Dakar Rally: Toyota Land Cruiser Dominates Stock Category for 11th Consecutive Year
Dakar, Saudi Arabia – The 2024 Dakar Rally saw another impressive performance from Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body, as they brought both of their Toyota Land Cruisers to the finish line, securing their eleventh straight Stock category win. However, the vehicles took a significant beating, and with the 2025 route expected to be even more challenging, the team is focused on improving the Land Cruiser’s durability during their upcoming testing in Morocco.
After experiencing stage retirements in 2023, Akira Miura and Ronald Basso had a strong showing in 2024. Miura claimed seven stage wins, while Basso secured five, ultimately finishing nearly two days ahead of his teammate due to a series of mechanical issues that plagued Basso’s Land Cruiser 300 GR Sport.
“The difficulty of the Dakar Rally is increasing year by year, and the 2025 event is expected to be even more difficult and tough,” the team stated.
The Dakar victory came on the heels of Basso’s Rallye du Maroc win in Morocco, where Miura won three stages but was unable to finish the event after the drive system failed on the final day. Morocco is often used as a dress rehearsal for teams competing in the Dakar Rally, and Toyota Auto Body regularly conducts their desert rally tests in the North African country.
As the team looks ahead to the 2025 Dakar Rally, they are focused on further improving the suspension and tires of the Land Cruiser, in collaboration with Toyo Tire Co., Ltd. and TLC. They also plan to evaluate measures to address the issues encountered in the previous event, with the goal of enhancing the reliability and durability of the rally vehicle on various road surfaces similar to the Dakar environment.
“By working to further improve the running performance, reliability, and durability of the Land Cruiser, we will strengthen the rally vehicle and lead to the creation of an even better Land Cruiser.”
Rallies like the Dakar are often used by Toyota Auto Body, one of Toyota Motor Corporation’s manufacturing arms, to help develop the roadgoing Land Cruiser model.
Miura, fresh off a successful debut in the Ultimate class, winning the Baja Greece in May in a Toyota Hilux, will join the team in Morocco for their pre-Dakar testing in mid-June.
The 2023 Rallye du Maroc is scheduled for 5–11 October, while the 2025 Dakar Rally will take place from 3–17 January.
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