- Street automotive counterpart to Toyota GR GT3 race automotive has been noticed
- New sports activities automotive could also be marketed as a Lexus
- Energy anticipated to come back from newly developed V-8
Toyota is growing a brand new GT3 race automotive that can type the premise of a high-end sports activities automotive constructed for the highway, and a prototype for that road-going mannequin has been noticed for the primary time.
The race automotive was previewed by an idea on the 2022 Tokyo auto salon and has been noticed prior to now testing exhausting at a number of the world’s high racetracks, akin to Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps.
Some competitions the place the race automotive would possibly find yourself embody the IMSA SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship. The race automotive is anticipated to make its aggressive debut in 2026, and the highway automotive is anticipated to launch across the identical time, making a 2027 mannequin 12 months arrival probably.
Toyota executives have hinted {that a} road-going model of the race automotive was coming. The GT3 class requires race automobiles to be derived from highway automobiles, so it was inevitable that Toyota’s new race automotive, which is not based mostly on any present highway automotive, would finally spawn a mannequin you may drive on the road.
Toyota GR GT3 idea
What is not clear is whether or not the automotive will probably be marketed as a Toyota or a Lexus, although most rumors level to the latter, as it’s going to enable the race automotive to take over for the growing older Lexus RC F GT3 on the racetrack. Lexus has additionally proven an electrical supercar idea with proportions much like these of the race automotive, maybe pointing to some shared improvement.
The event remains to be at a comparatively early stage, and the ultimate design might evolve on the highway to manufacturing, because the design of the prototype remains to be very near the race automotive. It nonetheless options polycarbonate for the home windows, for instance.
There are some clear variations, although. The highway automotive has a smaller rear wing in comparison with the race automotive, and it additionally makes use of typical rear-mounted exhaust suggestions as an alternative of the aspect exhaust of the race automotive. The entrance and rear fascias are additionally distinctive, and on the highway automotive the entrance splitter is loads smaller. The highway automotive additionally has street-legal tires, on this case a set of Michelins.
Lexus Electrified Sport – Photograph credit score: Noriaki Mitsuhashi/N-Rak Photograph Company
Toyota hasn’t offered any particulars on the race automotive, however below the hood is anticipated to be a V-8 engine. The highway automotive will probably additionally use the V-8, maybe with much more energy because it does not have any Steadiness of Efficiency guidelines to fulfill. There are even some rumors the highway automotive might undertake hybrid expertise.
A potential identify for the automotive is GR GT, a reputation Toyota has trademarked. The “GR” right here signifies Gazoo Racing, the official motorsports division for each Toyota and Lexus. The race automotive is anticipated to be known as a GR GT3.
Keep tuned for updates as improvement continues.
