Toyota New Zealand is proud to continue its long-standing sponsorship of Emirates Team New Zealand as it embarks on its journey towards the America’s Cup in June 2017.

Emirates Team New Zealand came within one race of regaining the world’s oldest sporting trophy at the 2013 America’s Cup in San Francisco, before being pipped at the post by Oracle in a series that had four million Kiwis on the edge of their seats.

The next America’s Cup is taking place in Bermuda and Toyota’s support will be more important than ever for Emirates Team New Zealand in its quest to bring the cup back to New Zealand.

Toyota General Manager of Marketing, Andrew Davis, says Toyota New Zealand’s commitment to the team is testament to Toyota’s faith in their ability to once again provide some fierce competition in the Americas Cup.

Andrew Davis says Toyota is the only major sponsor to have stayed loyal to Team New Zealand for more than two decades.

The 2015 Toyota Le Mans racing entry. Click to enlarge.

Toyota will be looking to do a “David” on the “Goliaths” of endurance sports car racing at the Le Mans 24 Hours on 13 and 14 June.

The French race, first held in 1923, is the jewel in the crown of the World Endurance Championship, which Toyota won last year, becoming the first Japanese manufacturer to do so.

The team’s pair of TS040 Hybrids will face three cars teams from Audi, Nissan and Porsche this year.

In the opening two rounds of the World Endurance Championship this year Toyota only has a third place at Silverstone to show for their efforts.

"We have made improvements in lap times since last year,” said Toyota Motorsport GmbH race director Rob Leupen. “But it was not enough. We're going to Le Mans now as the underdog."

Toyota won five of the eight rounds of the championship in 2014 and Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Beumi, who were paired together all season, jointly won the Driver’s Championship.

 “The 2015 range showcases superior design elements and improved standard features across the range, all designed to make the Aurion experience more enjoyable than ever.” Click to enlarge.

The arrival of the 2015 Toyota Aurion debuts an improved line-up featuring more specification, more safety and more sports detailing.

“The Aurion is designed with customers who prefer the distinctive in mind and matches the space and specification of a grand tourer sedan with a genuinely powerful and proven V6 engine,” says Spencer Morris, Toyota New Zealand General Manager of Product.

Toyota’s premier grand touring V6 sedan benefits from a host of upgrades, beginning with improved exterior design elements. Up front a new grille design matches a three-bar chrome upper grille with black lower grille bars, while sports-themed Sportivo SX6 and ZR6 feature a modern makeover to their lower rear bumper design. The rear spoiler design for both Sportivo grades has also been updated for a more advanced appearance.