Toyota confirmed today the Avensis BTCC belonging to Dynojet Race team will be powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged power unit adapted from one of Toyota’s road-going range. The base engine develops 140 bhp, but they’re working on it and hoe to achieve 300 bhp.
Set to compete at 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship by Frank Wrathall Jnr, The Dynojet Avensis will join the ‘NGTC’-engined Avensis run by Speedworks Motorsport for Tony Hughes. Toyota supports both teams and provides technical guidance, but is not directly involved in the championship.
X CTech R technical director Mark Faulkner said: “The Toyota 3ZR engine is a lightweight, compact package which we have optimised to ensure delivery of the required performance and durability. This is an exciting programme and will allow us to showcase our experience with turbocharged touring car engines. We are looking forward to working closely with Dynojet and Frank to get the very best out of the complete package.”
Dynojet Race Team chief Frank Wrathall Snr added: “The Avensis has been designed to the ‘Next Generation Touring Car’ rules, which means we could have opted for the stock TOCA engine, however we were enormously impressed by the plans put forward by X CTech R and felt that this was the right way for us to go, not least because it means our Avensis will be 100 per cent Toyota.”
Scott Brownlee, Toyota GB’s PR chief, said: “The decision to fund the development of a new Toyota BTCC engine is a direct response to requests we received from privateer teams and drivers wanting to race the NGTC Avensis. We are delighted to be supporting the Dynojet Racing Team in this way and hope very much that even though theirs is not a ‘works’ entry, it will help return the Toyota name to the forefront of the BTCC.”
Wrathall Jnr, 24 and from Garstang, Lancashire, believes the Toyota-powered Dynojet Race Team Avensis will more than live up to expectations: “All the elements are in place for it to be very competitive indeed and I’m excited to go behind the wheel for the first time and get a feel for the Avensis, which will be the first front-drive car I have raced.”
