1992, an Olympic year, saw the Toyota Celica GT-Four replaced by a new vehicle: The Celica Turbo 4WD “Carlos Sainz limited edition”, of which 5000 individually numbered and signed models were produced by the Japanese factory. The first steps with the new machine indicated that all was not well; neither Sainz, Schwarz, nor Markku Alen were able to get the most out of the Turbo car, although Sainz would finish second. The new Lancia HF Integrale was clearly the car to have in 1992, as Sainz and Alen suffered problems with their aluminium suspension in Portugal and could only place third and fourth, respectively.
The first bright spot came at the Rally Safari, where Sainz’ initial pace bore fruit later on in an extremely dry African round. He was able to take the win, but it was merely a case of papering over the cracks. Suspension and tyre problems in Corsica, then huge crashes in Greece ended any chance of the Manufacturers Title for Toyota.
With the slim hopes of a Carlos Sainz title win in the Drivers Championship in mind, Toyota sent their man to New Zealand to claim a third consecutive victory in Oceania. However, the presence of Didier Auriol in the Argentina Rally was enough to best the Toyota driver, who desput his 12 point advantage with second place, had participated in two more rounds than the Lancia man. Sainz thus left his place in the 1000 Lakes Rally to Markku Alen, who was unable to best Auriol, and came back in Australia as Auriol took his sixth win of the season.
From that momento on, TTE manager Ove Andersson dedicated his time to putting the 1993 season in gear. He brought in a new sponsor and signed up Auriol, who was looking for a change of team after the withdrawal of Lancia.
The Toyota team did not attend the San Remo Rally, and Auriol lost a wheel in the event. Sainz was still hellbent on solving the performance problem with his Celica Turbo 4WD, focusing on the replacement of lineal springs with progressive springs. The reward was victory at the Catalonia-Costa Brava Rally which had eluded him the year before. Auriol lost 30 minutes after running off track, and was only able to claim a single point, with tenth place.
Once again, it would all come down to the RAC Rally. Three drivers were separated by three points, meaning that whoever placed highest would be crowned the new World Champion. Sainz led from the start up until the Welsh forests, where Colin McRae and his Subaru emerged and the Lancias dropped down the order with the need for a narrower tyre. Later, in Scotland, a defective spark plug left an incredulous Auriol out of the running and Kankkunen ran slightly off-track on the final morning. The win –and the title- would go to a strangely calm Carlos Sainz.
