“I DIDN’T EXPECT TOYOTA TO GO THIS FAR!” — OTT TÄNAK TESTS THE WRC27 IN SPAIN AS NEW DETAILS PUT TOYOTA’S 2027 RALLY CAR UNDER INTENSE SCRUTINY

Toyota’s 2027 project enters another critical phase

Toyota’s preparations for the next generation of the World Rally Championship have taken another major step forward, with Ott Tänak back behind the wheel of the manufacturer’s developing WRC27 prototype during testing in Spain.

The latest testing activity has attracted immediate attention because Toyota is no longer simply putting an early concept through basic development runs. The Japanese manufacturer is now working through increasingly detailed stages of the program as the arrival of the 2027 WRC regulations moves closer.

Tänak’s involvement makes the latest session particularly significant.

The 2019 World Rally Champion joined Toyota’s development program earlier this year as a test and development driver, returning to competitive rally machinery after stepping away from a full-time WRC campaign at the end of 2025. His experience with Toyota, Hyundai and M-Sport Ford gives the Estonian driver a rare reference point for evaluating how the new-generation car behaves compared with the Rally1 machinery that will soon be replaced.

The latest tests in Catalonia have therefore become more than another routine development session.

They provide another glimpse into Toyota’s strategy for the next era of rallying.

Ott Tänak returns to the Toyota WRC27 cockpit

According to reports published on September 30, Toyota moved its testing operation to Catalonia, where Tänak was involved in another development session with the WRC27 prototype.

The car was tested on roads in the Tarragona area, with footage and images of the prototype quickly drawing attention among rally fans and technical observers.

What makes Tänak’s role particularly interesting is the stage of development Toyota has now reached.

Toyota has been working on its WRC27 project for months, testing different configurations and gathering data across several types of roads and conditions. The manufacturer has previously tested the prototype in locations including Portugal, Spain and Finland, with Tänak already involved in the development program.

The latest Spanish test suggests that the development process is moving deeper into its final stages.

That does not mean every visible feature of the prototype represents the final homologated specification. However, the car is becoming increasingly relevant as Toyota prepares for the technical revolution that will define the WRC from 2027 onward.

The newly surfaced details are attracting attention

Recent images and testing footage have allowed technical observers to examine the prototype more closely.

The most important point is that Toyota’s WRC27 is not simply a modified version of the current Rally1 car.

The WRC27 regulations introduce a fundamentally different technical philosophy, with cars built around a cost-controlled framework and substantial use of components and concepts derived from Rally2 machinery.

According to the FIA-era technical framework described by WRC, the new cars will operate under a €345,000 cost cap, use a tubular safety cell and feature double-wishbone suspension, while several systems will be derived from Rally2 specifications.

That creates an unusual engineering challenge.

Toyota must develop a car that is considerably different from the current Rally1 generation while still delivering the performance required at the highest level of international rallying.

The prototype seen in Spain therefore represents an important piece of that puzzle.

Toyota’s aerodynamic approach is already under the microscope

One of the most closely examined areas is the car’s aerodynamic design.

Technical analysis of earlier Toyota WRC27 prototypes identified several features that distinguish the new machine from the existing GR Yaris Rally2.

The front section provides a larger area for managing airflow, while the wheel-arch and bodywork design appear significantly more aggressive than the production-based Rally2 machine.

The rear of the prototype has also attracted attention.

Earlier development versions featured different approaches to airflow management, rear-wing positioning and bodywork around the rear section. Technical observers have suggested that Toyota has been experimenting with ways to maintain aerodynamic efficiency within the restrictions of the new regulations.

These details matter because aerodynamic performance will influence how the new-generation cars behave at high speed.

Yet the development process is clearly not finished.

The visible prototype should therefore be viewed as a development platform, rather than definitive proof of exactly what Toyota will homologate for the opening round of the 2027 championship.

That distinction is important.

The biggest question is what Tänak is telling Toyota through the data

A driver like Tänak is not being used simply to demonstrate that the prototype can complete stages.

His value comes from feedback.

Every braking zone, corner entry, acceleration phase, jump and high-speed section can provide engineers with information about the car’s behavior.

The development team can then compare driver feedback with telemetry and other technical data to identify areas that require further work.

That is particularly important with a new rules package.

The current Rally1 generation has been developed around a very different technical philosophy. Toyota’s new WRC27 machine must operate within a framework designed to bring costs down while maintaining the spectacle and competitiveness expected from the top level of rallying.

Tänak’s experience gives Toyota a direct reference.

He knows what a modern Rally1 car feels like.

He also knows what Toyota machinery feels like after previously competing for the manufacturer.

That combination makes his feedback potentially valuable during the final stages of the WRC27 program.

From Rally1 to WRC27: Toyota is preparing for a completely different era

The change coming in 2027 is one of the most significant technical transitions in modern WRC history.

The current Rally1 cars will be replaced by the new WRC27 generation beginning with the 2027 season.

According to WRC’s own technical overview, the new formula is intended to become the foundation of the championship for the next decade.

That means Toyota is not simply preparing a new competition car.

It is preparing for an entirely new technical era.

The importance of getting the concept right is therefore enormous.

Toyota has already completed what WRC described as the third evolution of its new car, with technical director Tom Fowler saying that this represents the final specification Toyota intends to homologate with the FIA.

At the same time, testing continues.

That combination shows how much work remains before the car can be considered completely ready for competition.

Spain has become another important laboratory for Toyota

Spain has already played a significant role in Toyota’s WRC27 development program.

Earlier this year, the manufacturer tested a new version of the prototype in Spain as part of its preparations for the 2027 regulations.

The latest Catalonia session shows that Toyota has returned to the country as the development program enters another important phase.

