Author: Bart Maes

The first real test for our GT86 and one that counts. We have always had a preference for the Maas gravel in and around Bocholt, but this edition the weather gods had made it extra challenging. All the ingredients were there to make it an exciting rally. New car, new co, changing weather conditions and above all a lot of enthusiasm.

Photos: Frank Photographics, Rally_art Photography, Ronny Vandezande, Kevin Opsomer

With the switch to the Toyota Gazoo Racing GT86 CS-R3, the team is confidently ready for the new 2024 season. The whole team has worked extremely hard over the past few months to prepare for the debut year for the Toyota. We opted for a varied and challenging programme full of novelties, this time with an international touch.

We would have liked to have seen it differently, but we are forced to postpone the debut with the Toyota GT86 CS-R3. Is that the result of corona or the war in Ukraine, we don’t know. The fact is that a number of crucial parts are lagging behind and we do not yet have an accurate view of new delivery times. Pinning ourselves down on new data makes little sense.

Although the GT86 saw the light of day in 2016, it still has 0 kilometers on the odometer and has never seen a rally test up close. Nevertheless, we are working on all kinds of updates, so that the car is fully compliant with the latest spec as provided at the time by TMG, the current Toyota Gazoo Racing.

For example, it got a brand new power source from their workshops in Cologne, with the latest updates. The startup and run-in is planned for one of the next weeks and will be done by an engine engineer from Gazoo.

Despite our enthusiasm, sky-high commitment and perseverance, we have to throw in the towel and the BMW E30 M3 story is put to an end. The ratio fun/cost derailed completely and common sense has forced us to pull the plug on the project.

Of course, the end of the M3 story doesn’t mean we’ll stop rallying. On the contrary, we are more motivated than ever and start again with a clean slate, a brand new car and tons of enthusiasm!

From the first second it was certain that it was going to be a rear-wheel drive car again. However, the availability of these is getting smaller and smaller. We briefly considered staying in the BMW family, in the form of an E36, E46 or 1 Series with a rock-solid S54 engine. But looking to the future, we were no longer convinced of this.

We took a completely different approach and went shopping at Toyota Gazoo Racing in Cologne, where we put one of the last remaining Toyota GT86 CS-R3s in our shopping cart.

It is not immediately the fastest R3, but it is a real factory car with a high fun content and rear-wheel drive! In addition, it does not look particularly bad and the flat-4 sound makes it a bit typical. We fell in love instantly.

In any case, R-Box is ready for a new adventure from 2023!

See you then!