Tag Archives: Toyota

Tuning

Kuhl Racing Turns the Toyota GR86 into a Rally-Ready Rebel

Sports cars are born knowing exactly where they belong: low, stiff, and glued to asphalt. Anything else is heresy. Or at least it was, until Lamborghini bolted all-terrain tires to a Huracán and Porsche sent a 911 drifting into the desert. Suddenly, the idea of a lifted performance car stopped sounding ridiculous and started sounding… fun. Really fun.

Now Japan is weighing in, and it’s doing so with one of the best possible candidates: the Toyota GR86. The result is the Kuhl Racing GR86 Outroad, a rally-flavored reinterpretation of Toyota’s lightweight rear-drive coupe that looks ready to trade apexes for gravel rooster tails. And somehow, it works.

Kuhl Racing isn’t exactly subtle in its approach. The headline change is ride height. The Outroad sits roughly three inches higher than a standard GR86 thanks to a bespoke suspension setup, instantly transforming the car’s stance and proportions. If that’s not enough clearance for your imaginary WRC stage, there’s also an optional hydraulic lift system that can jack the car up an additional 1.6 inches at the press of a button. When you’re done playing rally hero, it drops back down for normal driving duties.

That lift does more than just add drama—it changes the whole personality of the car. The GR86 has always been about balance and approachability, a modern echo of classic lightweight sports cars. Raising it up and toughening it out taps into a different but equally romantic tradition: the idea that driving fast doesn’t require perfect pavement.

Visually, the Outroad looks like it’s itching to throw rocks at passing supercars. Chunky fender flares widen the body to make room for beefier tires, while redesigned front and rear bumpers improve approach and departure angles. Skid plates and protective cladding hint that Kuhl expects owners to actually leave the pavement behind, not just park aggressively at cars and coffee. Auxiliary lights add full rally cosplay energy, and roof rails finish the transformation, because nothing says “weekend adventure” like mounting gear on a sports coupe.

Despite the rugged makeover, the Outroad doesn’t abandon the GR86’s mechanical simplicity. Under the hood sits the familiar 2.4-liter flat-four, unchanged in its standard form. That means 232 horsepower going to the rear wheels—still modest, still honest, still very much in the spirit of the car.

For those who want a little more punch to match the tougher look, Kuhl offers an optional turbocharger kit. With revised cooling and ECU tuning, the turbo setup bumps output by about 50 horsepower. That’s not supercar territory, but it’s enough to make the Outroad feel properly lively, especially on loose surfaces where traction—not power—is the limiting factor. Buyers can still choose between a manual transmission or an automatic, which means the Outroad remains refreshingly democratic in an era of increasingly rigid configurations.

What really elevates the GR86 Outroad from wild show car to legitimate enthusiast proposition is that it’s not just a one-off. Kuhl plans to sell the Outroad as a full conversion package for existing GR86 owners. Better yet, customers can pick and choose individual components. Want the lifted suspension but not the full rally body kit? Fine. Just the wheels and aero? Also fine. Kuhl will happily let you build your own version, dialing the madness up or down depending on your taste—and courage.

Pricing reflects that modular approach. The full Outroad conversion rings in at ¥4,150,000, or about $26,600, assuming you already own the car. The body kit alone costs ¥1,771,000 ($11,800), the wheels add another ¥440,000 ($2,800), and the turbocharger kit tacks on ¥1,250,000 ($8,300). None of it is cheap, but neither is the idea of doing something genuinely different with a modern sports car.

The GR86 Outroad will make its public debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon next month, with sales in Japan planned for later in 2026. Whether it ever officially reaches other markets is unclear, but that almost doesn’t matter. The point is that someone looked at one of today’s best affordable sports cars and decided the solution wasn’t more grip or more downforce—it was dirt.

In a world where performance cars are increasingly defined by lap times and software updates, the GR86 Outroad is a reminder that driving enthusiasm isn’t limited to smooth tarmac. Sometimes, the best way forward is sideways, slightly lifted, and covered in dust.

Source: Kuhl Racing

News

Toyota Thinks Your EV Could Be the Next Nuclear Power Plant (Well, Sort Of)

Toyota has spent the better part of the last decade preaching patience in the electric transition, hedging its bets with hybrids while the rest of the industry sprinted toward full battery power. Now the company is making a different kind of bold claim—one that doesn’t involve 0–60 times or range figures. According to Toyota, a future fleet of electric vehicles with two-way charging could collectively deliver power on the scale of dozens of nuclear reactors.

No, your driveway isn’t about to glow in the dark. But the idea behind vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology is simple and quietly radical: your EV doesn’t just consume electricity—it can also give it back.

