Tag Archives: GR GT

NEW CARS

Toyota Brings the Heat to Goodwood with Three New Sports Cars

Leave a comment

At this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, the official theme is “The Rivals – Epic Racing Duels.” But no manufacturer seems to embody that spirit more completely than Toyota. While much of the industry continues its relentless march toward electrification, Toyota’s GAZOO Racing division is arriving in West Sussex with three dramatically different performance machines that all share the same philosophy: competition creates better cars.

Leading the charge are the all-new GR GT, the GR GT3 race car, and the Lexus LFA Concept, each representing a different chapter in Toyota’s evolving performance story. Together, they signal that the company isn’t abandoning driving enthusiasts—it may actually be doubling down.

The centerpiece is the GR GT, a road-going coupe that wears its racing pedigree proudly. Under its long hood sits an all-new 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 paired with a single-motor hybrid system, a combination that immediately grabs attention in an era increasingly dominated by downsized four-cylinders and silent EVs. Toyota says the development focused not just on outright power, but on fundamentals that matter on both road and track: a low center of gravity, reduced weight, exceptional chassis rigidity, and carefully honed aerodynamics.

If the GR GT is the road car born from racing, the GR GT3 strips away nearly every compromise. Sharing its basic architecture with the GR GT, the GT3 machine has been engineered specifically for international competition, prioritizing outright pace, aerodynamic efficiency, and approachable performance for professional and customer racing teams alike. More importantly, it continues Toyota’s increasingly successful philosophy of developing race cars and production cars side by side, allowing lessons learned at the limit to flow in both directions.

That same philosophy extends beyond internal combustion.

Making its first close-up public appearance is the Lexus LFA Concept, an electric supercar that looks beyond today’s battery-powered performance cars while paying homage to one of the greatest Japanese supercars ever built. Rather than simply chasing acceleration figures, Lexus says the concept is designed to create an emotional connection between driver and machine—a fitting tribute to the original LFA’s legendary character. While technical details remain under wraps, the concept suggests Lexus still believes performance isn’t measured solely by numbers on a specification sheet.

What’s particularly interesting is that Toyota views these three vehicles not as separate projects, but as members of the same family. They all stem from a development philosophy championed by Chairman Akio Toyoda—better known to enthusiasts by his racing alter ego, Morizo—who has long insisted that the fastest way to build great road cars is to race them first.

The company even draws inspiration from an unlikely source: Shikinen Sengu, an ancient Japanese tradition in which Shinto shrines are dismantled and rebuilt once every generation. The purpose isn’t replacement, but preservation—passing craftsmanship from one generation to the next while continually refining it. Toyota believes sports cars deserve the same treatment.

Goodwood provides the ideal proving ground.

Unlike traditional motor shows where cars remain frozen under bright lights, the Festival of Speed demands action. The famous hill climb—with its steep elevation changes, narrow confines, and unforgiving barriers—offers one of the world’s best demonstrations of acceleration, balance, aerodynamic stability, and driver confidence. The GR GT and GR GT3 will make their first public dynamic appearances in Europe without camouflage, while the Lexus LFA Concept will be displayed in the Supercar Paddock.

Toyota’s racing credentials won’t be confined to prototypes, either.

GAZOO Racing is bringing several machines that have already proven themselves in competition, including the GR Yaris Rally1, fresh from multiple World Rally Championship successes, alongside the DKR GR Hilux rally-raid racer. Behind the wheel will be an all-star lineup featuring nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Ogier, current WRC points leader Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta, Oliver Solberg, Sami Pajari, and Dakar ace Henk Lategan.

Meanwhile, Toyota’s endurance racing dominance will also be on display through the No. 7 GR010 HYBRID, the Le Mans-winning prototype that recently secured Toyota’s sixth victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans while propelling the manufacturer to the top of the FIA World Endurance Championship standings.

Of course, Goodwood isn’t just about celebrating race cars—it’s about showing how racing influences the cars ordinary enthusiasts can actually buy. That’s where the GR Yaris Aero Performance enters the picture, showcasing the latest aerodynamic developments for Toyota’s already acclaimed hot hatch. Sharing the spotlight is the all-new RAV4 GR Sport, a plug-in hybrid SUV whose suspension, chassis tuning, and visual upgrades borrow directly from the company’s performance division.

Taken individually, each of these debuts tells an interesting story. Together, they paint a much bigger picture.

At a time when many automakers seem eager to leave performance heritage behind, Toyota continues to argue that motorsport remains its greatest engineering laboratory. Whether powered by a twin-turbo V8 hybrid, built exclusively for the racetrack, or driven entirely by electricity, the company’s latest generation of sports cars all share one defining characteristic: they exist because someone wanted to go faster than the competition.

That may be the most fitting tribute imaginable to this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Source: Toyota

NEW CARS

Toyota GR GT – The LFA’s Spirit Reborn, With Twin Turbos and a Jolt of Electric Fury

For more than a decade, enthusiasts have been waiting—hoping—for a true heir to the Lexus LFA. Its screaming V10, carbon-intensive construction, and unrepeatable charisma cemented it as one of the most iconic halo cars of the 21st century. Now, Toyota’s performance wing, Gazoo Racing, claims the wait is officially over. Meet the GR GT, a ground-up supercar engineered with one mission: to channel the LFA’s legacy into something even more ferocious.

