Tech testbed and a JDM special.
The 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon is now officially in high gear, kicking off with a series of debuts from Japan's biggest automakers and tuners. That includes Toyota, which revealed its new GR GT3 race car concept, as well as a new high-performance, limited-edition Yaris.
Let's start with the Toyota GR GT3. From the off, this thing looks gorgeous, combining a long hood line, cab-back proportions, and a low roofline to create the sort of silhouette that simply begs for attention. However, the concept is much more than just a looker, with aggressive and purposeful aero bits added throughout, including a swan-neck rear spoiler, prominent front splitter, and a deep rear diffuser, plus vents galore.
The new Toyota GR GT3 certainly looks the business, but unfortunately, the details and purpose behind it remain somewhat murky. The basics are like this - front-engine layout, race-only application. The concept isn't based on any current Toyota production vehicle, as the automaker seeks to "[commercialize] motorsports cars rather than simply adapting production vehicles for use in motorsports."
Essentially, the Toyota GR GT3 looks to introduce some new customer racing program, slotting in above Toyota's current GR Supra GT4. The Toyota GR GT3 will also serve as a testbed for future performance technologies, and given the presence of exhaust pipes just behind the front wheels, a hybrid powertrain seems like a safe bet - the kind of thing that could very well find its way onto the street, at least in one form or another. Either way, look for a full prototype model to be up and running by the end of the year.
Up next, Toyota has introduced the new limited edition GRMN Yaris, which arrives with a slew of upgrades to deliver maximum driving excitement. That means a more rigid platform, 44 pounds in shaved weight, an extra 0.4 inches in width, and a drop in ride height. The GRMN Yaris is also equipped with a mechanical LSD and a close-ratio gearbox with lower final gearing. Production is limited at just 500 units total, with deliveries ramping up this summer.
Sounds tasty. Unfortunately, the GRMN Yaris will only be sold in Japan, which definitely sucks.
We've got even more Tokyo Auto Salon content in the works, so stay tuned.
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