Wales Rally GB announce ‘extensive new partnership’ with Toyota

Wales Rally GB, Britain’s round of the FIA World Rally Championship, has announced an extensive new partnership that will see Toyota become the event’s ‘Official Car Partner.’

Toyota returned to the WRC with a factory-backed team at the start of this season, but has played a pivotal role in the staging of the UK’s WRC event since 2013, when Toyota Manufacturing UK first hosted the Deeside Service Park on-site at its engine manufacturing centre.

Toyota will be supporting a schools’ design competition, organised by the Welsh Government and Wales Rally GB.

The winning livery will be applied to a Toyota GT86 coupe and displayed in the Rally Village next to the Toyota Deeside engine plant.

As ‘Official Car Partner’, Toyota will supply a fleet of liveried vehicles for use on the event by key members of the organisation team, safety crews and international dignitaries, they include Auris Touring Sports and C-HR hybrids, engines for these are manufactured at the Deeside facility.

Toyota will also be sponsoring of the family-focused Toyota RallyFest at Cholmondeley Castle.

The carmaker will also have a selection of classic rally cars on display at Cholmondeley Castle on 28 October, a family-friendly speed test in the grounds of the famous stately home in Cheshire.

Ben Taylor, Managing Director of Wales Rally GB said;

“We have built up a great relationship with Toyota at Deeside during the past four years,” . “The company has been a fantastic supporter of the rally, not just as our landlord, but also in giving its backing for various initiatives with young people, such as the Big Bang exhibition and Dare to be Different.

With Toyota’s return to the WRC this year, the Official Car Partnership was a natural progression and we look forward to working closely together on the 2017 event.”

Andrew Cullis, Toyota (GB) Marketing Director, said:

“Our partnership with Dayinsure Wales Rally GB and support for RallyFest gives us a great opportunity not only to celebrate our return to the pinnacle of world rally competition, but also to demonstrate our leadership in advanced technologies for road cars.”

Full details of 2017 Wales Rally GB including route, timetable and ticket information can be found on the official www.walesrallygb.com website.