2014 Toyota TS040 HYBRID Le Mans prototype teased [video]

Toyota has recently released a teaser video that was recorded at Paul Ricard circuit in France with the TS040 HYBRID set to take part in this year’s World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Characterized as being a “major evolution” of the TS030 HYBRID, this new Le Mans contender has retained the gasoline-electric system but now has an Aisin electric motor installed on the front axle enabling the model to have an all-wheel drive setup as opposed to its predecessor which had a RWD layout.

While the Porsche 919 Hybrid has a V4 engine and the Audi R18 e-tron quattro comes equipped with a V6, Toyota has decided to go for a larger V8 motor. Compared to the TS030 HYBRID, the new one is 10cm narrower as a result of the newly implemented LMP1 regulations.

Toyota Racing will field two cars that will be driven by the team of drivers consisting of Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre, Kazuki Nakajima, Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi and Stéphane Sarrazin, while fulfilling the roles of a test driver and reserve driver is going to be Mike Conway.