Toyota CEO drifts a Yaris WRC car

A company CEO who can jump into one of his brand’s race cars and have a crack is always worthy of applause. Akio Toyoda is one of these CEOs, never afraid to ‘take one for the team’ and have some fun in the name of publicity.

At Tokyo Auto Salon 2020, he popped himself into the driver’s seat of a Toyota Yaris WRC car, and began immediately finding the quickest way to wear down a set of Michelin rally tyres.

Okay, so he’s no Sebastian Ogier, and it shows. But we’ve seen Toyoda-san show off his driving skills before in the Toyota GR86X rally concept.

So, while there’s a fair bit of understeer and even a knocked cone in his WRC Yaris demonstration, plus the awkward engine stall, we reckon it’s likely because Akio Toyoda isn’t spending massive amounts of time in rally Yarises as the CEO of the world’s largest car company.

Toyota's GR Yaris details revealed

Aside from his motorsport dabbling, Toyoda is a road-car enthusiast too, reportedly owning a GRMN-modified Toyota Century as his company car.

Not a bad way to get around in executive style with a bit of fun added.