2023 NGC102 Toyota Vios Challenge one-make racer unveiled – five-speed manual gearbox, LSD, roll cage

Following the Malaysian launch of the fourth-generation Toyota Vios, the household Japanese B-segment sedan nameplate in its latest guise – codenamed NGC102 – has been unveiled in race car form for the Vios Challenge one-make racing series in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival in Malaysia.

Making its debut in the third and final round for the just-concluded sixth season of the Vios Challenge one-make racing series, the new-generation Vios race car has already seen track action with the Promotional category of racers for celebrities over the past weekend.

Like its track-going NCP150-generation predecessor, the latest version of the one-make racer is made at the UMW Toyota plant in Bukit Raja, Shah Alam, and continues to use the 2NR-VE 1.5 litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine with Dual VVTi, producing 106 PS at 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm.

For this racing application, the Vios Challenge car is outfitted with a full, racing exhaust system spanning the manifold, mid-section through to the muffler. Also differentiated from the road-going Vios is its transmission, which is a five-speed manual gearbox with a racing clutch as well as a limited-slip differential for improved front axle grip through the turns.

That said, the nine units allocated for the celebrity racers taking part in the Promotional category in the upcoming seventh season of the Vios Challenge will use the continuously variable transmission as found on road-going versions (as depicted here), while racers in other categories will use the manual transmission.

Moving on to the fourth-generation Vios that employs the Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) platform has made for a lighter, stiffer body as well as wider wheel track widths, along with improved aerodynamics compared to the third-generation car. While the 2NR-VE engine yields slightly lower outputs compared to the previous 2NR-FE unit, the new race car is quicker due to its improved bodyshell, says Toyota.

Chassis upgrades received by the Vios in its racing guise include adjustable suspension, front strut tower bar and racing brake pads (brake calipers remain standard), and the Promotional category car here appears to be based on the Vios G variant judging by its rear disc brakes and electric parking brake setup.

Meanwhile, racers in other categories using the NGC102 in the upcoming Vios Challenge season will use cars based on the Vios E, which continues to employs drum brakes on its rear axle and a mechanical hand brake lever. For rolling stock, the latest race car rolls on 15-inch Enkei Tuning SC58 in a 7J width, shod in Toya Proxes TR1 tyres measuring 195/55R15 which is the same as that available to the public.

As before, safety upgrades are applied to the latest one-make racing Vios, with equipment including a six-point roll cage, a racing bucket seat with six-point racing harness, electricity cut-off switch, and a fire extinguisher, all meeting FIA regulations. Also included here are a digital video recorder as well as a three-spoke racing steering wheel of a 350 mm diameter.

The latest, NGC102-generation Toyota Vios race car is available for purchase ahead of the seventh season of the Vios Challenge, and orders can be directed to the UMW Toyota racing management division at +6016 367 3300.

NGC102 Toyota Vios Challenge race car, official images

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