Toyota has taken the wraps off the Gazoo Racing (GR) SupaStarlet race car. Unveiled for the South African market, it is essentially based on the new Toyota Glanza. The SupaStarlet, which will participate in a new Supacup series in Africa, gets race-spec upgrades over the standard Glanza hatchback. These include body-coloured race-spec wheels, flared wheel arches, centre lock wheels, and a large rear spoiler sticking out of the windshield. Meanwhile, the stripped-down interior of the race car offers a full roll cage for the driver's safety, along with bucket seats with multi-point racing harnesses.
Market reports suggest that the new SupaStarlet race car forms a part of Toyota’s GR programme, which aims to help young talents build professional careers in the world of motorsports. Under the Gazoo Racing name, the programme encompasses various levels, from go-karts to Dakar Rally and more.
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Toyota SupaStarlet Race Car: Other Details
The SupaStarlet is based on the rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, the Toyota Glanza — which is sold as the Starlet in South Africa. While the company has yet to disclose the mechanical specifications of the SupaStarlet, here are the technical details of the road-going Toyota Glanza for your reference. The hatchback is currently in its second generation and comes with a 1.5-litre petrol engine linked to either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission. Power and torque figures are rated at 103bhp and 138Nm, respectively.
Toyota Glanza in India
Toyota launched the facelifted version of the Glanza in the Indian market in March 2022. The hatchback comes in four variants, namely E, S, G, and V. In terms of the powertrain, the Glanza receives a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated (NA) petrol engine. Coupled with a 5-speed AMT and a 5-speed manual transmission, the petrol unit cranks out 89bhp and 113Nm of peak torque. When running on CNG, the same unit, mated to a manual transmission, develops 98.5Nm of torque and 76bhp.
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As far as safety goes, the Glanza offers ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, vehicle stability control (VSC), hill hold assist (AMT only), a 360-degree camera, and six airbags. It rivals the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Tata Altroz, and Hyundai i20.
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