It’s very clear that Toyota is undergoing a very large paradigm shift, especially within upper management. Perhaps those who started working for Toyota a decade or two ago have finally reached a high enough rank to make large, corporate image-affecting decisions. Whatever it is, Toyota has started to make some rather curious steps, such as the decision to return to rally. Arguable their motorsport pursuits are isolated more to TMG (Toyota Motor GmbH) and Gazoo racing and the like, which are more affiliated with Toyota than actually being a core part of the company.
But Toyota itself has launched their Next One website, as part of their campaign to develop their next car. From what little information we can gather, the Next One project involves an 18,000 kilometre trip throughout Australia, crossing a variety of terrains. The objective of the project is to find inspiration and to adapt their models for the Australian climate and conditions, although it is difficult to say if they will spread this project out globally to develop local-specialised models in various countries.
Whatever it is, here is the video:
As you can see, Toyota is quick to capitalise on their AE86 heritage as a cultural icon, as well as the joy of spirited driving- perhaps the only consistency in the lives of these young protagonists amidst heartbreak and hardship. It’s a surpisingly deep video that evokes plenty of emotion- rare for a Japanese company by any stretch.
