Toyota factory team back in the Safari with a bang after 23 years

Toyota Kenya Managing Director Arvinder Reel (right) guides Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed and WRC Safari Rally Kenya CEO Phineas Kimathi around 2019 Toyota Yaris WRC Replica by Toyota Gazoo Racing team during the unveiling of Toyota Kenya's Sh30 million sponsorship towards the organisation of WRC Safari Rally Kenya at Toyota Kenya Showroom, along Uhuru Highway, Nairobi on May 10, 2021.


Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • The 2019 WRC edition becomes the first factory team car to be seen in Kenya since 2002, and, sure enough, it will attract rallying pilgrims from across Kenya
  • Toyota, known for their proficiency, shipped this car early this year, sparking speculation on who the owner is until  it was unveiled on Monday
  • KCB Bank recently gave the organisers Sh100 million as a financial partner, and more are lining up the gravy train

Toyota’s intentions of returning to Kenya for the 2021 World Rally Championship Safari Rally after sitting out for 23 years was confirmed on Monday.

Toyota Kenya, the local franchise of the biggest automaker in the world, unveiled a replica of the FIA world championship - winning Toyota Yaris WRC.

The 2019 WRC edition becomes the first factory team car to be seen in Kenya since 2002, and, sure enough, it will attract rallying pilgrims from across Kenya in the lead up to the June 24-27 WRC Safari Rally in the coming days.

Top government officials and rallying aficionados attended the function sweetened by a Sh30 million Toyota Kenya sponsorship for the Safari in addition to another Sh2 million attached to the Toyota double cabin Hilux loaned to the event as a OO route opening car.  The Yaris stole their hearts.

Toyota, known for their proficiency, shipped this car early this year, sparking speculation on who the owner is until  it was unveiled on Monday in front of Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed and top WRC Safari Rally officials led by CEO Phineas Kimathi.

The car, parked next to a small museum featuring Toyota Hall of Fame Safari Rally champions, was treated as a treasure with top officials of the company cautioning photo opportunities seekers not to touch the machine.

Only four polo Toyota Gazoo Racing shirts were shipped for top executives of Toyota who conducted the ceremony, of which an insider intimated that the attire will be washed and shipped back to the company’s racing division headquarters.

They simply do not want their invaluable brand to be watered down by anybody in the streets sporting it before the real machine kicks dust on June 24 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.

The car was shipped in by Toyota Gazoo Racing with a simple message of returning to Kenya to reclaim the once-revered title of “Toyota, the Kings of Africa.”

This signals the end of the long wait for WRC Safari Rally, and the beginning of a sense of purpose among  other manufacturers such as Hyundai and Ford to make their presence felt in pre-event publicity stunt to connect with ordinary Kenyans.

The  WRC Yaris costing Sh100 million, of which Toyota Gazoo Racing - the motorsport division of Toyota Corporation - says it cannot sell to anybody with or without loads of cash, stands opposite the road-going GR Yaris which has also been introduced into the Kenyan market. There is no semblance apart from the car name badge.

The WRC Yaris has a massive two-tier rear spoiler on top and a diffuser on the bottom with protruding side aerodynamics side skirts and wings to reduce wind drag.

This car develops anything in the region of 380 BHP. Toyota says in the tech details of the car on their website that the top speed and 0-100KPH remain classified. Anyway, Toyota has won the last two WRC drivers’ titles and, is fighting for a hat-trick in their short WRC presence since 2017. The GR, in comparison, has a three-cylinder developing 270BHP with low power to weight distribution. It will set one back by Sh8 million.

The Safari is already attracting suitors. KCB Bank recently gave the organisers Sh100 million as a financial partner, and more are lining up the gravy train.

This begs many questions; Why are athletics, rugby, volleyball, and football officials pleas falling on deaf ears despite massive media publicity for these disciplines?

The answer is simple. First, sports, like any product, must be packaged according to market dynamics to attract consumers.

The WRC Promoter has already computed the commercial value of the Safari to the tune of Sh11 billion, free media publicity in local and international media mean-rated at Sh4 billion. What is the commercial value of athletics for example? A simple empirical study would produce the results. But who will actualise this?

Sports people must start learning how to operate as shrewd businessmen.