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The Gazoo Racing Headquarters space, which had mainly been used to store vehicles, was given a complete overhaul by Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) to offer an exciting new hub for motorsports enthusiasts.
“Toyota as a brand has a long and proud racing history, so it’s fitting that the new Gazoo Racing Headquarter’s home is at Zwartkops Raceway – a true icon in the local racing scene. Gazoo Racing as a brand, has continued to grow under the guidance of ex-Toyota Motor Corporation president Akio Toyoda – who like me is an avid petrol head. GR is not only about creating excitement for the Toyota brand, but also about applying learnings and technology derived from racing to our road cars,” says Leon Theron, Senior Vice-President of Sales and Marketing.
“The GR HQ concept came about due to the need to integrate the various elements within the ever-expanding GR brand,” explains Glenn Crompton, Vice-President Marketing. “Not only does it reinforce the GR brand, but also provides a space for GR fans to enjoy all GR activities under one roof: GTC (Global Touring Cars), GR Cup, GR Junior Academy and the GR Driving Academy (previously Toyota Advanced Driving).”
While Toyota Advanced Driving has offered advanced driving courses for the past 17 years, the opportunity to integrate the newly-renamed GR Driving Academy with the other GR elements, and the ideally located GR HQ facility, provided perfect synergy, says Paul de Vos, Managing Director of GR Driving Academy. “The Academy offers a full suite of advanced driving courses from high-performance driving to defensive and off-road, which customers can complete in a variety of Toyota and/or GR-specific models. We’re also very excited to have all three GR flagship models (GR86, GR Supra and GR Yaris) in our fleet.”
