Toyota Flags-Off Gazoo Racing Festival and Vios Challenge One Make Series

UMW Toyota Motor, the authorised distributor of Toyota vehicles in Malaysia today launched the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and the Vios Challenge one-make racing series at the Sepang International Circuit.

While the TGR Racing Festival is a weeend-long carnival set to take place in Penang, Johor, and Kuala Lumpur between August and March 2018, the Vios Challenge is a one-make race featuring 30 Vios cars set to take place during the TGR Racing Festival.

According to UMWT, there will be four rounds of Vios Challenge races in the first season, in which all the cars were prepared by Toyota dealer Wing Hin Motorsports.

The model used in the race series is the 1.5-litre J M/T variant (2NR engine), fitted with racing parts like:

• TRD bodykit
• TRD exhaust system
• TRD clutch and LSD
• TRD suspensions
• TRD brake pads
• Roll cage
• TRD tower bar and lower brace bars
• Enkei RPF 1 rims
• Toyo tires

Interestingly, anyone who holds a national racing license issued by AAM is eligible to take part in the race, and all they have to do is purchase the Vios Challenge race car (not road legal) for RM90,000. For the price, owners get the car, a set of FIA-approved racing suit, as well as six-sessions of racing school training for novice drivers.

It is said that with all the modifications, the car makes about 10 per cent more power than a standard Vios 1.5 J M/T.

In an effort to hype up the race series and to add excitement, eight local celebrities will be participating in the Vios Challenge, which is being held in Malaysia for the first time.

It is also worth mentioning that the Toyota Vios Challenge has been taking place in other countries in the region such as Thailand and the Philippines over the past few years.