One to Buy: ex-works Le Mans class-winning 1992 Toyota C-V92
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Although Mazda became the first Japanese manufacturer to take outright victory at Le Mans, Toyota had arguably been even more committed to the cause having spent vast sums on its various Prototype racing cars since 1985.
After a year out in 1991, Toyota returned to Le Mans for the 1992 edition with the brand new TS010 for Category 1 and the 92C-V for Category 2.
Unfortunately, an overall win once again proved just out of reach with one of the TS010s placing second, six laps behind the victorious Peugeot. However, the 92C-V run by the Trust Racing Team (chassis 001) did manage to bring Toyota its first class win thanks to the fifth place bagged by Stefan Johansson, George Fouche and Steven Andskar.
For 1993, the 92C-V underwent some mild revisions and was re-branded the 93C-V. That year, the ‘92 class winner (again campaigned by Trust and now piloted by Eje Elgh alongside Fouche and Andsker) came home sixth overall and second in class behind the sister car.
Remarkably, chassis 001 went on to make one further appearance at Le Mans when it was wheeled out for Trust to run in the 1994 edition having been uprated to 94C-V trim for the new LMP1 class. On this occasion, Fouche and Andskar were joined in 001 by Bob Wollek and they recorded the car’s best result yet: fourth overall and second in class while the sister entry claimed second overall.
Having subsequently been retired from competition duty, chassis 001 became one of few Toyota Prototypes to escape from captivity. It is currently on the market with Art & Revs in Howald, Luxembourg, having recently been restored to race-ready trim.
