Toyota Eagle
MKIII

     Grand Touring Prototypes have long been rolling laboratories in which were learned the lessons of tomorrow. All American Racers' Toyota Eagle MKIII is the last, and arguably the best, of this breed, a car that proved so overwhelmingly dominant that the class for which it was created has now been assigned to history.

 Photography by Rick Graves 

 

SPOT-ON From a cockpit cocoon of carbon fiber filled with the instruments of control (LEFT ABOVE), Dan Gurney's drivers directed this Eagle's fortunes. Myriad adjustments were possible to the several aerodynamic configurations available (ABOVE), and the efficiency of the basic design is readily evident in the tidy arrangement (LEFT) of the front suspension and its surrounding ancillaries. The overall layout of the MKIII was such that it 'looked right' from first sighting (BELOW), and its performance on the track did nothing to deter that impression.
SMALL BUT MIGHTY Conventional wisdom held that a small engine like Toyota's 2.1-liter turbo four (LEFT) couldn't produce the kind of reliable power needed in GTP, but continuing refinement by Toyota Racing Development proved differently. The MKIIIs won 21 of 27 races entered - including an IMSA record 14 straight - to earn dual Camel GT titles for driver Juan Fangio II and manufacturer Toyota in '92 and '93. It is a record that ensures the MKIII a place as one of the most dominant cars in racing history.

The Specifications   

Chassis Type

Carbon fiber composite monocoque with tubular steel roll cage

Bodywork

Carbon-Kevlar-Nomex honeycomb composite

Overall Length

189in.

Overall Width

79in.

Wheelbase

n/a

Height

40in.

Track

n/a

Weigh

1830lb. (1992) / 2010lb (1993)

Weight distribution

n/a

Suspension F/R

independent, unequal length double wishbones, bellcrank pushrod and four-way adjustable shocks with co-axial springs and driver adjustable anti-roll bar

Steering

rack and pinion

Brakes

14in. ventilated discs (1992: carbon/1993: iron), with Brembo four-piston calipers

Wheels

F17in.x13in. BBS alloy;
R17in.x15in. BBS alloy

Tires

Goodyear Eagle Racing Radials
F25.5in. tall / 12.5in. wide
R28.5in. tall / 14.5in. wide

Engine

Turbocharged Toyota in-line 4

Displacement

2100cc/128.1cid

Bore/Stroke

90mmx78mm

Valvetrain

Twin overhead cam four valves per cylinder

Spark Plugs

Bosch

Horsepower

1992:750hp (54mm air restrictor)
1993:700hp (52mm air restrictor)

Transmission

5-speed March-based

Clutch

5.5in.Tilton Carbon

Fuel Cell Capacity

1992: 31 gal; 1993: 28 gal

The Record   

Date

Track

Driver

Result

July 21, 1991

Laguna Seca

Juan Fangio II

Q2/F7

July 28, 1991

Portland

Juan Fangio II

Q4/71

Aug 25, 1991

Road America

Juan Fangio II

Q3/DNF

Oct 13, 1991

Del Mar

Juan Fangio II

Q3/F1

Del Mar

Rocky Moran

Q13/DNF

Feb 1, 1992

Daytona 24

Juan Fangio II

Q1/F4

Andy Wallace

Kenny Acheson

Daytona 24

PJ Jones

Q4/F6

Rocky Moran

Mark Dismore

Feb 23, 1992

Miami

Juan Fangio II

Q4/DNF

PJ Jones

Q17/DNF

Mar 21, 1992

Sebring 12

Juan Fangio II

Q5/F1

Andy Wallace

Sebring 12

PJ Jones

Q2/F3

Rocky Moran

Apr 26, 1992

Road Atlanta

Juan Fangio II

Q2/F9

Road Atlanta

PJ Jones

Q3/F7

May 25, 1992

Lime Rock

Juan Fangio II

Q2/F1

Lime Rock

PJ Jones

Q3/DNF

May 31, 1992

Mid-Ohio

Juan Fangio II

Q2/F2

Mid-Ohio

PJ Jones

Q5/F7

June 14, 1992

New Orleans

Juan Fangio II

Q1/F1

New Orleans

PJ Jones

Q5/F3

June 28, 1992

Watkins Glen

Juan Fangio II

Q1/F1

Watkins Glen

PJ Jones

Q3/DNF

July 19, 1992

Laguna Seca

Juan Fangio II

Q2/F1

Laguna Seca

PJ Jones

Q1/F2

July 26, 1992

Portland

Juan Fangio II

Q1/F2

Portland

PJ Jones

Q2/F1

Aug 9, 1992

Road America

Juan Fangio II

Q1/F1

Road America

PJ Jones

Q2/F2

Oct 4, 1992

Phoenix

Juan Fangio II

Q2/F1

Phoenix

PJ Jones

Q1/F7

Oct 11, 1992

Del Mar

Juan Fangio II

Q1/DNF

Del Mar

PJ Jones

Q3/F1

Feb 1, 1993

Daytona 24

Juan Fangio II

Q2/DNF

Andy Wallace

Kenny Acheson

Daytona 24

PJ Jones

Q1/F1

Rocky Moran

Mark Dismore

Feb 23, 1993

Miami

Juan Fangio II

Q1/F1

PJ Jones

Q2/F2

Mar 21, 1993

Sebring 12

Juan Fangio II

Q1/F1

Andy Wallace

Sebring 12

PJ Jones

Q2/F3

Rocky Moran

Apr 26, 1993

Atlanta

Juan Fangio II

Q2/F1

Atlanta

PJ Jones

Q1/F2

May 25, 1993

Lime Rock

Juan Fangio II

Q2/F1

Lime Rock

PJ Jones

Q1/F2

June 13, 1993

Mid-Ohio

Juan Fangio II

Q2/F1

Mid-Ohio

PJ Jones

Q1/F2

June 27, 1993

Watkins Glen

Juan Fangio II

Q2/F1

Watkins Glen

PJ Jones

Q1/DNF

July 25, 1993

Laguna Seca

Juan Fangio II

Q1/F2

Laguna Seca

PJ Jones

Q2/F1

Aug 1, 1993

Portland

Juan Fangio II

Q1/F1

Portland

PJ Jones

Q2/F2

Oct 2, 1993

Phoenix

Juan Fangio II

Q2/F2

Phoenix

PJ Jones

Q1/F1


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