"Working to make an even better car"... I took a look at Toyota Motorsports' heart, the独 'TGR-E'. Note: The term '独' is typically used as an abbreviation for '日本' (Japan) in some contexts, but it's not commonly used in this way in modern Chinese or Japanese. Here, it seems to be used as part of the acronym 'TGR-E', which likely stands for "Toyota Gazoo Racing - Europe". A more accurate representation might be to leave it as 'TGR-E' without translation, given it's a proper noun.

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[Report] Cologne's 'TGR-E' motorsport strategic core hub - racing and brand history all in one place... called the 'Toyota Campus'

(Cologne=UD News) Lee Dong-hee reporter = On the local time of the 23rd, at the core hub 'Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe' (TGR-E) in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia state, Germany, which I visited. When I opened the revolving door and entered the building, the actual hypercar (LMDh) 'Toyota GR010 Hybrid', which had just returned from a run in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), was positioned right in the center. The exterior of the vehicle still bore traces of the race, such as tire rubber fragments.

At TGR-E, one could see Toyota's motorsport history at a glance. Toyota's motorsport history dates back to the early 1970s. Anderson Motorsport, founded by Swedish rally driver Ove Andersson in 1972, formed a partnership with Toyota, evolving into 'Toyota Team Europe' (TTE), and moved its base to Cologne in 1979.

In Cologne, Toyota Motorsports (TMG) was established and served as the headquarters for the World Rally Championship (WRC) in the 1990s and the early 2000s Formula One project. Following the integration of the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TOYOTA GAZOO Racing) brand, it changed its name to TGR-E in 2020. This is where we can say that Toyota's 60-year history of pursuing "making better cars" through motorsports began.

TGR-E is considered a key hub for Toyota's global motorsports strategy, serving as the automaker's motorsports and technical development center in Europe.

On this day, Thomas Heidbrink (Thomas Heidbrink), who was met at the site and is in charge of TGR-E Communication and Marketing, explained, "Everything except tires for motorsports vehicles can be developed and made here." The area was so vast that it was called the Toyota Campus. The white exterior prominently featured "TOYOTA" in English letters, making it clear to everyone that this was a Toyota facility. Outside the TGR-E building, the TGR flag fluttered alongside the German and Japanese national flags.

According to Toyota, TGR-E currently has an area of approximately 30,000 square meters and is equipped with various advanced facilities. It serves as the headquarters for the WEC team and functions as the development hub for the WRC rally car Yaris Rally1 hybrid engine. About 300 employees work here, handling all processes from design to production and testing. The HiT BRINK representative introduced Toyota's motorsports museum to the journalists who visited on that day.

As I followed him and opened the door, dozens of Toyota's main race cars from 1973 to the present were densely parked inside. This place is the only one in Europe that houses and displays Toyota's actual racing vehicles, having opened for the first time in May 2023. I was also able to see the 'GR H2 Racing Concept Car,' which showcases the future of hydrogen-based endurance racing.

In particular, the 'TS050 Hybrid' that actually participated in the Le Mans 24-hour endurance race when Toyota achieved its first overall win at Le Mans was displayed in the same condition. From the test in 2001 to its last participation in 2009, it was possible to see the entire history of Toyota's F1. The most impressive part is the numerous traces of Toyota employees left on the F1 car TF109, which retired after participating in the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Kinosita Yoshiaki, who was a staff member at the time, left a message on the rear wing of the vehicle saying, "When we received the order to descend, we were just below the summit. In the distance, dark clouds were approaching and the wind was getting stronger. It was just one more step to the summit. The storm came." This allowed one to feel the regret over the withdrawal from F1. If you can see Toyota's motorsports history at the museum, then the 'Toyota Collection' located a short distance away is a place where you can experience the brand's history firsthand. Here, not only can you see the vehicles that symbolized Toyota in each era, but you can also open the doors and get inside them.

The exhibition hall, which spans approximately 1800㎡, featured over 70 vehicles including Silicas and Supras, Corollas, Crowns, Land Cruisers, and even the legendary 2000GT, arranged by era. In addition to past models, innovative vehicles such as the Prius, which marked the beginning of Toyota's hybrid empire, and the hydrogen fuel cell car Mirai also occupied their places. Markus Burgmer, who oversees the Toyota Collection, stated, "The collection began as a personal museum when a former dealership accumulated cars through trade-ins. Most of the vehicles are still operable today." When I opened the hood of a parked Toyota AE86 in the exhibition hall, I was able to confirm recent records of engine oil replacement.

도요타 컬렉션은 현재 매월 첫째 주 토요일에 일반에 공개하며 테마별 전시와 함께 무료 가이드 투어 및 내부 해설 프로그램을 제공한다.

The Toyota representative said, "It has developed into a community space where Toyota owners and classic car enthusiasts voluntarily gather." He also mentioned, "Recently, rare vehicles and special themed exhibitions have been introduced on a monthly rotating basis, receiving consistent interest from classic car fans."

yagoojoa@news1.kr

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