Editor’s Note: MotorTrend is live in Woven City, Japan for the debut of the three new vehicles from Toyota Motor Corporation; two new GAZOO RACING vehicles, the GR GT3 and GR GT, as well as the Lexus LFA Concept. Check back to these stories for frequent updates.
The silhouette is something out of the concept garage in the Sony PlayStation Gran Turismo 7 video game But what you’re looking at is neither a racing sim, nor a concept car. The GR GT is a full production vehicle, built by Toyota’s Gazoo Racing (GR) performance brand for the video game generation and their high-octane racing expectations.
The GR GT is a road-legal sports car developed in conjunction with the GR GT3 race car and Lexus LFA Concept. This three-pronged, high performance attack, spearheaded by Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) Chairman Akio Toyoda and his “driver-first” philosophy, showcases Toyota’s prowess across internal combustion, hybrid and EV powertrains and Akio’s personal vision of the future of driving excitement. The GR GT, in particular, serves not only as the company’s flagship, road-legal racecar, but a rolling demonstration of how Toyota plans to preserve and advance its motorsports-bred vehicle development techniques.
GR GT Chassis and Vehicle Packaging
Toyota’s first all-aluminum body frame serves as the foundation for GR GT and its target of low mass with high body rigidity. Aluminum castings form the main structure, supplemented by aluminum extrusions and advanced joining methods. Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) panels, including the hood, roof and rear hatch frame, further reduce weight. The target curb weight is 3,858 pounds or lower, with a front-rear weight distribution of 45:55.
With the objective of achieving a low center of gravity, engineers lowered the overall vehicle height, the driver’s seating position, and the mounting points of major components, including the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, which uses dry sump lubrication and a flatter oil pan to reduce overall engine height. Engineers focused on concentrating mass between the wheels as well, with the engine behind the midline of the front wheels and cabin ahead of the rear wheels. This effectively makes the GR GT a front-midship sports car and helps optimize weight distribution.
The suspension utilizes unequal-length A-arms (made of forged aluminum), mounted low, front and rear. Development incorporated professional drivers and simulator-based evaluations from early stages. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires were developed specifically for the GR GT, and braking is handled partly through the use of Brembo carbon discs.
Some details we’ve learned about the GR GT’s wheels, tires, and brakes:
- 20-inch BBS “R1D” OEM variation (one piece forged aluminum)
- Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, front 265/35/R20, rear 325/30R20)
- 6 piston Brembo front calipers
- Floating Brembo rear
Powertrain
The GR GT uses a hybrid system pairing a newly developed 4.0-liter V-8 twin-turbo engine with a single electric motor located at the front of the transaxle. GR engineers targeted system output of at least 641 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque. The engine’s short-stroke design (87.5mm bore × 83.1mm stroke) reduces height, and its “hot-V” configuration places an IHI turbocharger next to each bank. No word yet on boost pressure. We’re also awaiting to confirm the capacity of the hybrid battery, which appears to be positioned in the rear, just above the rear suspension towers.
Power routes through an axle enclosed in a CFRP “torque tube” to a rear transaxle containing an 8-speed automatic transmission with a wet-start clutch in place of a torque converter. The motor-generator assists during acceleration and gear changes. To minimize wheelbase length, a conical gear arrangement reverses power flow at the back of the transaxle, forward through a mechanical limited-slip differential, and then to half-shafts driving the rear wheels. Toyota says the transmission is being developed to deliver world-class shift speed and allow deliberate shift control even in automatic mode. We say 627 lb-ft of torque, in a rear-wheel drive, rear-biased sports car, with a mechanical LSD sounds like a recipe for deliciously smoky donuts, burnouts, and drifts on demand.
Aerodynamics and Exterior Design
Styling was developed under an “aerodynamics first” approach, reversing the conventional process of engineering the vehicle first. Aerodynamic and cooling performance requirements were defined before any design sketches, with aerodynamics engineers and exterior designers working jointly. As the GR GT aims to touch 199 mph or more, airflow management is a key concern. When function follows aerodynamic form, the net result is a sleek, wind-cheating design, refreshingly free of excess body lines.
Interior and Driving Position
The cabin was engineered around driving position and visibility for both professional and nonprofessional drivers. Switches are concentrated near the steering wheel for intuitive operation, and display placement for shift-up and gear-selection indicators was determined through repeated evaluations. Visibility and a sense of protection were prioritized for circuit and daily driving. As you’d expect, the throttle and gas pedals are as racy as can be; comprised of lightweight aluminum and mounted to the floor.
Noise and Driver Feedback
Toyota developed the V-8’s sound to communicate vehicle state and thermal energy. Exhaust piping was tuned to produce sound characteristics that align with power delivery. Thermal management, serviceability, emissions compliance, and durability were evaluated through bench testing, simulator development, and circuit testing at Fuji Speedway, the Nürburgring, and at the Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama.
GR GT Preliminary Specifications
- Length: 189.8 in
- Width: 78.7 in
- Height: 47.0 in
- Wheelbase: 107.3 in
- Drivetrain: Front-engine, RWD
- Tires: 265/35ZR20 (front), 325/30ZR20 (rear)
- Top speed: 199 mph or greater
- Occupancy: 2
Will the GR GT come to market as 2027 model year vehicle or for 2028? We don’t know yet, as the GR twins are still in development. Details are also scarce regarding how prospective owners will be able to buy either of them. For now, we know that in the U.S. and Canada, a select number of Lexus dealers that meet Gazoo Racing sales and service requirements, will support GR GT3 and GR GT customers. This is because Toyota has not set up dedicated GR sales operations in these markets.
History also suggests that future, higher performance versions may also be in development, as was the case with the LFA Nurburgring Edition and GRMN (Meisters of Nurburgring) editions of other Toyota performance vehicles, but all that is just speculation for now.
Stay tuned for more updates as we have them on the entire new lineup of Toyota performance vehicles.