Rally – The Toyota GT86 CS-R3 fulfilled the contract in Germany

La Toyota GT86 CS-R3 which will be on sale from next year was the zero car of the last Rally from Germany. Piloted by Isolde Holderied, former German pilot of the WRC, the Japanese brand was able to collect valuable data on the 1300km traveled with a view to approval in the R3 category by the FIA. “I really enjoyed driving the very fun CS-R3 with rear-wheel drive. It is well balanced and seems to adapt to all types of special stages. The public reaction to the CS-R3 passing was incredible. Many people are interested in Toyota's rally history and were happy to see TMG again. Passing the long Panzerplatte special on Saturday was a great moment. »

The German Rally was of great help to the Toyota engineers who were able to work within the framework of the competition. “This experience was very interesting for us and it was an important step in the development of the CS-R3”, adds Nico Ehlert, chief customer program engineer. “The car at Rally Germany was an early prototype and we expected to encounter some difficulties, but I'm delighted to say that the weekend actually went better than expected. Being in an environment where time is limited and pressure is high allowed us to see not only the performance of the car but also the operational needs. We have identified areas to improve in terms of technical performance and work at the service park. The reception given to the CS-R3 by the public was also a nice surprise. »

Photos of the Toyota GT86 CS-R3 at the German Rally can be viewed on this link.

Discover the analysis of the German Rally carried out by our special correspondents in issue 1975 of AUTOhebdo, available now in digital version on all platforms and on newsstands.