The next-generation GR Hilux rally-raid challenger
Overdrive Racing, Belgium, November 10, 2025
Overdrive Racing is entering its next era of rally-raid, with the development of the all-new GR Hilux for the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing W2RC team.
Leading the charge is a newly-assembled design and engineering team, headed by Christian Loriaux, who joined the project in December 2024, and Glyn Hall, who came on board in June 2025. Together, they bring decades of elite expertise to one of the most demanding challenges in motorsport.
The new car will be exclusively used by the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing W2RC (TGR W2RC) team from the start of the 2026 World Rally-Raid Championship season. From the second half of 2026 it will also be made available to private teams wishing to compete in rally-raid.
Jean-Marc Fortin
CEO, Overdrive Racing
“It’s great to take on the challenge of developing an entirely new rally-raid GR Hilux to compete in the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, which includes the most iconic rally of them all, the Dakar. This has been a dream of mine, to bring together such an incredible group of people to design a car from scratch.”
Andrea Carlucci
Vice President Product Strategy and Marketing, Toyota Motor Europe
“The current GR Hilux has been incredibly successful. Not just for TGR W2RC, but also for the many privateers that rely on Toyota to compete. Since FIA started the W2RC championship four years ago, Toyota has won the manufacturers’ title every single year with the GR Hilux, including this season. But as this discipline becomes increasingly competitive, it was time for us to commission a new car.”
Built for Endurance, Tuned for Performance
With the FIA T1+ regulations now in their fourth year, performance gains come down to the smallest margins. The new GR Hilux is anything but incremental. At its heart is an all-new tubular chassis, delivering increased torsional stiffness, reduced weight, and improved serviceability, which crucial for gruelling events like the Dakar Rally where fast maintenance can determine the final result.
The chassis also integrates future FIA 2027 safety requirements, allowing for a new vertical seat movement system designed to absorb crash energy. This underlines Toyota’s ongoing commitment to crew safety.
Durability Refined
The new GR Hilux aims to be faster and tougher. A reinforced transmission system has been developed to handle extreme loads and is undergoing a comprehensive testing program ahead of the 2026 Dakar Rally.
Christian Loriaux
Technical Director, Overdrive Racing
“This marks a fascinating new chapter for me. I’ve followed the Dakar Rally for many years. Being a passionate off-road motorcyclist, the desert and its challenge have always appealed to me. Although this is my first professional step into rally-raid, I’ve spent decades in the World Rally Championship, where performance under extreme pressure and within tight regulations is the standard.
Rally-raid has changed; Dakar is now more sprint than endurance. That dynamic shift plays directly into my background. While I’ve worked in larger teams throughout my career, I’m genuinely impressed with the craftsmanship, resourcefulness, and competitive spirit here at Overdrive. We’re diving deep into every detail, from aerodynamics to packaging, from data to serviceability.
I’ve known Glyn for many years, and being able to work alongside him now makes this next phase of development both meaningful and exciting. Glyn brings a wealth of experience and a unique business-driven approach to racing. Understanding the importance of customer motorsports to Toyota, he’s more budget-conscious than I’ve traditionally had to be, which will challenge me in the best possible way. But that contrast, with different histories and different styles, is exactly what creates powerful collaboration.”
Glyn Hall
Senior Technical Consultant, Overdrive Racing
“This is a truly exciting new challenge for me. After leading my own company for over 30 years, I now have the opportunity to focus on what I’m most passionate about, engineering and development.
The Hilux vehicles developed with Hallspeed won three Dakar Rallies, and in 2025 a very similar version, operated by Overdrive, won a fourth Dakar. That’s a legacy I’m incredibly proud of, but the focus now shifts to the next evolution.
I’ve had technical ideas in my head for years that I never had the bandwidth nor the opportunity to fully develop. Now with this new opportunity I can focus purely on development. Working closely with Christian and the Overdrive design team, we will be bringing many of those ideas to life. This new car isn’t just being built to win for the TGR W2RC team, it’s also engineered to become a top-tier customer vehicle. This new evolution of vehicle will be fast, serviceable, safe, and critically, adaptable.”
Source: Overdrive Racing
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