Toyota has kicked off a new phase of its V2G pilot program at its North American headquarters in Plano, Texas, partnering with energy provider Oncor. The test setup uses a Japanese-spec Toyota bZ4X paired with a Fermata Energy bidirectional charger. This isn’t just a fancy wall box. It can charge the car, then reverse the flow, sending energy back into the grid when demand spikes or prices make it worthwhile. The system continuously monitors grid conditions and electricity-market signals, deciding when to store power and when to sell it back.

Texas isn’t the only proving ground. Toyota is running similar pilot projects with San Diego Gas & Electric in California and Pepco in Maryland, effectively stress-testing V2G across very different energy markets. The goal is to understand not just the technical hurdles, but also how customers might actually live with this tech—when they’re comfortable sharing their car’s stored energy and what kind of compensation makes participation worthwhile.

At its core, V2G turns EVs into rolling batteries that plug into a larger ecosystem. When connected to a compatible charger, the vehicle can feed electricity back into the grid during peak demand. Utilities must be equipped to accept that power, and drivers always retain control—they can opt out at any time. In return, participants typically receive credits or payments, which is why utilities like to call these networks “virtual power plants.” It’s less sci-fi than it sounds and more spreadsheet-driven than exciting, but it could be transformative.

Here’s where Toyota’s nuclear comparison comes in. The company estimates there are already more than four million fully electric vehicles on U.S. roads. If every one of them supported two-way charging, Toyota claims they could collectively deliver around 40,000 megawatts back to the grid—roughly equivalent to the output of about 40 nuclear reactors.

That’s a big “if,” of course. Not every EV will be plugged in at the right time, not every owner will want to participate, and today’s charging infrastructure isn’t ready for mass bidirectional power flow. Still, the math hints at something important: EVs aren’t just a transportation shift, they’re an energy one.

For car enthusiasts, this is a different way of thinking about performance. The future EV spec sheet might not just list horsepower and range, but also how many kilowatts your car can sell back to the grid while you sleep. Toyota, long criticized for moving cautiously on full electrification, may end up shaping how EVs fit into daily life—not as rolling gadgets, but as critical pieces of national infrastructure.

It’s not exactly the stuff of burnouts and Nürburgring laps. But if Toyota is right, the quietest revolution in the automotive world might be happening while your car is parked.

Source: Toyota

News

Toyota Brings Three U.S.-Made Models Back to Japan

In a move that underscores both strategic pragmatism and cultural confidence, Toyota Motor Corporation has confirmed plans to introduce three U.S.-built models to the Japanese domestic market from 2026: the Camry sedan, Highlander SUV, and the Tundra pickup. It’s a decision that goes beyond simple product expansion—one that reflects shifting consumer tastes in Japan and a broader effort to strengthen Japan–U.S. trade relations.

At the heart of the initiative is Toyota’s belief that Japanese buyers are ready for a wider interpretation of what a “Toyota” can be. By bringing back familiar nameplates and introducing a distinctly American icon, the company aims to cater to an increasingly diverse set of lifestyles, from efficiency-focused urban drivers to adventure-oriented customers seeking capability and presence.

The Camry, produced at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK), needs little introduction. A long-standing bestseller in the United States, the global midsize sedan blends understated sophistication with comfort and impressive fuel efficiency. Although the Camry quietly exited the Japanese market in 2023, its return signals Toyota’s continued faith in the sedan format—especially one with a reputation for refinement and reliability honed over decades.

Joining it is the Highlander, built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana (TMMI). The three-row SUV, last sold in Japan in 2007, reflects how much the domestic market has evolved since its departure. With families seeking greater versatility and space, the Highlander’s roomy interior, elevated driving position, and all-round capability—from city streets to outdoor escapes—now feel more relevant than ever.

The most intriguing addition, however, is the Tundra. Manufactured in Texas at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas (TMMTX), the full-size pickup represents a bold statement for the Japanese market. With its commanding power, serious towing capability, and the brand’s trademark quality, durability, and reliability, the Tundra is unapologetically American. Toyota believes that as Japanese lifestyles diversify and interest in outdoor recreation grows, there is room for a pickup that offers not just utility, but character—something clearly distinct from conventional domestic offerings.

Supporting this rollout is a new approval system currently under consideration by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, developed through bilateral negotiations. This framework is expected to ease the path for introducing U.S.-spec vehicles into Japan, further reinforcing the symbolic and practical importance of the program.

From Kentucky, Indiana, and Texas to Tokyo and beyond, Toyota’s trans-Pacific product strategy is about more than geography. It’s about acknowledging that the definition of “local taste” is changing—and that sometimes, the best way forward is to bring a bit of elsewhere home. As 2026 approaches, all eyes will be on how Japanese customers respond to Toyota’s American-built trio.

Source: Toyota