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The ultimate inside story of Toyota’s spectacular modern-era triumph in the World Rally Championship.
From the adrenaline-charged forests of Finland to the icy roads of Monte Carlo, Toyota – through its motorsport arm, Gazoo Racing – has redefined what it means to win at the highest level of rallying. This book tells the full and rarely shared story of that journey, charting the team’s rise from ambitious comeback to championship dominance.
Opening with a vivid look back at Toyota’s pioneering years in the rallying arena, it sets the stage for the brand’s remarkable return to the WRC in 2017. From there, the narrative follows every single Gazoo Racing entry right through to the end of the 2024 season, offering in-depth technical insights, season-by-season reports, and compelling profiles of the drivers who pushed the cars – and themselves – to the limit.
Each chapter brings the action to life with a wealth of detail: evolving car designs and engineering breakthroughs, behind-the-scenes strategy shifts, and the grit and determination that powered Toyota to the top. Exclusive interviews with key members of the team offer an insider’s perspective on the challenges and victories along the way.
Accompanied by a breathtaking selection of factory-sourced photography – capturing the mud, dust, snow, and glory of rally stages around the world – this is more than just a record of results. It’s a celebration of the vision and passion of Akio Toyoda, Gazoo Racing’s founder and Toyota’s Chairman, whose own Foreword opens the story.
Meticulously researched and written by two acclaimed Japan-based motoring journalists, this definitive volume not only documents one of motorsport’s greatest modern success stories, but also fills an important gap in rallying history. For fans of the WRC, Toyota, or high-octane motorsport, it is a must-have tribute to speed, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of victory.
Peter Lyon
Bilingual Australian motor journalist and author Peter Lyon has been writing about new car releases and car culture from Japan since 1988. His articles have been published in Auto Express, Car and Driver, Autocar, Auto Bild, Top Gear, Quattroruote, Forbes, Forbes Japan, GQ Japan, The Sydney Morning Herald, Newsweek Japan, and The Herald Sun.
He co-hosts the English language TV show Samurai Wheels on Japan’s NHK network with ex-F1 racer Ukyo Katayama and was commissioned by JAF to write a book in Japanese on the local car industry in 2014. Lyon co-ordinated Jeremy Clarkson’s BBC ‘Motorworld’ special in 1994 and the ‘Race Across Japan’ Top Gear show in 2008. He has raced cars since 2001, placing 4th in class in the 2010 Nurburgring 24-hour race. He was World Car Awards’ co-chairman from 2010-2020, and is a judge for the Best Cars of the Year and Japan Car of the Year.
Brian Long
Born in Coventry, the heart of Britain's motor industry, Brian comes from a family with a proud heritage in the automotive and aviation fields. He trained as a mechanical engineer, and worked for a time at his father's garage. Brian became heavily involved in the classic car scene at 19, and says he turned to writing by accident. He now writes full-time and, since 1990, when his first book was released, he has had over 80 titles published. Brian and his wife, Miho, have two children, Louis and Sophie-Mercedes. They currently live in Chiba, close to Tokyo, where they can enjoy life with their Dobermann and a Thoroughbred racehorse, now retired from the tracks.
Chapter 1 The Toyota Story
Chapter 2 The Early TTE Years
Chapter 3 The Group B Monsters
Chapter 4 The Group A Era
Chapter 5 Age of the Corolla WRC
Chapter 6 The Gazoo Story
Chapter 7 The 2017 Season
Chapter 8 The 2018 Season
Chapter 9 The 2019 Season
Chapter 10 The 2020 Season
Chapter 11 The 2021 Season
Chapter 12 The 2022 Season
Chapter 13 The 2023 Season
Chapter 14 The 2024 Season
Index