Toyota unveils the new TS040 Hybrid with which it will compete during the 2014 World Endurance Championship.
[Not a valid template]Following unveils from Audi and Porsche, Toyota has completed the top of the class LMP1 H line-ups for the 2014 World Endurance Championship season by officially launching its new TS040 Hybrid. Just as well, given that we’re now less than a month before the season opening six-hour race at Silverstone.
The biggest difference to the Bahrain winning TS030 – as opposed to some staggeringly vertical headlights – is the new hybrid V8 powerplant, in deference to new regulations for the WEC this season concerning fuel economy. And what a unit. Thanks to 473bhp from the all-wheel drive hybrid boost, and 513bhp from the 3.7-litre V8, the TS040 Hybrid kicks out a toupe-rippling 986bhp. Given that this thing weighs less than a paperclip, we’re assuming the acceleration will be ferocious.
The team’s driver line-up – Alex Wurz, Stéphane Sarrazin, Kazuki Nakajimi, Anthony Davidson, Nicolas Lapierre and Sébastien Buemi – remain the same for 2014, albeit with Lapierre and Sarrazin swapping seats in the #7 and #8 machines.
And before you ask, no, we’re not sure who’s idea the music was either.
– Shots courtesy of Toyota
