Toyota Gazoo Racing has been quite busy lately. As most of the motorsport events it participates in are on a break, the Japanese carmaker’s racing arm has been beefing up its steeds.

Recently, we shared with you the new matte-black liveries on its WRC and Le Mans race cars. But on the side, it has also been tweaking its race trucks to ensure a successful 2024 campaign.

TGR took the wraps off its Dakar Rally and FIA World Rally-Raid Championship steeds. Say hi to the GR DKR Hilux Evo T1U. Toyota has bared that quality, durability, and reliability were the considerations in the vehicle’s development. The number of kilometers the trucks accrued in additional tests in the Kalahari and the Namib deserts proves this.

Dimensions-wise, the vehicle is 100mm wider than its predecessor. And so, it is now 4,810mm long, 2,300mm wide, and 1,890mm tall. Modifications were made to the suspension system. The double wishbones on all four corners can now do up to 350mm of travel.

TGR dug deep in its hat of tricks by relocating the air-conditioning unit for better efficiency. And if that’s not enough, a new cooling package has been fitted just for redundancy.

Under the truck’s hood is Toyota’s V35A engine from the Land Cruiser 300 series. The twin-turbo V6 makes 354hp and 620Nm. This is paired with a Sadev six-speed sequential shift transmission, fitted with a 215mm ceramic twin-plate clutch.

Putting all that power to the pavement are 17-inch Evo Corse wheels wrapped in 37-inch BF Goodrich tires. Limited-slip front, center, and rear differentials were used to ensure maximum traction.

Five crews will be fielded at the Dakar 2024, with a mix of rookie and experienced drivers. Lead drivers Lucas Moraes and Seth Quintero will be racing in the FIA W2RC events.

Toyota Gazoo Racing has performed well in both the Dakar Rally and the W2RC this year, finishing first overall in both series.