The Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival is an eye-opener into the brand’s more exciting side

Toyota stands as a towering force in the global automotive industry, an unassailable titan that has consistently outperformed competitors and commanded sales dominion for countless years.

My formative years as an automobile enthusiast and as a Toyota owner in the Philippines acquainted me intimately with Toyota's far-reaching influence and adoration among car aficionados. However, as time progressed, the iconic image of the brand experienced undulating fluctuations, much like any enduring entity. The thrilling models that had once captivated enthusiasts—the likes of Supra, AE86, MR2, and Celica—were gradually phased out in favor of more commonplace vehicles, indicating a shift towards a more pragmatic approach driven by financial considerations.

In my youth, outside of movies and pop culture, the Toyota vehicles I encountered were renowned for their reliability, dependability, and near-invincibility. Sales figures remained robust, yet the brand's reputation primarily rested on these established traits. While commendable, a pivotal question remained: "Can Toyotas also ignite desire?"

This inquiry found its answer in the emergence of Akio Toyoda, a direct heir of the original founding family. Tasked with steering his familial conglomerate into the future, Akio ascended to the helm in 2009. This transition occurred amid a tumultuous automotive landscape where concerns about global warming and carbon emissions were shaping the trajectory of car manufacturing.

The epoch saw the ascension of hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs) to prominence across all brands. The realm of gasoline-powered vehicles, once the heart of enthusiast passion, began yielding to a more eco-conscious agenda. Toyoda-san grappled with navigating this new order, a departure from the industry dynamics his family had so comprehensively mastered.

Remarkably, Toyoda did not buckle under this immense pressure. Quite the contrary, he seemed to thrive amidst the challenges. Toyota surged as a pioneer and leader in the realm of Hybrid Electric Vehicles, adopting a pragmatic stance toward sustainable mobility. Rather than plunging exclusively into EVs, the brand championed hybrids and alternative propulsion like hydrogen as the transitional pathways towards an emission-free automotive realm.

A pivotal juncture in Toyoda’s journey materialized around 2010 when a quality control predicament beset Toyota, resulting in the recall of a staggering 8.5 million models in North America due to safety concerns. This period was undeniably trying, yet amidst the adversity, Toyoda himself stepped forward. He testified before the US House of Representatives, personally apologizing to the public and pledging to elevate the brand. This event illuminated Toyoda’s sense of accountability for the past blunders – a degree of responsibility uncommon among high-ranking automotive executives. This was definitely a turning point, wherein he had enough of your run-of-the-mill mass-market cars and was now dedicated to also building cars for enthusiasts.

Thus far, Toyoda-san's stewardship has borne fruit, and he could easily recline, awaiting his successor's takeover. However, Toyoda transcends the archetype of a conventional executive. Fuelled by fervor and a profound love for automobiles, he spearheaded Toyota's renaissance, injecting verve back into the product lineup. The Gazoo Racing (GR) brand stands as his brainchild, evolving into one of the most venerated performance marques today.

Toyoda greenlit the creation of the celebrated GR Yaris, personally immersing himself in its development to ensure its resonance with enthusiasts. He pursued this passion further, training under Japanese racing virtuosos and engaging in arduous motorsport competitions incognito as "Morizo."

This transformative zeal translated into Toyota's motorsport endeavors, propelling the company from mere competitors to frontrunners in Rallying, Endurance Racing, and NASCAR.

Fast-forward to the present, Toyota Motor Philippines commemorated its 35th anniversary with a resounding event: the 2023 Gazoo Racing (GR) Festival. Naturally, no GR celebration could be complete without the presence of Morizo. Driven by his unbridled love for cars, Toyoda traversed great distances to partake in the festivities within our modest archipelago.

While he could have settled for cursory appearances and perfunctory speeches, Toyoda, donning his Morizo persona, opted for a grander spectacle. This 67-year-old magnate shed his executive demeanor and embarked on a mesmerizing exhibition. Seated behind the wheel of the championship-winning WRC GR Yaris, he unleashed a symphony of donuts and drifts in the heart of sweltering Manila.

Perhaps a solitary display would have sufficed, yet Toyoda’s elation fueled repeated forays onto the tarmac. He fearlessly wrangled the cars he had envisioned into existence, all while engaging the audience with waves, exuberant shouts, and an infectious smile that radiated across the grandstands. Worth noting is that Morizo possesses formidable driving prowess, rivaling the competence of seasoned racers.

His rallying cry echoed throughout the event: "I love cars!"

Toyota has always commanded my respect for its values, a sentiment magnified by my ownership of a Toyota GR Yaris. However, my encounter with GR and Morizo over the course of the event elevated this sentiment to uncharted admiration. The sheer fervor and ardor Toyoda exudes for automobiles render him a magnetic icon, transcending the idolization typically reserved for race car drivers. Of course, I was also very thankful and ecstatic to have my vehicle signed by Morizo, Naohiko Saito (GR Yaris Chief Engineer), and Masahiro Sasaki (Toyota Gazoo Racing Works driver and Super Taikyu Champion)—the three who made the GR Yaris possible today.

Morizo's dedication to pushing boundaries and enhancing the automotive landscape is palpable. He translates vision into action, injecting his personal investment to offer the world vehicles that are not only eco-friendly but also exhilarating. Amidst an era darkened by energy crises and environmental concerns, Morizo strides into the automotive unknown, invigorated by an unwavering grin and a mission to conceive cars that captivate global audiences.

Presently, his hydrogen-powered GR race cars embody his commitment to preserving the raucous auditory delights of combustion engines, an antidote to the hushed tones of EV-powered racers. Even Rowan Atkinson, renowned for his Mr. Bean persona, became a proud owner of the GR Yaris, afforded the esteemed privilege of piloting a Hydrogen GR Yaris race car up the hallowed inclines of the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Morizo stands as a visionary resolved to preserve the enjoyment, accessibility, and allure of automobiles, all while circumventing the detriments of fossil fuels. For this, my admiration for him is boundless. He is truly proof that if you put real car guys at the helm, then all that passion will trickle down to their products.

The article serves as a homage to Toyota Gazoo Racing and Morizo, a visionary plunging headlong into an automotive frontier characterized by uncertainty. Fuelled by an unparalleled energy and an unassailable smile, he kindles enthusiasm for cars that traverses generational gaps. His fleeting presence in Manila indelibly imprinted upon this budding automotive journalist a profound and lasting mark. With gratitude and reverence, I salute Morizo and his intrepid mission, and I've never been prouder to be a patron of his illustrious brand.

As far as we are concerned, this is only the beginning for Toyota Gazoo Racing and the corporation as a whole. There is still a lot more in store for a brand that has rekindled its fire from the 80’s and 90’s.