A New Formula for a New Era

Rather than chase nostalgia, Gazoo Racing has built the GR GT around three uncompromising targets:
the lowest possible center of gravity, the lowest possible mass, and the highest possible chassis stiffness.
Those principles form the backbone of a brand-new aluminum architecture designed to extract every ounce of performance from an equally new powertrain.

At the front sits a freshly developed 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, while the rear hides an electric motor mounted just above the axle. Together, they summon a combined 650 horsepower and 850 Nm of torque—numbers Toyota openly hints may creep higher by the time production begins. Power flows exclusively to the rear wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission.

This hybrid layout isn’t about eco points; it’s about instant torque, chassis balance, and lap-time consistency. And it’s born directly from Gazoo Racing’s experience developing the GR GT3 race car, which is launching in parallel for FIA competition.

Carbon Everywhere, Mass Nowhere

Toyota set an ambitious weight target, and it shows. Every exterior panel is crafted from carbon fiber, while additional carbon elements are worked into the braking system. The supercar rolls on ultra-light 20-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber, ensuring grip levels that suit its GT3-inspired hardware.

Toyota says the final car will tip the scales at under 1,700 kg, an impressive feat considering its hybrid system and sizable V8.

Low, Wide, and Ready to Strike

At 4.78 meters long and just 1.09 meters high, the GR GT sits lower than almost anything on today’s roads. Unsurprisingly, slipping inside feels like dropping into a race seat—because the seats are race seats. Recaro carbon buckets, bolstered aggressively and trimmed in premium materials, dominate the cockpit. Traditional Toyota branding steps aside in favor of bold Gazoo Racing badging, signaling that this machine belongs firmly in the performance sub-brand’s domain.

320 km/h, and That’s Just the Beginning

In road-legal form, the GR GT is targeting a top speed of 320 km/h. But the real story is its dual-purpose development path. Alongside the production car, Toyota has unveiled the GR GT3 racing version, a homologation-ready weapon set to compete worldwide. This isn’t a marketing gimmick—it’s proof that the road car was shaped with motorsports as its foundation.

A Proper Successor at Last

Toyota hasn’t tried to recreate the LFA’s magic; instead, it has evolved it. A hybrid V8 instead of a shrieking V10. Carbon construction refined by modern motorsports. A chassis sculpted by engineering priorities, not nostalgia.

If the numbers hold—and if Gazoo Racing’s GT3 work really bleeds through to the street version—the GR GT might not just be a successor to the LFA. It might become the supercar that defines Toyota’s performance future.

Source: Toyota

News

Toyota Teases a Trio of New Performance Machines Ahead of December 4 Reveal

Toyota has dropped a shadowy teaser for not one, not two, but three all-new sports models set to share the spotlight on December 4. The dimly lit preview hints at a bold future for both Toyota and Lexus performance, with what appear to be a new Lexus sports coupe and two flavors of Toyota’s upcoming GR GT supercar—one street-legal, the other track-hungry.

A New Era for Lexus Performance

On the teaser’s left side, a clean, sweeping silhouette looks suspiciously like the production evolution of the Lexus Sport Concept first shown in August. The two-door shape and futuristic light signature match the concept almost line for line, suggesting Lexus hasn’t strayed far from its show-car styling.

That original concept already bordered on production-ready, so expect the showroom model to retain most of its proportions while dialing back some of the wilder interior touches. The teaser hints at a textured rear glass panel, though there’s no confirmation yet on whether the concept’s more dramatic features—like roof-mounted fans, an illuminated fin, or the central F1-style brake light—will survive the transition.

While many expected this model to be fully electric, recent reports point instead to a GR-derived hybrid V8, developed specifically for Lexus. With an estimated arrival in 2026, the unnamed coupe appears aimed at replacing the long-serving LC, not resurrecting the legendary LFA nameplate.

Toyota’s GR GT Supercar Steps Into the Light

Front and center in the tease is Toyota’s new GR GT supercar, confirmed through a Japanese TV spot to be debuting at the same event. Compared to the Lexus, the Toyota wears a longer hood, conventional rear glass, and crisp full-width LED taillights.

A cherry on top: we’ve already seen its interior. Earlier previews showed a driver-focused cabin with a large infotainment display, tactile physical switches, and lightweight carbon-fiber bucket seats.

Under the skin lives something even more serious. Toyota says the GR GT will pack a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 paired with a self-charging hybrid system. Word is the combustion engine alone could produce around 800 horsepower, making this the most powerful Toyota ever—and, in many ways, a spiritual successor to the V10-powered Lexus LFA.

A GT3 Monster Joins the Family

Completing the trio is an all-out racecar that clearly shares DNA with the GR GT but takes the aggression up several notches. Spy shots and the prototype that stormed the hill at Goodwood match what we see here: vented fenders, a fixed rear wing, side-exit exhausts, a beefier diffuser, and a stance that sits inches closer to the pavement.

This is almost certainly Toyota’s upcoming GT3 competition variant, a follow-up to the 2022 GR GT3 Concept and built to take on premier GT3 series worldwide.

The Big Unveil

All three models will make their global debut on December 4 during a live-streamed reveal hosted by Toyota President Akio Toyoda and Chief Branding Officer Simon Humphries. If the teaser’s shadows are anything to go by, Toyota and Lexus are about to enter 2026 with a performance lineup that looks sharper—and meaner—than ever.

Source: Toyota