Toyota's about-face?

[macdaddy]

The following article is from AutoSport.com.

Japanese car giant Toyota has admitted that it is prepared to make an about face on its decision to not supply engines to CART from the end of next year, according to this week's AUTOSPORT magazine.

Toyota decided to quit CART after deciding it could not supply engines to both the IRL, to which it has committed for 2003, and Champ Cars.

However, following a decision by the latter to adopt IRL's 3.5-litre normally-aspirated engine regulations, which prompted both Ford and Honda to quit the series, Toyota could yet end up supplying both series. That has become even more of a possibility after Champ Car team bosses voted to use a non-uprated version of the IRL engine at Fontana 10 days ago.

While Toyota's main focus will be IRL, Toyota Racing Development's general manager Lee White says that the company could supply as many as 10 engines to the Champ Car series on a purely customer basis, if not more.

"We have said all along that if CART adopted the same engine [as IRL], and if it made business and marketing sense, that we would participate in CART," said White. "So under these auspices, we would be happy to supply as many engines as we reasonably could. We can supply 10 cars. Beyond that it would have to be evaluated."

White has also stipulated that further criteria need to be met by CART if Toyota is to continue its supply. Furthermore, Toyota is not prepared to be the series' sole engine manufacturer and as a result, other suppliers still have to be found. Both Cosworth and British-based builders Engine Developments are known to have an interest.

[Liz]

MEMO TO TOYOTA

TO: The Honchos at Toyota
FROM: The People In Charge of Champ Cars
DATE: About 2 Months Ago
RE: JUSTONEDAMNEDMINUTEHERE!

Dear Honchos and Honchettes, as Applicable:

We at Champ Cars wish to point out to you that you are not, in fact, the President and CEO of Championship Racing Teams. We hold that position, last time we checked, and a diligent questioning of the staff has revealed that nobody here died and left youse in charge.

Please be advised that you are, at Our Pleasure, an engine supplier, that we will set the specifications and your response is limited to Take It Or Leave It: that is, you will either meet them or get out of Dodge.

When we want to be dictated to by our suppliers, you will be the first to know.

Until that day comes, get the hell out of our office.

Cordially yours,

The Guys In Charge

[macdaddy]

Love that last post, Liz. But, if it were really written by CART management, there would have been alot of spelling errors and incomplete sentences.

[Liz]

They would have spelled all the long, obscure words correctly and misspelled all the short words.

And at the end of the page no one would have any idea what they had said.

Especially them.

[cartfan1]

Toyota got it's way, they never beat Honda or Ford, or for that matter mercedes, now all they have to do is compete against lower level car manufacturers like Chevy and half assed efforts from Nissan.

I can't wait to see what they do about the beatings they will be recieving in Formula 1.

[BootsOntheSide]

"I can't wait to see what they (Toyota) do about the beatings they will be recieving in Formula 1. "

Its a good job Bernie doesn't fold as easily as Tony George or Joe Heitzler, otehrwise F1 would end up in tatters. All too often, the car in front is a Toyota, but only due to effectively making the rules themselves

[nem]

Toyota's original press release stating it would not supply 2.65L engines in 2003 occured before the CART Franchise Board announced it had voted(not unanamously)to change the 2003 engine spec to 3.5L NA.
CART's rule book requires such a change to be announced no later than March 31, two years before the season affected. They didn't make their announcement until October, 7 months late.

Toyota then said they would only provide 3.5L engines in CART, come 2003, if it made good business and marketing sense. CART had just shown the world it was in such a state of disarray that its couldn't adhere to it's own rulebook which makes it difficult, if not impossible, to make good business/marketing decisions.

At the time of CART's announcement there were several little details missing, such as an actual specification for the proposed new engine and who, if anyone, might supply same. They said it would be 30-60 days. Now we are talking 8-9 months late.

At Fontana, the Franchise Board met again to hear the progress report from Lopes and Walker on progress towards the new engine spec and the supply situation. Several members of the Board walked out of the meeting in anger(disgust?).

So, Toyota now commits to supplying 10 or more cars with 3.5L engines, but still no engine specification from CART. John Judd has expressed interest supplying 3.5L engines, IF, CART can provide the specifications he needs soon enough for him to have a realistic opportunity to produce a competitive engine.

Seems to me Toyota is being pretty magnanimous, in light of the continued dissent among the Franchise Board, and is showing more loyalty to CART than Honda or Ford who flat out just bailed.