Japanese car brand Toyota has signed major deals with the Pan American Games and Giro d’Italia, Italy’s biggest cycle event.
Yesterday, the Organising Committee for the Lima 2019 Pan American and Parapan American Games named Toyota as a new Gold Sponsor in the automobile category.
Under the deal, Toyota will supply a range of 15 hybrid vehicles to the Games, including the Prius, Rav4 and the forthcoming Hatchback, yet to go on sale in Peru. Toyota will also provide drivers, fuel, insurance and parking.
The vehicles will be used to coordinate the Lima 2019 Torch Relay – which will visit 19 cities in Peru across 23 days – and transport athletes and VIPs attending the Games.
Lima 2019 attendees will also be able to visit Toyota House at Videna Sports Complex in Lima, where Toyota will host fan activities and vehicle showcases.
Toyota was a sponsor of the 2018 Buenos Aires Summer Youth Olympic Games, and is a current of sponsor of the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee.
In Italy, Toyota has also signed a major deal with RCS Sport, organiser of the prestigious Giro d’Italia, which is now approaching its 102nd edition.
Under the two-year deal, Toyota will supply official cars to the Giro and all other RCS cycling races.
The Giro partnership is aimed at reducing exhaust emissions during the race. The cars supplied by Toyota will be hybrid models such as the RAV4 Hybrid and the Corolla Hybrid Touring Sports.
Mauro Caruccio, chief executive of Toyota Motor Italia, said: “These cars are equipped with the latest evolution of Toyota’s Full Hybrid technology, now in its fourth generation, which combines performance with high energy efficiency and extremely low emissions of climate-altering pollutants.”
The Giro d’Italia is an annual multi-stage cycling race. Along with the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, the Giro is one of cycling’s most prestigious three-week-long Grand Tours.