Trulli will look better than Glock, the team won't make any progress relative to the others. In short, another crap performance. I hope Williams hammers them.

Panasonic Toyota Racing is pleased to confirm it will broadcast live coverage on the internet of its pre-season event on Thursday 10 January from the team’s technical centre in Cologne, Germany.

To ensure all media and fans do not miss a minute of the official unveiling of the new TF108 car, the event will be shown live on www.toyota-f1.com from 10.30 until around 11.10.

As well as the unveiling of the new TF108, top management from Toyota Motor Corporation and Panasonic Toyota Racing will be joined by race drivers Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli and third driver Kamui Kobayashi on stage to discuss the 2008 season.

He stole one of our photos too

are there any hints that painting is gonna be any different than the one which is used since ages?

so broadcasting like last year... will be again this boring rtl-guy galled florian könig introduce the presentation? hopefully NOT.

But if Ferrari doesn`t change livery "since ages" it`s ok.
Honda changed livery last season, everybody know how does it looked like. Sometimes it`s better not to change livery.

Last year, I saw the ethnic 'drummers' (which went on... and on... and on) and then my computer crashed before I even saw the flippin car. So hopefully it's better than that this year.

Does anyone really care what Toyota`s car will look like?

It looks the same since 2003 (apart from the nose).

Why will you watch the presentation if you don't care?

After a promising F1 season in 2005 which saw Toyota come 4th in the constructors (Toyota would have probably been 3rd if not for the USA GP), fight for its first win at the Spa-Francorchamps, Belgian Grand Prix, and find their drivers come a respectable 6th and 7th overall, Toyota have had 2 poor seasons in 2006 and in 2007, where many though they would have an advantage by switching to Bridgestone tyres a year early.

Toyota will hope to return or to better it's 2005 form with the unveiling of the new TF108 car.

To see if they have finally decided to make a better use of the car by the rear wing slowly sliding backwards and upwards and unfolding into a massive Panasonic TV?

Who said I will?

As Owen already said, half an our of "TAM, TAM" and the connection went down.

No, thank you...

As mentioned, I hope Williams stomp and put them to shame.

I don't understand why people are so against Toyota, especially now that Ralf is gone.

It's more a lack of respect for Toyota than being 'against' them per se. They spend mucho denari and get next to no return. It's laughable. For me it went even further downhill when they failed to beat Williams last year.

But Honda spent probably just as much and also lost to Williams.

Williams was not using an engine provided by Honda.

Doesn't matter, people like Honda and their drivers.

Will Toyota be using Williams' gearbox and rear assembly on the TF108 or are they going their way in 08??

Honda have at least had high points (2004 season, the win in 2006) and promise: Ross Brawn (with, by all accounts, a free hand). Toyota don't look likely to achieve anything, ever. They could be a perfectly respectable engine supplier, or (ideally) a partner to Williams; instead they squander huge sums and make no headway. They're wasting their time in F1 and occupying a space that another team might make better use of it, I'd rather see another Force India on the grid next year, with the potential for progress, than Toyota stuck in its perpetual quagmire. In fact Ralf Schumacher was probably the perfect mascot for the team: someone regarded as having what it takes to compete at the highest level, but bafflingly failing year after year.

Who are Toyota blocking from coming in? Nonexistant Prodrive? Another manufacturer face saving exercise? Give Force India more money and they're going to improve until they're as stuck as Toyota.

At least we can cheer on the progress of Force India, there's charm in seeing a small team competing at the pinnacle of the sport. Toyota offer nothing, even their failures are mediocre.

Maybe it is the Kaizen thing for me.

Well, after 5-6 years they still don`t get that they can stick their corolla philosophy up their chimney.

It is in the interest of F1 that Toyota do well. Dieter Rencken published a good article on this last week.

But most people will notice when they are not there.

There is too much pessimism about Toyota here, everyone likes to bash them. Lots of juvenile pop-management speculation (on predictable lines...) about how and why they have not had success.

They cannot struggle for unlimited period into future and will have much better season this year. Realistically they cannot but improve from here, and I do not fear for them to run away from F1 as it is a long term investment. A lot can change by 2010 for Toyota and other teams as well, not to forget F1 in itself.

But many can afford a Fiat, which is what they are selling.

Toyota said they had a number of reasons to join F1. They dropped out of other motor sport enterprises too, in order to fund the F1 program. One of the reasons they wanted to enter F1 was because they wanted to lower the average age of their customers, and they felt a world motor sport such as F1 would assist in that process. I guess F1 is a hedge against the hybrid programs? Toyota has lowered its age demographic since they entered F1, who knows to what extent F1 has assisted in that process. While Toyota haven't been successful in the F1 competition, they do get publicity from it, unlike Ford and General Motors, who six years ago both outsold them.

This issue is something I find really hard to understand. Renault won two world championships with a Spanish champion, the Spanish went mad for F1, but Renault road car sales in Spain fell by 2%.

Toyota don't really have a car to sell to F1 fans, and Honda call their biggest seller a "Civic", and their only V6 is in a luxobarge saloon.

Alfa did lots of motorsport and it didn't help them, Porsche and Audi don't bother with F1 and it doesn't seem to hinder them at all.

How many of us buy a car without reading reviews? I suspect: none. Once we read a review, how much difference does the existence of a same-brand F1 team make? I suspect: none. I have a BMW but I don't support the BMW F1 team, I broadly support McLaren Mercedes but I'm more concerned about how my own car turns in when I'm driving it. How many Ferrari fans here have Fiats?

