“This is the third generation of the vehicle which came third in its first year on the Dakar. And most importantly, the drivers are just as happy with it as I am.”
The driver line-up for 2015 is unchanged. Giniel de Villiers will again spearhead the Toyota Imperial SA Dakar Team’s attack, with long-time German navigator Dirk von Zitzewitz beside him. Leeroy Poulter and navigator Rob Howie will again be in action in the second Toyota Imperial Hilux.
The team says that the new Toyota Imperial Hilux is “essentially an evolution rather than a complete redesign”.
Immediately evident is the fact that the spare wheels have been relocated from the back of the car. One wheel now fits under the cockpit, with one each mounted on the sides behind the doors. This has shifted the 120kg mass of the wheels to an area within the axles, and also lowered the centre.
“You can really feel a massive difference,” said De Villiers. “The new bakkie is much faster through twisty sections, and we’ve also worked a lot on the suspension to make it land better after jumps.”
The change in layout came largely thanks to new regulations, which allow the vehicle to be 60kg lighter than before. In order to fully capitalise on this reduction in weight, the team decided to also maximise weight distribution for better handling and balance.
The new regulations now also allow for a slightly larger air restrictor. This was done in an effort to level the playing field for the various engine types that essentially compete in the same class.
The Hilux features a fully South African-developed suspension system, a new air-conditioning system and “many other refinements” to the original race bakkie.
The 2015 Dakar Rally gets under way in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on January 4, 2015. The route consists of a trans-continental loop, which visits Chile and Bolivia, before returning to Argentina for the finish in Buenos Aires on January 17.
Story by: iAfrica