Electrified concept for GT3 competition?
Toyota has teased some of the goodies its bringing to the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon, including a new GT3-style racing machine and a "fully tuned" GR Yaris.
Let's start with the mysterious GR GT3 Concept, which Toyota frames as "a racing-dedicated concept car that incorporates the knowledge and refined technologies TGR [Toyota Gazoo Racing] has gained in the field of motorsports."
Naturally, our first thought was a new race-spec for the A90 Toyota Supra, but the provided silhouette suggests something else, with a longer hood line, a lower roof line, new lighting bits, and a few other cues. Additionally, the GR GT3 Concept likely won't preview anything road-legal, although a new customer racer is a strong possibility. What's more, the language about "knowledge and refined technologies" suggests some kind of electrified powertrain, either hybrid or all-electric.
Up next, Toyota will showcase a new GR Yaris concept. Not much info is provided on this one either, although the teaser does show an aggressive rear wing and hood vent. The mystery Yaris may be related to a pumped-up variant of the hatch recently spotted testing at the Nürburgring, but we'll have to wait and see if this is indeed the case.
For those readers who may not know, the GR Yaris is a lightweight, high-powered version sporting a more rigid chassis, plus longer, wider, and lower dimensions. Motivation is sourced from a turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder producing 257 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, feeding a six-speed manual and all-wheel drive system with a configurable front-to-rear torque split. Unfortunately, all that goodness isn't headed stateside, no matter how much we cry about it.
Rounding out Toyota's booth will be the Le Mans-winning GR010 Hybrid racer, as well as the latest GR Heritage Parts, the latter of which includes new components for classic Toyota enthusiast favorites, such as the A80 Supra and Corolla AE86.
Stay tuned, as the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon kicks off in just a few days.
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