Toyota of Japan's sports coupe "GR86" roared as it etched black skid marks into the asphalt. The tires on the car, which delivers a maximum output of 231 horsepower, slid laterally and longitudinally, belching smoke with a sharp burnt‑rubber smell. Weaving like a knife through a line of rubber cones, the GR86 paired the hand brake with a heavy stab of the accelerator to kick out its tail in a flashy drift.
On the 2nd, I took part in the "Toyota GAZOO Racing motorsports class" held at the Ajou Motor College driving practice track in Boryeong, South Chungcheong. Hosted by Toyota Korea, the class teaches driving techniques from proper posture to cornering and braking. Participants can also try motorsports such as the slalom, which involves avoiding obstacles like rubber cones, and gymkhana, an obstacle‑course race.
The gymkhana ran with Toyota's compact hatchback, the Prius plug‑in hybrid (PHEV). Following the instructor's guidance, I pushed the accelerator and brakes to probe its hidden performance. Without using the brakes, I zigzagged past the rubber cones with only inches to spare. After heavy deceleration before turn‑in, a hard push of the accelerator at corner exit set the body pitching and delivered a dynamic performance.
Toyota Korea operates "Toyota·Lexus Experience Programs" such as the GAZOO Racing motorsports class with Ajou Motor College. As part of the Toyota‑Technical Experience Program (T‑TEP), the group's future mobility talent development initiative launched in 2003, it is a dedicated program tailored to Ajou Motor College, which has a motorsports department. T‑TEP, which includes technical and philosophy education, donations of training kits and instructional vehicles, is run at eight universities in Korea.
Through this program, Toyota Korea has donated 37 vehicles in Korea to date. In March, it also donated a GR86 to support Ajou Motor College students' entry in the Inje GT Masters. A Toyota Korea official said, "This is to enable students to experience the entire motorsports process, from vehicle development and maintenance to data analysis." Scholarships Toyota Korea has provided to Ajou Motor College so far total 240 million won.
In line with the group philosophy that "the road shapes people, and people build cars," Toyota Korea is actively nurturing motorsports talent in Korea. It is sharing with domestic students the idea that overcoming the various limits faced on the extreme road of motorsports leads to building better cars.
Students who complete T‑TEP can, if they wish, receive a school recommendation and apply for jobs at Toyota Korea's authorized dealer service centers. Vice President Lee Byung‑jin of Toyota Korea said, "Ajou Motor College produces the most automotive talent in Korea," adding, "It has a motorsports department that aligns well with the brand, and since students may become technicians and serve customers in the future, we are pursuing extensive cooperation together."
Toyota Korea's efforts to foster domestic motorsports culture are also boosting sales of high‑performance models. The GR86 is the only model among vehicles officially sold in Korea that combines a manual transmission with rear‑wheel drive. Park Sang‑hyeon, a professor in the motorsports department at Ajou Motor College, said, "There are many high‑output cars sold in Korea, but the GR86 is the only one that can do gymkhana in a confined space without separate tuning."
Launched in 2022, the GR86 sold only 82 units in its first year, but last year sales rose 173% to 224. Cumulative sales through last year reached 787.