Toyo Tires will once again play a key role in the legendary Dakar Rally. For the 2025 edition, the company is supplying its “Open Country M/T-R” SUV tyres to Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body (TLC), which is taking on the challenge of winning the T2 production class for an impressive twelfth
consecutive time.
In addition, Toyo Tires is providing its “Open Country M/T-R (SxS)” tyres for the innovative HySE-X2 hydrogen vehicle. This will compete in the new “Mission 1000 ACT 2” class, a category created to promote the development of next-generation powertrain technologies for carbon-neutral vehicles.
The project will be overseen by Overdrive Racing, who are managing the race on behalf of the Technology Research Association Hydrogen Small mobility & Engine Technology (HySE).
The tyres provided for TLC and Overdrive Racing are characterised by exceptional durability, wear resistance and the use of sustainable materials – an important step towards a more environmentally friendly future.
The Dakar Rally: one of the toughest challenges in the world
The Dakar Rally, which has been held since 1978, is considered one of the most demanding off-road endurance rallies in the world. Over a period of two weeks, the participants battle for the fastest overall time on unpaved roads, through cold mountain regions and scorching hot deserts. A total of almost 8,000 kilometers are covered, spread over 12 special stages and connecting sections. Precise driving skills and exceptional equipment are crucial.
TLC aims to develop an “even better Land Cruiser” by participating in extreme tests under real conditions. With a specially adapted Land Cruiser, developed and built in-house, the team celebrated its eleventh consecutive victory at the 2024 Dakar Rally. Toyo Tires has been supporting TLC since 2021 with tyres from the “Open Country M/T-R” series specially optimised for the Dakar.
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 Spec). The tyres offer improved driveability, wear resistance and durability on demanding surfaces such as rocky terrain and deserts.
Focus on sustainability: 55% of the tyre weight is made from sustainable materials. The materials used include butadiene rubber and styrene-butadiene rubber from biomass, rice husk ash, silica, vegetable oil, bio- based polyester fibres and recycled bead wire, as well as recycled carbon black obtained from used tyres (for the Dakar 2025 Rally, carbon black from pyrolysis oil is also used).
Open Country M/T-R (SxS)
This specially tuned tyre was developed for the HySE-X2 vehicle. It offers optimised performance in the dunes thanks to its tread pattern, increased stiffness for greater durability and a lower weight to improve acceleration and fuel efficiency.
Focus on sustainability: 60% of the tyre weight is made from sustainable materials, including the same innovative raw materials as the Dakar specification tyre.
From the race track to the future Toyo Tires uses the knowledge gained from off-road racing to continuously improve the performance of its pick-up and SUV tyres. At the same time, the company is driving forward the development of new technologies and materials to contribute to the realisation of a sustainable mobility society. These include:
• Development of environmentally friendly products
• Strengthening recycling technologies for tyres and raw materials
• Research into alternative materials to environmentally harmful substances
Source: Tyretradenews
