Toyota Is Already Testing A Hotter GR GT Supercar

Toyota’s long-awaited supercar finally broke cover last December, but the mid-engine V8 machine won’t launch until sometime next year. In the meantime, a new spy video reveals prototypes are back at the Nürburgring for further testing to iron out any last-minute kinks. It’s not just the regular GR GT racking up miles at the Green Hell, either, as the car paparazzi at Nürburg Automotive have also spotted a meaner-looking version.

At first glance, it might seem Toyota brought out the track-only GR GT3, but that’s clearly not the case. The camouflaged prototype carries a license plate, which is all the proof we need that this is a street-legal version. That said, it does appear to borrow a few bits and pieces from the race car. A new aerodynamic package includes a front splitter that protrudes farther than on the regular model. At the rear, the swan-neck wing is a dead giveaway that this isn’t the standard version.

Although Toyota did its due diligence to camouflage most of the car, it deliberately left a couple of details exposed. The front fenders now feature Porsche 911 GT3 RS-style carbon-fiber louvers, and we can also spot front canards at the outer edges of the bumper. It’s reasonable to expect all these new components to be offered as part of an optional package, unless Toyota decides to launch a separate GR GT variant altogether. That said, we wouldn’t expect something along the lines of a GRMN to arrive this early in the model’s life cycle.

The spy footage from the Nordschleife shows both versions of the GR GT running back-to-back, making it easier to spot the differences between them. Don’t expect the hotter model to ditch the hybrid powertrain, as the prototype still carries the yellow sticker all electrified vehicles must display during testing at the famous German circuit. It’s a safety requirement that helps track marshals and first responders quickly identify vehicles equipped with high-voltage systems in the event of an accident.

Track-focused packages rarely bring more power, as automakers typically concentrate on improving aerodynamics. As a result, this hardcore GR GT could retain the same combined output of 641 horsepower and 627 pound-feet (850 Newton-meters) from its twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine and electric motor. These figures aren’t final, however, as they apply to development cars, and Toyota hasn’t ruled out extracting even more performance from the production version.

Whether the engineers will trim additional weight through more extensive use of carbon fiber remains unclear. Even if they do, the curb weight is unlikely to drop significantly. As a reminder, Toyota estimates the regular GR GT will weigh 3,853 pounds (1,750 kilograms) or less, which is a respectable figure for a hybrid V8 supercar.

The GR GT uses Toyota’s first all-aluminum body frame, and the company plans to share it with another model. Lexus is bringing back the LFA in 2027 as an all-electric supercar based on the same lightweight platform as the V8-powered flagship. Whether its body panels will also use aluminum and carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, as on the GR GT, remains to be seen. Either way, the EV will inevitably be heavier. Even if it adopts the solid-state batteries mentioned in recent reports, the electric LFA is highly unlikely to match the GR GT’s weight, let alone undercut it.

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Source: Toyota

Motor1’s Take: Toyota is determined to take on the Germans with the GR GT on their home turf. But the competition isn’t standing still. Mercedes-AMG is developing a new Black Series model with equally extreme aerodynamic upgrades and a menacing race-car-for-the-road vibe.

With emissions regulations tightening around the world, we could be witnessing the final chapter for V8-powered supercars.