Toyota eyes up Le Mans victory with all-new TS050 HYBRID racer

Toyota Gazoo Racing has unveiled what it hopes will help it dominate the 2016 season of the World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Unveiled ahead of pre-season testing at the Paul Ricard circuit in the south of France the new racer, called the TS050 HYBRID, replaces the old TS040 HYBRID that struggled for pace at circuits like Belgium’s Spa.

Biggest change for the 2016 season is Toyota has dropped the TS040’s old 3.7-litre normally aspirated V8 for an all-new 2.4-litre V6 twin-turbo that generates 368kW.

Factor in the TS050’s front- and rear-mounted electric motors and total power is boosted to an incredible 736kW.

The move to a V6 twin-turbo also coincides with Toyota replacing its super-capacitor energy storage system to a lithium-ion battery.

This change pushes the TS050 from the six to eight megajoules hybrid LMP1 class.

Running a higher nose than last year’s TS040, Toyota says virtually every part of the new racer is all-new and the close attention under-floor airflow is just part of a completely new “aerodynamic concept” for the TS050 HYBRID.

The Toyota isn’t the only car that’s been completely redesigned for this year’s WEC.

Audi will race its 746kW R18 that comes powered by a V6 diesel.

Audi claims the new R18 will be the “strongest and most fuel-efficient LMP1 race car”, hinting that it has a winner on its hands but both the German car-maker and Toyota will have to beat the WEC title defender, Porsche’s 919 Hybrid that’s been upgraded for 2016.

To fully exploit new WEC regulation governing aerodynamics the 919 might still gain the upper hand.

Porsche has developed not one, but three different aero packages for the 919 to suit each circuit, that could give it a winning advantage.

We’ll find out on the first WEC race at Silverstone on April 17.

2016 World Endurance Championship Calendar:

17 April              6 Hours of Silverstone (Gbr)
7 May                6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (Bel)
18 June             24 Hours of Le Mans (Fra)
24 July              6 Hours of Nürburgring (Deu)
3 September       6 Hours of Mexico (Mex)
17 September     6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas (USA)
16 October         6 Hours of Fuji (Jpn)
6 November        6 Hours of Shanghai (Chn)
19 November      6 Hours of Bahrain (Bhr)

TS050 HYBRID Technical Specifications:

Type
LMP1-H (Le Mans Prototype - Hybrid)

Bodywork
Carbon-fibre composite

Windscreen
Polycarbonate

Gearbox
Transversal with seven gears sequential

Gearbox casing
Aluminium

Driveshafts
Constant velocity tripod plunge-joint driveshafts

Clutch
ZF-supplied multidisc

Differential
Mechanical locking differential

Suspension
Independent front and rear double wishbone pushrod-system

Springs
Torsion bars

Anti-roll bars
Front and rear

Steering
Hydraulically assisted

Brake callipers
Akebono mono-block light-alloy

Brake discs
Carbon ventilated

Discs
Ventilated front and rear in carbon

Rims
RAYS magnesium alloy 13 x 18-inch

Tyres
Michelin radial

Front tyres
31/71-18

Rear tyres
31/71-18

Length
4650mm

Width
1900mm

Height
1050mm

Fuel capacity
62.5 litres

Powertrain
TOYOTA HYBRID System - Racing (THS-R)

Engine
V6 direct injection twin-turbo

Engine capacity
2.4-litre

Fuel
Petrol

Valves
Four

Engine power
368kW/500PS

Hybrid power
368kW/500PS (front and rear combined)

Combined power
735kW/1000PS

Battery
High-powered lithium-ion battery developed by TOYOTA

Front hybrid motor
AISIN AW

Rear hybrid motor
DENSO

Inverter
DENSO