Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body had hoped to debut their new Toyota Land Cruiser 300 GR Sport at the Carta Rallye, but those plans have been shelved due to issues discovered during testing.

The team released the following statement on Wednesday:

As announced on the TLC official website, we were planning to take part in the Carta Rally with the aim of developing a new rally car.

However, we encountered a problem during the shakedown of the car just before the event.

As it will take time to address the problem, we have decided to postpone our participation and instead plan a separate test.

We sincerely apologize to everyone who was looking forward to the rally.

We appreciate your continued support.

Akira Miura, the latest Dakar Rally Stock winner, was supposed to drive the new Land Cruiser in the Carta Rallye. Had the start taken place, it would have been the team’s first race outside of the FIA’s rally raid jurisdiction since the 2019 Silk Way Rally.

The new Land Cruiser retains the 300 GR Sport nameplate, but is meant to comply with new FIA Stock regulations for the 2026 season.

The team tests in Morocco annually before competing in the Rallye du Maroc in October as a final dress rehearsal for Dakar. The Carta Rallye, which takes place in Morocco, would have provided an opportunity to further develop the car in a competitive setting without the expectations that racing in the World Rally-Raid Championship brings.

With Toyota Auto Body’s withdrawal, there are now ten cars entered for the Carta Rallye. The race will take place on April 14–20.

Featured image credit: Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body