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Toyota’s GR GT: The Long-Awaited V8 Supercar That Refuses to Play Nice

It’s happening. Finally. Toyota is about to rip the covers off what might just be the most exciting thing to come out of Japan since the Lexus LFA screamed its way into the history books. Mark your calendars — 5 December is D-Day for the GR GT, the brand’s long-awaited, V8-powered flagship that aims squarely at Aston Martin’s DB12 and anyone else who dares call themselves a supercar.

Originally tipped to appear under the bright lights of the Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota has instead opted for a slow-burn tease. We’ve seen concept after concept, a couple of running prototypes at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed, and even a cameo at Pebble Beach. But the real thing — the one you’ll actually be able to buy (eventually) — lands this December, before strutting its stuff publicly at Tokyo Auto Salon in January.

LFA Spirit, GR Muscle

Officially, the car’s full name is Toyota GR GT, and if that sounds like it’s been lifted straight out of a motorsport homologation form, that’s because it has. The road-going GR GT is a by-product of Toyota’s upcoming GT3 race car, a snarling, winged monster revealed in 2022 and already seen tearing up Goodwood’s hillclimb this summer.

FIA rules say that any GT3 racer must share its basic body shape with a road car. So, while Aston Martin, Porsche, and Lamborghini have their own track-bred twins, Toyota’s now stepping into the same gladiatorial pit — and doing so with proper Gazoo Racing attitude.

Toyota has been clear about its philosophy: “commercialising motorsports cars rather than adapting production vehicles for use in motorsports.” Translation? This isn’t a Supra with stickers. It’s a racer that’s been civilized. Slightly.

Power, Noise, and the Hybrid Twist

At Goodwood, the GT3 prototype made its intentions clear — that V8 soundtrack was less “eco hatchback” and more “angry thunderstorm in a carbon-fibre suit.” But Toyota isn’t ignoring the times we live in. Beneath the GR GT’s sleek bodywork, there’s talk of a hybrid system joining the fray. Not for silence — but for survival.

Toyota’s GR engineer, Hiroyuki Yamada, hinted that hybridisation is inevitable:

“We will use it in our motorsport activities in the future, because of emissions… In the future, we want a more fuel-efficient engine for GR cars.”

That means we can expect electric torque fill, clever battery assist, and all the emissions boxes neatly ticked — without sacrificing the howling internal combustion heart. The hybrid setup could push total output to around 700bhp, eclipsing the new 671bhp Aston Martin Vantage S and ensuring Toyota’s latest weapon doesn’t just sound exotic — it goes like it too.

The pure GT3 racer will weigh around 1300kg and churn out 500–600bhp, but with the hybrid boost, the road car should be something truly ballistic.

Old School Soul, New World Tech

What makes this project fascinating is Toyota’s open rebellion against the all-electric tide. GR boss Masahito Watanabe has been refreshingly defiant:

“We still think the internal combustion engine has some potential… It’s not over yet.”

That includes hydrogen combustion experiments, which could see the GR GT evolve into something both thrilling and guilt-free. In other words, Toyota’s looking to keep the V8 alive — and make it future-proof.

So, What to Expect?

Expect the GR GT to arrive at the end of 2026, wearing an aggressive, low-slung body that nods to the GT3 car’s wide hips and massive aero. Expect carbon, expect noise, expect something that doesn’t care for half measures.

If the LFA was a once-in-a-generation statement of intent — a car that proved Toyota could play with the big boys — the GR GT might be the follow-up that shows it can beat them at their own game.

So yes, the wait’s been long. Painfully long. But if the countdown clock is anything to go by, the V8 era at Toyota isn’t dead. It’s just getting started — with a Gazoo twist and 700 hybrid-assisted horses ready to run riot.

Source: Autocar

NEW CARS

Toyota FT-Me: Britain’s Smallest Revolution

Toyota’s latest project is proof that the future of British motoring might just fit in your garden shed. Meet the FT-Me, a pint-sized electric runabout that’s inching its way from concept to production reality — and yes, it could be built right here in Derbyshire.

Thanks to a £15 million investment from the UK government, Toyota’s quirky little urban EV has been given the green light for a deeper feasibility study. The plan? To turn the adorable FT-Me Concept into something you could actually buy (and possibly park inside your living room).

Microlino, meet the Sensei

Toyota is pitching the FT-Me as a rival to the Citroën Ami and Microlino, which means it’ll fall under the same L6e quadricycle regulations — a fancy way of saying “don’t expect Nürburgring lap times.” Power will be limited to a humble 8bhp, with a top speed of just 28mph.

