Earlier today, Toyota Motor Philippines president Masando Hashimoto and chairman Alfred Ty shared more information on the soon-to-open Rookie Racing Garage Manila. The car culture and motorsport hub was first announced to the public last month at the finale of the 2026 Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippine Cup.
Rookie Racing Garage was established by Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda (aka Morizo) with the goal of making motorsports more attractive to the general public. “Rookie Racing Garage Manila will give [the passion for cars] a home. As the first Rookie Racing Garage outside of Japan, it will welcome Filipino car enthusiasts to come together and celebrate their shared love of cars,” said Ty during his speech at the press conference.
Rookie Racing Garage Manila’s own goal is to “create a place for car fans to meet and connect beyond brand boundaries.” To this point, the 1,750sqm facility will feature a variety of facilities catering to different sides of enthusiast culture. One of the main features will be the air-conditioned workshop dedicated to car modification, tuning, and customization. This facility will be equipped with six service bays, as well as a dyno for validating power output.
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Other amenities inside Rookie Racing Garage Manila will include a merchandise shop, a curry and tea cafe, racing sim rigs, a mini 4WD course, and a car showroom and display space. The outdoor parking lot (1,200 sqm) also serves as a multipurpose space suitable for activities like drifting and karting.
Chairman Ty also shared that Rookie Racing Garage Manila was initially envisioned as a Gazoo Racing location dedicated to Toyota’s performance vehicles. However, both Akio Toyoda and his son Daisuke Toyoda decided that the Rookie Racing brand would reach a wider audience without limitations of Toyota’s own operating protocols.
“It gives us the flexibility to be able to do what we’re trying to do and invite other brands, and be able to implement activities here, not limited by Toyota standards,” Ty said. He also added that Morizo’s foresight in using the Rookie Racing name opens up the facility as an automaker-agnostic space, despite it being a joint venture between Toyota Motor Philippines, Toyota Manila Bay, and Autoplus Sports.
Rookie Racing Garage Manila is set to open its doors next month on December 16, 2026. Looking ahead to 2027 and beyond, it looks forward to hosting car club events, as well as undergoing preparations for the GR86 and GR Kart one-make races.
