Could this finally be the LFA successor we’ve been waiting for? Well, not quite – that has been revealed as a full EV hypercar – but this is an exciting sign that the Japanese manufacturer remains dedicated to creating some very special petrol-engined performance cars too. Toyota’s Gazoo Racing has presented the GR GT and GR GT3 as developmental prototypes, signalling the most significant expansion of the GR performance brand since its creation. Revealed on 5 December, the pair represents a renewed commitment to motorsport-led engineering – a lineage that traces back through the GR Yaris and GR Corolla to the brand’s formative work in WRC and endurance racing.
The GR brand itself emerged from Akio Toyoda’s long-held ambition to reconnect Toyota to enthusiast culture. Since the WRC-derived GR Yaris appeared in 2020, GR has grown in stature to become a standalone identity within Toyota, much like Lexus or Century. The GR GT moves that ambition into supercar territory for the first time, taking inspiration from the Toyota 2000GT and the Lexus LFA while establishing a new flagship for the brand’s next decade.
At the heart of the GR GT is a newly developed 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 hybrid powertrain producing 641bhp and at least 627lb ft, driving the rear wheels through a rear-mounted transaxle and carbonfibre torque tube. It’s all been packaged to achieve an exceptionally low centre of gravity, featuring Toyota’s first all-aluminium monocoque, along with CFRP body panels. The target weight is below 1750kg, with a 45:55 weight distribution.
The GR GT’s interesting design reflects what Toyota calls its ‘aero first’ methodology: aerodynamicists defined the car’s ideal form before exterior designers translated it into production-viable surfaces. The result is a package shaped around stability, cooling and high-speed efficiency, with a projected top speed beyond 199mph.
Developed in parallel, the GR GT3 shares the same architecture and V8 engine, but is engineered to FIA GT3 regulations for global customer racing. Toyota intends to support the model with a dedicated customer-service structure, underscoring its ambition to return to prominence in GT racing.
Testing has combined simulator development with extensive track running at Fuji Speedway, the Nürburgring and Toyota’s Shimoyama proving ground. Both models continue towards a planned launch around 2027, forming what Toyota describes as a new ‘trinity’ of flagship performance that demonstrates the full capability of the GR brand.
