Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body has dominated the Stock class at the Dakar Rally for the past decade, partly because they are often the lone team entered. Starting 2026, however, they will have company when Land Rover makes its debut.

While Toyota Auto Body has the titles, they know not to get complacent. That’s why they’ve been pushing their new Toyota Land Cruiser 300 GR Sport to its limits in testing.

The team conducted its annual test in Morocco from May 24 to 31, led by driver and defending Dakar Stock winner Akira Miura. The 300 GR Sport is a new model that complies with the incoming FIA Stock regulations, which were introduced to lower costs. Miura and navigator Jean-Michel Polato drove roughly three thousand kilometers in the car.

“The new rally car has been developed using the Land Cruiser 300 rally car, which competed in the last race, as a benchmark,” said Miura. “It’s becoming a vehicle with the performance we wanted. However, strong rivals will be at the next Dakar, and competing against fast cars will not be easy.

“This test site became a place where the entire team could share that sense of urgency. I felt the greatest achievement from this test was that every team member was able to reaffirm their roles and determination for the next six months.”

The new Land Cruiser was supposed to race the Carta Rallye in April but withdrew due to issues discovered in testing. This especially made the Morocco test of utmost importance; the African country, which hosts the Rallye du Maroc, is often used as a test location by Dakar teams due to its similar desert profile to the Saudi desert.

Including 2025, Miura is a five-time Dakar Stock winner. Toyota Auto Body has won the class every year since 2014.

Featured image credit: Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body