Olympic Teams Wave their Flags Thanks to ToyotaOlympic Teams Wave their Flags Thanks to Toyota

Toyota Corolla chase cars showcase cycling teams' national flags.

Dan Carney, Senior Editor

August 5, 2024

2 Min Read
Toyota Corolla cycling team support cars.
Toyota Corolla cycling team support cars.Matthew Lewis/Getty Images for IOC

At a Glance

  • 80 Toyota Corollas are chase vehicles for the cycling teams
  • Toyota has outfitted all the cars with appropriate national flag graphics

During the previous Olympics in Tokyo, Toyota noticed that the cycling teams used a variety of accessories to identify the nationality of their team support cars that drive along with the cyclists during the races.

This didn’t sit well with Toyota, where people thought that some uniformity would look better on the chase cars they provided and would also make it easier to identify which nation’s team each car supports.

Toyota’s solution for the 80 Corolla TS hybrids supplied to teams in Paris by Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK, was to apply matching national flag stickers on all cycling team cars to ensure easy recognition at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. The aim is for these stickers, along with additional markings on the front and back of each vehicle, to enhance visibility and promote a sense of unity and identity among the teams, according to the company.

“As the official mobility partner of the Games, we will provide 80 Toyota Corolla TS hybrid vehicles ensuring the smooth operation of the cycling events,” explained Cédric Borremans, head of the Olympic and Paralympic division of Toyota Motor Europe. “Each vehicle will have stickers on the side mirror covers to identify the country, as well as additional markings on the front and on the back. These features will enhance the visibility of the vehicles for the athletes when looking for their team car, as well as showcase their unique identity and spirit.”

Related:Kevin Piette Carried the Olympic Torch Via a Robotic Exoskeleton

Applying vinyl wrap sounds easy, but anyone who has built models knows that having them look good is harder than it looks. “This job required precise skills and care to guarantee the application was perfect and clearly visible ensuring that the athletes can identify their support vehicles during the fast-paced event,” noted Julie Meyssonnier, General Manager, Special Vehicle Operations. “Quality is at the heart of everything we do here at TMUK, and this is just one more shining example of our employees’ capabilities.”

So even if Toyota’s British employees didn’t get to go to the Olympics, they did have the chance to showcase their skills while supporting Olympic athletes with hybrid Corollas.

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About the Author

Dan Carney

Senior Editor, Design News

Dan’s coverage of the auto industry over three decades has taken him to the racetracks, automotive engineering centers, vehicle simulators, wind tunnels, and crash-test labs of the world.

A member of the North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year jury, Dan also contributes car reviews to Popular Science magazine, serves on the International Engine of the Year jury, and has judged the collegiate Formula SAE competition.

Dan is a winner of the International Motor Press Association's Ken Purdy Award for automotive writing, as well as the National Motorsports Press Association's award for magazine writing and the Washington Automotive Press Association's Golden Quill award.

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He has held a Sports Car Club of America racing license since 1991, is an SCCA National race winner, two-time SCCA Runoffs competitor in Formula F, and an Old Dominion Region Driver of the Year award winner. Co-drove a Ford Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost to 16 Federation Internationale de l’Automobile-accredited world speed records over distances from just under 1km to over 4,104km at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine, France.

He was also a longtime contributor to the Society of Automotive Engineers' Automotive Engineering International magazine.

He specializes in analyzing technical developments, particularly in the areas of motorsports, efficiency, and safety.

He has been published in The New York Times, NBC News, Motor Trend, Popular Mechanics, The Washington Post, Hagerty, AutoTrader.com, Maxim, RaceCar Engineering, AutoWeek, Virginia Living, and others.

Dan has authored books on the Honda S2000 and Dodge Viper sports cars and contributed automotive content to the consumer finance book, Fight For Your Money.

He is a member and past president of the Washington Automotive Press Association and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers

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