The choice of roads is significant because rally cars must work across an enormous range of conditions.

A prototype can look impressive during a controlled test, but the real challenge is determining whether the same characteristics remain effective when road surfaces change, grip levels fluctuate and stages demand completely different driving techniques.

That is why Toyota’s test program has moved through different environments.

Finland provides fast gravel roads.

Spain can provide a different combination of surfaces and technical demands.

Earlier tests in Portugal and other locations have added further information.

The goal is to build a database large enough for engineers to understand the car before it reaches its first official championship event.

Tänak’s recent Toyota return has added another layer to the story

The Spanish WRC27 test comes only days after Tänak returned to competitive rallying with Toyota in the United States.

In September, Tänak and co-driver Martin Järveoja competed in the Overmountain Rally Tennessee with a factory-supported Toyota GR Corolla Rally RC2.

The Estonian won the event by 1 minute and 4.3 seconds over Brandon Semenuk, marking his first competitive victory with Toyota since Rally Catalunya in 2019.

That result immediately intensified interest in Tänak’s relationship with Toyota.

However, the American rally and the WRC27 testing program should not be confused.

The GR Corolla Rally RC2 used in Tennessee is based on Rally2 technology, while the WRC27 prototype is Toyota’s development platform for the new 2027 regulations.

Still, the competitive outing provided Tänak with additional time behind Toyota machinery and demonstrated that his return to the stages is becoming increasingly active.

Is Tänak coming back to the WRC in 2027?

That remains unanswered.

Tänak has previously said that a return to the WRC cannot be ruled out, but he also stated that there was no plan at that point for a full-time return.

His current role with Toyota is focused on testing and development rather than a confirmed 2027 factory driving contract.

That distinction matters because the latest testing footage can easily fuel speculation.

Tänak driving Toyota’s new car does not automatically mean he will race it next season.

For now, his confirmed importance to the project is as a development driver.

Nevertheless, his continued presence behind the wheel naturally raises questions about how Toyota views his feedback and whether the relationship could develop further.

The prototype is changing — and that may be the biggest story

The most interesting part of the latest Toyota WRC27 activity may not be one single component.

It is the evolution of the car itself.

Earlier prototypes showed one interpretation of Toyota’s approach.

Later versions introduced different bodywork and aerodynamic solutions.

Technical analysis of previous prototypes highlighted changes around the front bodywork, wheel arches, rear wing and airflow management, suggesting that Toyota has been actively refining the concept rather than simply reproducing its first design.

That evolution is exactly what should be expected from a serious prototype program.

Every test can expose something new.

A driver may discover that a certain aerodynamic balance works at high speed but creates unwanted behavior elsewhere.

Engineers may identify an opportunity to improve stability.

Suspension settings may require further refinement.

Tire behavior can reveal another problem.

And data collected on one type of surface can force the team to reconsider a solution that looked effective during an earlier test.

This is how a prototype becomes a competition car.

Why the next few months could reveal much more

The 2027 season is approaching rapidly.

The new generation is scheduled to replace the current Rally1 cars, with the new era beginning at Rallye Monte-Carlo in January 2027.

That leaves Toyota with a limited amount of time to complete development, finalize the car and prepare for homologation and competition.

Every testing kilometer therefore matters.

The latest Catalonia session involving Tänak is another opportunity to collect information before the car enters its final preparation phase.

And that is why the new images and footage have attracted so much attention.

Fans are not simply looking at another test car.

They are looking at the machine Toyota intends to take into the next generation of the World Rally Championship.

Toyota is keeping the most important answers behind the curtain

Despite the growing amount of testing footage, some of the most important information remains unavailable publicly.

Toyota has not revealed every technical specification of the final WRC27 car.

That means claims about exact engine output, final aerodynamic performance, detailed suspension settings or definitive competitive performance should be treated carefully unless confirmed by Toyota or the relevant governing authorities.

The visible prototype can reveal the direction of development.

It cannot reveal everything happening underneath the bodywork.

That uncertainty is likely to remain one of the biggest sources of intrigue as the 2027 launch approaches.

The Tänak factor makes Toyota’s development story even more fascinating

For Toyota, Tänak represents a particularly useful combination of experience.

He is a former world champion.

He has driven Toyota’s previous-generation WRC machinery.

He has competed against Toyota with Hyundai.

And he has now returned to the manufacturer as part of its development effort.

That means his feedback comes from a driver who has experienced several different technical philosophies at the highest level.

When Tänak pushes the WRC27 prototype through a fast section in Spain, Toyota is not simply collecting lap times.

The engineers are learning how the car communicates with an elite driver.

They are learning how the car reacts under pressure.

They are learning where the prototype works and where it needs improvement.

And every one of those lessons can influence the machine that eventually reaches the start line.

The road to 2027 is getting serious

Toyota’s latest WRC27 testing activity in Spain sends a clear message about the intensity of the development program.

The manufacturer is continuing to refine the car while the 2026 championship is still being decided.

Ott Tänak remains deeply involved in the testing process.

Kalle Rovanperä has also recently been reported testing the prototype in Spain, further demonstrating the breadth of Toyota’s driver input during the current development phase.

The project is therefore entering a fascinating period.

The early concept has evolved.

The technical direction is becoming clearer.

The testing program is expanding.

And the first competitive appearance of the WRC27 generation is getting closer.

For rally fans, the most intriguing question is no longer whether Toyota is developing a new car.

That is already clear.

The bigger question is how far the manufacturer can push the concept before the final car reaches Monte Carlo.

And with Ott Tänak continuing to put the prototype through its paces, the next round of testing could reveal even more about Toyota’s plans for the most closely watched new rally car of the 2027 season.