Toyota 88C
Encyclopedia
The Toyota 88C is a racing car entered by Toyota from 1988 to 1989. It is the successor to the Toyota 87C and the predecessor to the Toyota 89C-V. Like other Toyota-powered sports prototype
s of the era it was designed and built by Dome
. The Toyota 88C-V is a slightly modified version of the 88C, adapted to fit Toyota's R32V 3.2 l (195.1 cu in) turbocharged
V8 engine
, instead of the 88C's standard turbocharged Inline-4. The 88Cs and 88C-Vs both competed in the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
, the World Sports-Prototype Championship
, and the North American Camel GT Championship
.
, entered by Tom's
Team Toyota. Both cars completed the event with the car of drivers Geoff Lees
, Masanori Sekiya
, and Kaoru Hoshino finishing in 12th, while the second car was 24th. Toyota returned to Le Mans in with one 88C joining two newer 89C-Vs. None of the three cars finished the race.
and Hitoshi Ogawa
drove an 88C-V to victory at the Fuji International Speedway.
. The 1000 km of Fuji
allowed Toyota another chance to compete against European competitors since Le Mans. The two cars were able to finish but were the last cars classified. The 88C made a final WSPC appearance early in the 1989 season when Toyota Team Tom's entered a lone car at Dijon-Prenois
while awaiting their newer 89C-Vs. The 88C finished in fourth in the hands of Geoff Lees
and Johnny Dumfries.
's Camel GT Championship. One car was designed by AAR and entered as the Eagle HF89
, while the second entry was a modified 88C. Both were powered by same turbocharged
inline-4 engine and produced approximately 600 horsepower
.
The 88C-based car, also known as Eagle Mk.I, made its debut at the 1989 Daytona 24 Hours race but retired from the event. Due to troubles with the HF89 car, the team concentrated its efforts on the Mk.I throughout the rest of the season. After the completion of the season AAR concentrated their efforts on the HF89 and the latter Mk.III.
Sports prototype
A sports prototype, also referred to as simply a prototype, is a form of racing car that is used as a top category in sports car racing. These purpose-built racing cars differ from street-legal and production-based racing cars that also compete in sports car racing.Prototype racing cars have...
s of the era it was designed and built by Dome
Dome (constructor)
, literally "child's dream", is a Japanese-based racing car constructor, involved mainly in open wheel and sports car racing.-Background:In 1965 Minoru Hayashi built his first racing car, a rebodied Honda S600 coupe. Belonging to Tojiro Ukiya, it was called the "Karasu" , due to its shape...
. The Toyota 88C-V is a slightly modified version of the 88C, adapted to fit Toyota's R32V 3.2 l (195.1 cu in) turbocharged
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
V8 engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, instead of the 88C's standard turbocharged Inline-4. The 88Cs and 88C-Vs both competed in the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
The , abbreviated as JSPC, formed by the Japanese Automobile Federation, was a domestic championship which took place in Japan for Group C and IMSA GTP prototype cars and also featured cars that were eligible for touring car racing in its earlier years...
, the World Sports-Prototype Championship
World Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
, and the North American Camel GT Championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
.
Le Mans
The first two 88Cs made their debut at the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans1988 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 56th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 11 and 12 1988. It was also the fifth round of the World Sports-Prototype Championship season.-Race:...
, entered by Tom's
TOM'S
is a factory supported racing team and tuner of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. The name stands for Tachi Oiwa Motor Sport. Their head office is located in Tokyo, Japan. They are currently heavily involved with Super GT racing and Formula 3 racing...
Team Toyota. Both cars completed the event with the car of drivers Geoff Lees
Geoff Lees
Geoffrey Lees is a former racing driver from England. He participated in 12 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 16 July 1978. He scored no championship points.-Career:...
, Masanori Sekiya
Masanori Sekiya
is a racing car driver from Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, most famous for being the first Japanese driver to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 1995.Sekiya drove in single-seaters in his early career, contesting the Japanese Formula 3000 Championship and Formula Nippon from 1987 to 1993, mostly for the...
, and Kaoru Hoshino finishing in 12th, while the second car was 24th. Toyota returned to Le Mans in with one 88C joining two newer 89C-Vs. None of the three cars finished the race.
All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
The 88C made its debut in the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship following Le Mans in 1988 but it was not until the end of the 1989 season that the car managed to win. Paolo BarillaPaolo Barilla
Paolo Barilla is a former Formula One driver who raced for the Minardi team. Paolo is one of the heirs of the vast Barilla pasta empire.Barilla started racing in 1975 and won the Italian 100cc karting title in 1976...
and Hitoshi Ogawa
Hitoshi Ogawa
was a Japanese racing car driver.-Career:During the 1980s, he competed in several Fuji Grand Champion Series races. Ogawa won the 1989 All Japan Formula 3000 Championship and finished 2nd in the same championship in 1990. In the same year, teaming up with Masanori Sekiya, he won the JAF Grand Prix...
drove an 88C-V to victory at the Fuji International Speedway.
World Sports-Prototype Championship
During the 88C's debut JSPC season in 1988, two 88C-Vs participated in the Japanese round of the World Sports-Prototype ChampionshipWorld Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
. The 1000 km of Fuji
1988 1000km of Fuji
The 1988 1000 km Fuji was the tenth round of the 1988 World Sports-Prototype Championship as well as the sixth and final round of the 1988 All Japan Sports Prototype Championship. It took place at the Fuji Speedway, Japan on September 18, 1988....
allowed Toyota another chance to compete against European competitors since Le Mans. The two cars were able to finish but were the last cars classified. The 88C made a final WSPC appearance early in the 1989 season when Toyota Team Tom's entered a lone car at Dijon-Prenois
1989 480km of Dijon
The 1989 Coupe de Dijon was the second round of the 1989 World Sportscar Championship season. It took place at the Circuit Dijon-Prenois, France on May 21, 1989.-Official results:Class winners in bold...
while awaiting their newer 89C-Vs. The 88C finished in fourth in the hands of Geoff Lees
Geoff Lees
Geoffrey Lees is a former racing driver from England. He participated in 12 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 16 July 1978. He scored no championship points.-Career:...
and Johnny Dumfries.
Camel GT Championship
In 1989 Toyota and All American Racers entered the GTP category of IMSAInternational Motor Sports Association
The International Motor Sports Association is an American sports car auto racing sanctioning body based in Braselton, Georgia. It was started by John Bishop, a former employee of SCCA , and his wife Peggy in 1969 with help from Bill France, Sr...
's Camel GT Championship. One car was designed by AAR and entered as the Eagle HF89
Eagle HF89
The Eagle HF89 is a racing car entered by Dan Gurney's All American Racers team, for the IMSA GT Championship. It was raced from 1989 until 1991 in IMSA's premier sports-car racing category, the GTP division.-Background:...
, while the second entry was a modified 88C. Both were powered by same turbocharged
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
inline-4 engine and produced approximately 600 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
.
The 88C-based car, also known as Eagle Mk.I, made its debut at the 1989 Daytona 24 Hours race but retired from the event. Due to troubles with the HF89 car, the team concentrated its efforts on the Mk.I throughout the rest of the season. After the completion of the season AAR concentrated their efforts on the HF89 and the latter Mk.III.