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Toyota fires up young ambition at Wales rally GB

Rally car display and engine factory tours to inspire tomorrow's engineers and technicians

Toyota is using its manufacturing skills and its great sporting heritage to help inspire young people to take up careers in science, technology and engineering, with participation in a programme of industry awareness events linked to next week's Wales Rally GB.

On 13 and 14 November it will be welcoming student groups for tours of its Deeside engine plant, located alongside the rally service park, and hosting a display of its past and present competition cars.

The activities are part of the Industry Awareness STEM Event, organised by the Welsh Government to encourage school and college students to take-up science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects. Toyota Manufacturing UK is among a number of Welsh businesses, organisations and professional bodies supporting the event with interactive displays and opportunities to see manufacturing in action and meet and talk to industry professionals.

Groups visiting TMUK Deeside will see the famous Toyota Manufacturing System in action and learn how its principles have been adopted by manufacturing businesses around the world. They will also enjoy a close-up view of some of the world-beating Toyota rally cars of the past and the latest addition to its racing stable, the competition-prepped GT86 CS-R3 coupe.

The display will demonstrate the direct link between Toyota's engine technology and its sporting activities, and will include the TS030 hybrid sportscar which campaigned at Le Mans last year.

The cars will move out of the factory to go on show to all rally fans visiting the Service Park on 15 and 16 November. The line-up will include a rare treat for the sport's aficionados, the chance to see the rare MR2 222D, based on Toyota's original 1980s roadster. The car was built for a proposed Group S World Rally Championship class that never came about.

For further information, please visit the Toyota and Lexus media site here or contact one of the following:

Nik Pearson on 01737 367264 or by e-mail at nik.pearson@tgb.toyota.co.uk
Richard Seymour on 01737 367272 or by e-mail at richard.seymour@tgb.toyota.co.uk
Erica Haddon on 01737 367308 or by e-mail at erica.haddon@tgb.toyota.co.uk
Scott Brownlee on 01737 367266 or by e-mail at scott.brownlee@tgb.toyota.co.uk