That might sound glacial, but this isn’t about speed. It’s about smart, sustainable, low-impact mobility for the cities of tomorrow — the kind of thing you’d use to nip from your flat to the farmer’s market without leaving a carbon footprint the size of Yorkshire.

Built in Burnaston, born for the city

If all goes to plan, production will take place at Toyota’s Burnaston plant — the same site that’s been turning out Corollas for decades. The project will see Toyota team up with a trio of very British collaborators:

  • Elm, the maker of the Evolv electric delivery van (the FT-Me will borrow some of its tech),
  • Savcor, who’ll provide a solar-panelled roof capable of recovering up to 19 miles of range per day, and
  • the University of Derby, which will study how drivers actually use this titchy EV in the real world.

Toyota’s UK boss Dariusz Mikolajczak calls it “a cutting-edge battery-electric vehicle that addresses the growing demand for sustainable urban mobility.” Translation: this could be your next city car, provided your city has more coffee shops than motorways.

A £30 million leap into the small lane

This whole endeavour is backed by the Drive35 programme — a £2.5 billion pot designed to help Britain’s car industry go zero-emission. One string attached: manufacturers have to match at least 50% of the funding. In Toyota’s case, that means it’s likely putting up most of the £30.3 million total investment itself.

Not bad for a machine roughly the size of a dishwasher.

So what’s it really about?

Toyota’s been talking about the “mobility ecosystem” for years — a sprawling vision of cars, scooters, and pods that all connect, communicate, and coexist. The FT-Me is a small but significant jigsaw piece in that puzzle, a symbol of the brand’s willingness to explore every corner of future transport — even the teeny-tiny ones.

And while an 8bhp microcar might not set your pulse racing, there’s something undeniably cool about the idea of one of the world’s biggest carmakers betting big on something so small. It’s daring, it’s daft, and it might just redefine what we mean by “British-built.”

Source: Autocar

NEW CARS

The Century Coupe: Japan’s Crown Jewel Goes Rogue

The 2025 Japan Mobility Show is shaping up to be less of an auto expo and more of a fever dream for people who like their cars slightly unhinged. Lexus is already flirting with absurdity by turning the stately LS into a luxury minivan, but it’s another Toyota offshoot that’s properly stealing the spotlight. Step aside, chauffeurs — the Century has gone rogue.

Yes, that Century — Japan’s most aristocratic set of wheels, the one that’s spent decades wafting prime ministers and emperors around in monastic silence. Traditionally, it’s been Toyota’s ultimate expression of restraint and craftsmanship: a stately sedan powered by a whispering V12, later by a hybrid V8, and most recently, reincarnated as a cushy SUV. Now, however, the brand has decided to throw its silk gloves out the window and build… a coupe.

And what a coupe it is. Think less “Gran Turismo” and more “rolling art installation.” Teaser shots reveal a long, tall shape that’s unmistakably Century yet oddly futuristic — complete with sliding doors, no B-pillars, and what appears to be a central driving position. Yes, Toyota might have gone full McLaren F1 on its most conservative nameplate. The steering “wheel” is rectangular, because of course it is, and the rear glass is gone entirely — a design quirk straight out of the Polestar playbook.

From the front, it looks imperious. The vast grille — still wearing the golden phoenix badge like a royal crest — isn’t fully closed, which hints there may still be a combustion engine somewhere in there. Vents on the bonnet seem to support that theory, suggesting this might not be purely electric after all. The dual-layer LED lighting gives off Genesis vibes, while the stance is unusually upright for a coupe — as if someone tried to crossbreed a grand tourer with a luxury monolith.

Toyota describes it as a “one of one”, so this might be a bespoke commission for someone with a garage full of rarities and a phone number that starts with “+81.” Or it could be a concept car — a design manifesto showing how far the Century brand can stretch. Either way, it’s a strong signal: Toyota wants the world to notice the Century name.

Until recently, the Century was a Japan-only affair, quietly existing in a parallel universe where chauffeurs wore white gloves and V12s purred in perfect harmony. But with the launch of the SUV and now this coupe, the brand’s ambitions are clearly expanding. Toyota has already hinted that the Century family will go global — and if this is the new design direction, Rolls-Royce and Bentley might want to pay attention.

The Century Coupe will make its full debut at the end of the month at the Japan Mobility Show, where it’ll share floor space with a new Corolla concept (because Toyota never forgets its everyman roots). But make no mistake — this is the headline act.

From chauffeur’s car to showstopper, the Century’s transformation might just be the boldest thing Toyota’s done in years. And if this is what “Japanese luxury” looks like in 2025, the rest of the world better start taking notes.

Source: Toyota