Toyota Avensis BTCC Racer Project Making Progress

Ever since the Toyota Avensis was launched, the vehicle was criticized for its lack of emotion. However, all that is about to change, as the carmaker is making important steps towards the release of the BTCC incarnation of the car.

The Avensis-based Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) has just completed a series of wind tunnel tests at the MIRA aerodynamic facility in the UK. The racer was joined by a road-going model, which was fitted with a rear wing in order to provide basic data for the vehicle’s motorsport aerodynamic program.

"We needed to fix a position for the rear wing, based on the aerodynamics of the road car, which gave the levels of downforce we were looking for,” said the championship’s technical director, Peter Riches.

“I am pleased to say that this was quickly achieved, and it means that we now have a base line for all cars built to the NGTC regulations and have saved a lot of development time and potential expense for the teams.”

The Avensis racer is being built by GPR Motorsport and will make its motorsport debut in the opening rounds of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch on April 3rd. So far, two privateer teams, Dynojet and Spedworks, have announced their intention to run an Avensis.

“Toyota models have a long and successful history in the BTCC: three championship titles fell to Corolla drivers Win Percy and Chris Hodgetts in the 1980s while the Carina racked up numerous race victories in the ’90s,” stated the press release.