp can give this car a run for its money.
A Singaporean motor mag claimed tis car 0-100kmh at 12.9second…nearly 13 seconds…City about 11 seconds..so i laugh at old those ah bengs speeding like mas showing off
Is this car legal on the road like the Neo Clubsport ?..