We’d totally love a Toyota Wigo autocross series in the Philippines
Small hatchbacks in motorsports for the win
PHOTO: TOYOTA GAZOO RACING INDONESIA
CAR BRANDS IN THIS ARTICLE
Toyota
CAR MODELS IN THIS ARTICLE
Toyota Wigo
Subcompact hatchbacks are great little commuter cars. But because of their light weight and tiny dimensions, these cars also have all the potential to be fun to drive and zippy around the corners. That brings us neatly to the Toyota Wigo.
In this case, it’s the Toyota Agya we’re talking about. That’s what the Wigo is called over in Indonesia, and it has a pretty strong following in motorsports over there. Yes, you read that right, the Wigo has a pretty successful racing career in Indonesia.
PHOTO BY TOYOTA GAZOO RACING INDONESIA
If you think Toyota’s commitment in motorsports is huge in the Philippines, it’s a whole different level for our neighbor. Aside from racing on the circuit, Gazoo Racing Indonesia also participates in rallying and autocross. And it’s in autocross where the Wigo waves the flag for Toyota.
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Toyota has a whole fleet of Wigos that run in Indonesia’s premiere autocross league. In fact, Gazoo Racing Indonesia has been doing so since the first-generation model. Not only that, they also compete in various classes from novices to seasoned veterans. Yes, they’re that serious about racing.
PHOTO BY TOYOTA GAZOO RACING INDONESIA
There are no full specs for the competition-spec Toyota Wigo, but as far as we can tell, it’s been stripped down, lightened, and lowered. The car is also fitted with a rollcage, a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, and perhaps the strongest handbrake cable known to man. We also have to say that we’re so glad that the Wigo still has a mechanical parking brake.
Well, it also helps that they get a 1.2-liter engine from the entry-level Raize instead of the 1.0-liter we get locally. The bigger engine is good for 87hp and 113Nm. In comparison, the one sitting in our showrooms now puts out 66hp and 98Nm, and yes, we’re quite jealous. The racing version appears to still use the stock five-speed manual transmission.
PHOTO BY TOYOTA GAZOO RACING INDONESIA
Aside from its exploits in the autocross scene, the Wigo also competes in circuit races in the ISSOM series in Indonesia. Its main rival is, of course, the Honda Brio, and the two have been butting heads on the track for about a decade now. It’s close and exciting racing with different manufacturers, and it’s something we’d love to see here someday.
Back to the Wigo, we think it’s a great platform for grassroots-level racing. The car itself is inexpensive, and infinitely tunable with the right equipment. Should Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippines consider an autocross series? We say yes, please
