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Five Star FG Falcon at Jarvis Ford
The all-new FG Falcon has become the first Australian-built car to receive a 5 (five) star rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). The petrol FG Falcon sedan range was awarded the maximum 5 (five) star safety rating rating with a total score of 34.6 points (out of a possible 37 points), giving it the highest score ever recorded by a locally produced car in Australia by a significant margin. Read more>
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Toyota claims historic 1-2-3 |
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 7/10/2008
Team TRD Rally boss Neal Bates has won Heat 2 of the Tasmanian Tarmac Challenge, leading home teammate Simon Evans and Toyota privateer Glen Raymond in the outright results to claim the first Toyota 1-2-3 in Australian Rally Championship (ARC) history.
Bates and co-driver Coral Taylor scored a clean sweep of the event, winning both heats and claiming the bonus point for most stage wins in a dramatic finish to the ARC's inaugural all-tarmac event.
The championship leaders held a four second lead to rival Spencer Lowndes heading into the final stage, only for Lowndes to crash, handing the win to Bates and Taylor and elevating Evans to second overall and for the heat.
"It was a dream weekend," Bates said.
"The lead-up was incredibly busy, but we came here with the aim to win the event and to put ourselves closer to the title, and we have done just that.
"We had good speed, but Spencer (Lowndes) did a great job and was very impressive. I'm sorry he didn't get to the finish, but that's the way rallying goes sometimes.
"A Toyota 1-2-3 is just amazing. It's great to see that three cars we have had a hand in building are on the podium. They were reliable and driven well so they fully deserve to be here. We are so close to the title now, but we still have work to do in Coffs Harbour."
The Heat 2 result moves Bates and Taylor to within nine points of claiming a fourth ARC title heading into the season-ending Coffs Harbour Rally, where a 15th place will be enough to secure the crown.
Second place overall for Evans and his co-driver and wife, Sue, was just reward for a consistent and measured drive by the two-time champions in their first-ever tarmac rally.
"I was constantly learning this weekend," Evans said. "We were quick in the dry, but we could only do so much in the wet conditions.
"The hardest thing was trying to predict what the car was going to do. It just goes to show you just have to be consistent and drive smart; we did that and got a good result.
"An all-Toyota podium is a great reward for the team who have built and developed all three cars, they should be very proud of their efforts."
Raymond and co-driver and brother Matt were overjoyed at securing their first ARC podium in their ex-works TRD Group N (P) Corolla.
"I can't believe we have finished on the podium - we couldn't be happier," Raymond said.
"It has been a long, hard journey but our first season in a top-line car has netted our biggest result to date.
"This tarmac thing is new to me - yesterday in Heat 1 I didn't look at my times and just got my head around learning how the car handled. It was the right choice because a lot of people didn't finish and we're here on the podium.
"Three Toyotas in the top-three is the perfect result. Team TRD has helped me a lot, so it is great to share this with them."
Team TRD Rally will now return to the mainland and begin preparations for the season's sixth-and-final round in Coffs Harbour on 15-16 November.
Australian Rally Championship
Tasmanian Tarmac Challenge
Heat 1 - Final Results:
1) Neal Bates - Toyota Corolla S2000 36m06.0s
2) Spencer Lowndes - Mitsubishi Lancer EVO +35.1
3) Simon Evans - Toyota Corolla S2000 +56.7
4) Brenton Kaitler - Mitsubishi Lancer EVO +1m36.0
5) Glen Raymond - Toyota Corolla Group N (P) +1m48.3
6) Dennis Dunlop - Mitsubishi Lancer EVO +2m50.8
Australian Rally Championship
Tasmanian Tarmac Challenge
Heat 2 - Final Results:
1) Neal Bates - Toyota Corolla S2000 47m22.1s
2) Simon Evans - Toyota Corolla S2000 +31.9
3) Craig Brooks - Subaru Impreza WRX +1:12.3
4) Glen Raymond - Toyota Corolla Group N (P) +1:20.5
5) Michael Guest - Subaru Impreza WRX +1:32.6
6) Brenton Kaitler - Mitsubishi Lancer EVO +2:30.9
Australian Rally Championship
Tasmanian Tarmac Challenge
Outright Results:
1) Neal Bates - Toyota Corolla S2000
2) Simon Evans - Toyota Corolla S2000
3) Glen Raymond - Toyota Corolla Group N (P)
4) Brenton Kaitler - Mitsubishi Lancer EVO
5) Craig Brooks - Subaru Impreza WRX
6) Dennis Dunlop - Mitsubishi Lancer EVO
Australian Rally Championship
Tasmanian Tarmac Challenge
Championship Standings:
1) Neal Bates - Toyota Corolla S2000 - 364 points
2) Simon Evans - Toyota Corolla S2000 - 251
3) Eli Evans - Subaru Impreza WRX - 226
4) Spencer Lowndes - Mitsubishi Lancer EVO - 218
5) Glen Raymond - Toyota Corolla Group N (P) - 170
6) Michael Guest - Subaru Impreza WRX - 154 |
Industry News
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Toyota first to export 100,000 cars |
19/12/2008
Toyota Australia is set to become the first Australian carmaker to export 100,000 vehicles in a calendar year.
The milestone car is due to be shipped from Melbourne on Christmas Eve, bound for the Middle East.
It will be among more than 2,100 Australian-built Toyota cars leaving Australia that day aboard the Positive Leader. |
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