So I am a bit fascinated by the logic of it all, because on the face of it, there isn't any.

On a side note about Audi, Audi have employed former March, Brabham, Shadow, and ATS F1 driver Hans-Joachim Stuck as a Senior Motorsport Advisor. However Audi have stated they still have no desire to enter F1. Audi currently compete in DTM, ALMS and LeMans. Audi comfortably won LeMans last year with the ground Breaking R10 TDi, a Turbo Diesel Prototype car. Audi have won LeMans now every year from 2000 with the exception of 2003 where Bentley won, however Bentley are another member of the VAG (Volkswagen Audi Group)…

Likely to be a V10 diesel R8 out soon. I just don't think F1 currently fits their motorsport direction. If FIA mandated the use of a diesel equivalence formula to race alongside my view is that they would think it worthwhile.

When you see/hear the Audi R10 TDi Driving it is Eerie, as it is very very Quiet!!! Supprising for a diesel...

Sorry for going off topic back to the Toyota TF108,

Toyota Motorsport GmbH is pleased to welcome global fixings and assembly specialists Würth as a new Official Supplier to the Panasonic Toyota Racing team.

Würth is the largest trading company of fasteners and assembly technology in the world, with over 100,000 products, and the Würth Group is represented by 30,000 sales representatives in 386 companies in 86 countries.

For the 2008 season, Würth will supply tools and fasteners to Panasonic Toyota Racing and the company’s logo will feature in the pit garage, on team trucks and on all official communication. The partnership with Würth will be showcased in public for the first time at the team’s pre-season event on 10 January in Cologne.

Throughout the season, Würth will bring their expert knowledge of fixings and assembly to Panasonic Toyota Racing’s Formula 1 challenge, providing the team with high performance fixings for use on the TF108 car as well as in the pits and at the factory.

Toyota Motorsport GmbH President John Howett said: “I am very pleased to welcome Würth as an Official Supplier. Würth is the perfect partner for Panasonic Toyota Racing because we are both world-class companies based in Germany who are ready and willing to take on a global challenge. As a company we are proud to add Würth to our roster of valued partners and we are working as hard as possible to make 2008 a memorable year for everyone connected with Panasonic Toyota Racing.”

Würth Head of Marketing and Advertising Dieter Münch said: “Würth is delighted to become an Official Supplier of Panasonic Toyota Racing for the 2008 season and we very much look forward to working together and strengthening our cooperation. Würth’s corporate culture is defined by team work, challenge and determination. These are shared by Panasonic Toyota Racing and they are also vital elements of success in Formula 1.”

The R8 is a good example, it's building a reputation without motorsport. We read about it, the mags say it's great, Clarkson likes it, it looks good, sold out already in the UK for 2008 I think.

Jense did give diesel a boost a few years ago when he got caught speeding at 130mph or something in a diesel 3 Series, that got a lot of publicity .

my thoughts exactly. Good post.

I for one will be gobsmacked if this car is not revolutionary with all the money they spend.

This team clearly has a huge mountain to climb to get more popular and to gain credibility.

Wanna bet?

I for one am a supporter of the Toyota team. I just wish they had a driver that would inspire a bit more enthusiasm then Trulli and Glock.

They've got 2 years to reach the summit of that mountain or it's thank-you and goodnight from Toyota F1.

I think it will be more "Hello Frank and Pat - fulltime!"

Will they really? I doubt it somehow.....

In the end, no one here is trying to be an expert on the situation. Yet its easy to see what they have done and, that is, fuck up royally. In every sense. From their image, to the management, to the drivers, to the actual race car. They haven't done much right at all. In fact, all they really have done is waste ridiculous amounts of money.

They are a boring team, inspire no passion whatsoever and, to sum up, look at the driver line up.
Nuff said. I predict in 3 years there won't be a Toyota F1, for many reasons. The main one being they will not reach Ferrari/McLaren like success and that is what they demand. Won't happen, nowhere near it.

As has been said, I would love to see them factory back the Williams team. That would be great.

Billions of dollars, 5 years, and jack shit to show for it. What is there to be optimistic about, exactly?

Very very few people like them or like their drivers. What possible benefit for the Toyota brand is F1. Is an embarassment.

Doug

Not much different from Honda really.

What's wrong with the drivers? Worst drivers on the grid?

I don`t think the drivers are a problem but they do seem to get under the influence or get the aura of boredom.

Honda? Honda already had success and seem to me like the japanese garagiste - racing spirit.


Whereas Toyota looks like :\

On the plus side, they're considerably less annoying than at least 50 % of the rest of the grid. Also working in their favor is that I couldn't pick their management from a lineup if my life depended on it.

Anyways the new car gets revealed tommorrow. Don't think I'll sleep tonight that's for sure, it's just so exciting.
*Sarcasm reading now off the scale*

Why do you even post in this thread if you don't care about Toyota?

I'm curious (like most of us) to see - what the car looks like - and how they will perform. I don't know if that qualifies for 'caring' about them, maybe it does? They've just never really rocked my world really. Just my opinion though, feel free to air your disagreement.

So what?
Engines mean jack these days.

Toyota is so popular that it has even two threads for it's new car.

You asked me why I had no respect for them, and that's why. That's the 'so what'. Engines might not be jack but their integration into the car and use is. Williams integrated it and utilised it better on a fraction of the budget.