The 2025 season of Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Philippine Cup was certainly one to remember. They invited former Vios Cup winners in the new Legacy class, which brought the total number of cars in the grid to 70. GR Club members were also invited to have their own race per class. Street circuit also came back as they held the second weekend in Villar City back in May.
Next year, things will be more exciting as Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) announced that they’ll be adding a new Tamaraw one-make race (OMR). You read that right, the Toyota Tamaraw DSL M/T will be joining the Vios on the track. TMP is looking to have around 30 drivers for the new class, bringing the total number of cars on the grid to 100.
As a preview, 5 Tamaraws raced for a few laps during the last weekend of TGR Philippine Cup. They were driven by past Vios Cup winners namely John Dizon, Daniel Miranda, Estefano Rivera, Tyson Sy, and Allan Uy. The Tamaraws were lightly-modified by Autoplus to accommodate a 4-point rollcage, aftermarket brake pads, intercooler, and a bigger air intake. Things like the suspension, engine, and transmission were still stock.
In the few laps that happened, a lot of overtakes were done on the track in the track-focused Tamaraws. The lap times were certainly longer, but the action was even more intense from corner to corner that they were almost five abreast when the checkered flag was waved.
Andy Ty, Assistant Vice President and head of the new Gazoo Racing Section of TMP, shared that they’re still ironing out the race-ready packages for the Tamaraw OMR. It will have safety upgrades in the form of a better race seat, along with 6-point rollcage, as well as improved suspension. The engine and transmission will remain stock.
Autoplus also created a couple of beastly Tamaraws. Both were fitted with a dual-turbo setup and a few more secrets. The final output came at 350 horsepower and around 700 Nm of torque. They had it drag race against a Vios, and both generations of the 86. Of course, the souped-up Tamaraw won decisively. Just to be clear, these won’t participate in next year’s Tamaraw OMR. They just showcased the possibilities with the Tamaraw apart from its commercial forms.
With the Tamaraw joining in the festivities next season, it also opens up a new world of possibilities for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the local racing scene. In case you didn’t know, rally racing is making a comeback and the Tamaraw’s torquey engine and rear-wheel drivetrain are perfect for that. Things are not set in stone but one thing is for sure, Toyota Gazoo Racing does not disappoint.
