Toyota Racing TS040 Set to Take on Le Mans

Hybrid sports cars are really starting to shape up to be the future of racing. With cars like the McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder at the top of the production spectrum, Toyota is aiming for the top of the heap at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with their TS040 race car.

The TS040 has almost 1,000 pure horsepower brewing inside, with a 3.7L V8 sending 513 of those horses to the rear wheels, and a four-wheel motordrive system that provides another 473 horsepower. When slowing, the motors provide regenerative braking, storing captured energy in a supercapacitor.

To comply with new rules, the vehicle has to operate with 25% less fuel than last year’s entry, so Toyota not only revamped the drivetrain, but modified the chassis and body to reduce drag, and increase grip and downforce.