Is that you, Toyota GR GT3 Concept?
An image of the concept car has been leaked by lexustuned on Instagram, and posted by Clifff on Twitter, revealing its aggressive look.
It’s not clear exactly what role the GT3 Concept is meant to play in the burgeoning Toyota GR range. It has a long, low bonnet and ankle-breaking splitter, along with the array of flics and and vents you’d expect of a GT3 racer.
There’s no real link between the styling of the concept and the existing GR range, which includes the GR Yaris, the LandCruiser GR Sport, GR Supra, GR 86, and the C-HR GR Sport.
The rear end is dominated by a wing that’s almost taller than the roof, and spans the width of the tail.
Toyota says it’s a racing car designed to demonstrate the “the knowledge and refined technologies Toyota Gazoo Racing has gained in the field of motorsports”.
The concept could preview a new entry for GT3 racing, given Toyota Gazoo Racing currently races a Lexus RC F with no strong link to the GR Sport brand.
Running a heavily modified RC F V8 is also out of keeping with recently-announced plans to transform Lexus into an electric-only brand by 2035.
Along with the GR GT3 Concept, Toyota will use the Tokyo Auto Salon to reveal a hotter GR Yaris.
While Toyota has already followed up the GR Yaris with a Rallye variant packing more performance hardware, a further enhanced version has been spied testing.
The “fully tuned” GR Yaris could wear the GRMN badge.
The prototype spied at the Nürburgring featured canards at the front corners and large vents behind the front wheel arches, plus gloss black trim on the section of the side sills that flow into the rear fenders.
A larger rear spoiler was also visible, though a bonnet scoop wasn’t. This item appears on the teased vehicle.
We expect more power and torque from the enhanced GR Yaris compared with the standard car, which produces 200kW and 370Nm from a turbocharged 1.6-litre three-cylinder engine.
All GR Yaris models are all-wheel drive and are equipped with a six-speed manual transmission.
Toyota could also add to the GR Yaris’ dynamic abilities by subtracting, such as stripping out the rear seats, removing insulation or deleting creature comforts to reduce weight.
A report from Japanese outlet Car Sensor late last year said the hotter GR Yaris could use a 220kW tune of the turbo three-pot that will reportedly be shared with the upcoming GR Corolla.
