Toyo Tires has been supporting Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body (TLC) in participating in the Dakar Rally since 2021. At the current edition, which took place in Saudi Arabia from January 3 to 17, TLC triumphed in the production vehicle category. Equipped with the sustainable Open Country M/T-R from Toyo Tires, which was designed for pickups and SUVs, the rally team was able to secure its 12th consecutive class victory.
This year’s Dakar Rally started in Bhisha in southwestern Saudi Arabia and ended in Shuvaita in the east. Over a total distance of around 7,400 km, consisting of 12 special stages and connecting tracks, long and steep sand dunes put the cars and tyres to the test. Thanks to the high performance on uneven terrain, both TLC vehicles were able to successfully complete the rally. In the production car category, Akira Miura and Jean Michel Polato secured first place, followed by Ronald Basso and Jean Pierre Garcin in second place.
The tyre’s technology draws on the wide-ranging experience gained from off-road rallying, which has been gained with the help of TLC, among others. It was used in a special specification for the 2025 Dakar on two Land Cruiser 300 GR SPORT.
The experience gained from off-road racing in extreme environments is continuously incorporated into the development of tyres for pickups and SUVs at Toyo Tires. At the same time, work is being done to enable sustainable mobility of the future. To this end, Toyo Tires is developing new products and materials, strengthening technological innovations, expanding recycling processes for products and raw materials, and researching environmentally friendly alternatives for critical materials.
Open Country M/T-R (Dakar Rally 2025 Spec)
This optimised version of the Open Country M/T-R has been specially developed for the Land Cruiser 300 GR SPORT (Dakar Rally 2025 specification). The tyres offer improved drivability, wear resistance and durability on demanding surfaces such as rocky terrain and deserts.
Focus on sustainability: 55% of the tyre weight is made of sustainable materials. Among other things, butadiene rubber and styrene-butadiene rubber from biomass, rice husk ash, silica, vegetable oil, bio-based polyester fibres and recycled bead wire are used, as well as recycled carbon black obtained from scrap tyres (for the 2025 Dakar Rally, carbon black from pyrolysis oil is also used).
Quote from TLC rally driver Akira Miura
“This tournament was considered the toughest in history, as was rumoured. There were moments when it seemed to me that it might not be possible to get through the race with a production car at all. But the Open Country has always driven the vehicle forward with aplomb. These tyres not only offer performance, but also harmonise perfectly with the car and give the perfect feedback to the human senses. This gave me the strength to believe in the Land Cruiser and never give up on the goal of winning. We would like to thank everyone involved in the development and production of the tyres for their active support.”
Quote TLC Coach Yuji Kakutani
“This tournament is one of the most demanding challenges: In the first half, sharp rocks hidden under millstone-sized stones and sand have to be overcome, while the second half puts the team in front of one of the largest sand dunes in the world – a gigantic, 15-kilometre-wide wall. It was a real test of endurance. But thanks to the calmness and skill of our crew, as well as the outstanding support provided by the Open Country tyres, we were able to master these extreme conditions. The result: a one-two victory and our twelfth consecutive success in the production car category. The result of the combined strength of our team and the support of all those involved – I would like to express my sincere thanks for that.”
Source: Tyretradenews
