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Another important feature implemented
in the Corolla WRC car was its huge suspension travel. Suspension travel is what makes a
rally car really efficient on the road. The more of it you have the better. In the
Corolla Toyota Team Europe managed to
implement a whole 20cm ! of suspension travel. You'd
think its an off-road car... By the way, the very limited suspension travel was the major
problem that used to plague the Lancia
Integrale and continues to handicap the current Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI especially at
the rear wheels for the latter car. Lancia never managed to provide enough travel in the
Integrale's suspension not even in the evoluzione version. Toyota where able to provide
that much of suspension travel because the WRC regulations allow major body and suspension
modifications in a WRC car that are
not possible in GroupA cars such as the Lancia or
the Mitsubishi. All the complexity fitted in the new WRC Corolla was subject to problems in
racing conditions. Toyota used as many duplicate/alternative/redundant parts as possible
in the race car to avoid unpleasant surprises. A total of 57 Toyota Corolla WRC cars left the TTE workshops between 1997 and 1999. Among these 33 were used by the works team while the other 24 were sold to private teams. The Corolla WRC's evolution, throughout its existence, can be summarized as follows:
There are still private cars competing in WRC events even though Toyota officially retired from the WRC. These are managed by private teams and are available for renting by private drivers.
Corolla WRC cut-away The Celica was the last of this breed of rally cars to go out of production. 2wd versions of the Celica will remain in the manufacturer's catalogue but the 4wd turbocharged car is doomed (you know, marketing...). Thus the Celica GTFour joins the Lancia Integrale, Ford Escort RS Cosworth and Audi Quattro (amongst others) in the cemetery of gone kings of the road. Sadly, in mid 1999, Toyota announced that their competition department, the TTE, would retire from the World Rally Championship to concentrate on F1 racing and CART. The team managed to conquer the World Manufacturer's title for that same year with the Corolla WRC although the car was in desperate need of development. A beautiful ending for the TTE rallying history. Some private teams, like the Italian Grifone, were to still develop the Corolla and participate to some rallies but TTE's announcement effectively meant that Toyota was to stop its rally campaign. Both team's drivers, Didier Auriol who ended up with Seat and Carlos Sainz who signed with Ford, an acquaintance of old had to look for driver seats elsewhere. Read more about 4WD turbo charged car technicalities here and about their handling and dynamics here. |
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