A V-8-POWERED TOYOTA SUPERCAR IS COMING AND HERE'S HOW IT'LL BE CREATED

Remember the Toyota GR GT3 Concept that was previewed two years ago at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon? Well, the time has come for it to finally be put into production. With strong pieces of evidence ranging from patent filings to the European Union Intellectual Property Office to screaming prototypes hurtling around Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, we know that Toyota is spending its sweet time developing the production version of the GR GT3 Concept.

However, apart from evidence, its arrival was already confirmed a year ago through Motorsport.com, and the production version will wear a Lexus badge. More information has also come to light as time passes by, with public anticipation consistently building up one piece of information after the other. Clearly, Toyota's Chairman Akio Toyoda's goal of “no more boring cars” continues to this day, and whatever production model the GR GT3 Concept spawns is proof of that.

And there are plenty of reasons to be excited. Despite the pressure from various sides for Toyota to go electric, the company knows that it isn't where the market is heading in the immediate future. That's exactly why Toyota's hybrids are at an all-time high in terms of sales and thus, also profits for the company. Here's what we know so far about Toyota's supercar project, and why it is still relevant even amid electrification.

Yes, A V-8 Supercar Is Confirmed

The first piece of information to be confirmed is that this supercar is going to have a V-8. That distinct aural V-8 rumble has been confirmed through spy videos by CarSpyMedia (see video below) as a prototype was hurtling through Spa-Francorchamps.

You Have GT3 Racing To Thank For

The reason why a production version of the GR GT3 Concept is coming is due to Toyota's intention to participate in Group GT3 racing. Toyota's current GT3-class racecar is the aging Lexus RC F GT3, and it's about time that Toyota introduced a new GT3-class racecar to better compete with what European automakers have to offer.

First debuting in 2014, the RC F GT3's most recent participation is the ongoing 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the car's first and only constructor's title happened in 2023 during the IMSA SportsCar Championship, where Lexus emerged victorious at the GT Daytona Pro.

Homologation Rules Mean A Production Car Is Coming

And because of FIA Group GT3 homologation rules, Toyota is required to produce a road-going version of its GR GT3 Concept car because whatever vehicle that a manufacturer plans to enter into Group GT3 must be based on a production road car that's built and sold at the time of homologation.

If you're curious, the Group GT3 cars are regulated in two ways, either by the GT Bureau of the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) or a specific ruling body of a race series (either a manufacturer-sanctioned one or a racing event organized by a third party).

Group GT3 cars have adjustable aero, engine management, and weight through ballast to comply with a certain series' Balance of Performance that sets limits on horsepower, weight, and other adjustable parameters. GT3-class cars weigh somewhere between 2,645 and 2,866 pounds, while horsepower varies between 500 and 600 horsepower.

Here's Why You Should Be Excited

A V-8 sports car from Toyota will unsurprisingly pique the interest of car enthusiasts, but there's more to it that makes this a sports car to watch out for in the coming years. It has all the right ingredients to be one of the motoring greats, as we've witnessed in the Toyota GR Yaris.

It's A Racecar Turned Into A Road Car

Do you know why the GR Yaris was such a sensation? That's because it's only a Yaris by name, but not by engineering. The GR Yaris isn't based on the humble subcompact hatch of the same name--even if it shares many components. Remember, the Yaris is a five-door hatch and not a three-door.

Instead, the GR Yaris has the rear half of a Corolla hatch to accommodate a double-wishbone rear suspension, and the rest of the car's engineering principles were in tandem with the GR Yaris Rally1 racecar. Just like the upcoming production version of the GR GT3 Concept, the GR Yaris' existence is due to WRC's homologation that a rally car should be based on a production road car.

Similarly, the GR GT3 Concept will take a similar path as the GR Yaris. The production car is likewise going to be based on a racecar as opposed to the other way around. If the GR Yaris is anything to go by, then you can expect a future Lexus-badged sports car that will be a strong competitor to the likes of the Aston Martin Vantage, and the Mercedes-AMG GT, all of which have V-8 engines. Therefore, the future Lexus sports car could potentially be a spiritual successor to the LFA.

The Production V-8 Might Have Hybrid Assistance

The question now is, in the age of ever-stricter emissions, will the racecar's screaming V-8 that you're hearing through those spy videos make it into the production car? Though this bit of news isn't confirmed yet, Autocar reports that the Lexus-badged sports car's V-8 will come with hybrid assistance.

Don't get your hopes up for now, but if there's one thing we can trust Toyota to do is the company making well-engineered hybrids that have been honed through years of research and development, especially in the FIA World Endurance Championship. But what V-8 engine will Toyota use for its upcoming Lexus-badged sports car? The 5.0-liter V-8 that's currently in the RC F and LC 500 are long in the tooth, and if Toyota wants to be competitive in the GT3 class, then a new engine is in order.

Toyota's Commitment To Fun Cars

Under Akio Toyoda's helm as Chairman, you can bet Toyota will continue to evolve its brand and make desirable and emotional cars. Whether it's electric as seen in concepts like the Lexus Electrified Sport Concept or gasoline like in the anticipated production version of the GR GT3 Concept, Toyota is currently in a position where even car enthusiasts and not just commodity car buyers are attracted to the brand.

ICE Is Still Part Of Its Multi-Pathway Approach

And one of the reasons why Toyota is appealing is because it continues to listen to its customers. Sure, many brands are going the electric route, but as the slower EV sales growth of 2024 tells us, the consumers are saying “not so fast”, or at least that's the case in certain markets like North America and Europe.

But that doesn't mean Toyota doesn't care about the environment at all, because, with its multi-pathway approach that it recently showcased together with Subaru and Mazda, Toyota knows that the path to carbon neutrality involves multiple solutions that suit multiple markets and consumer needs.

Of course, one of those pathways that their ICEs will take is the aforementioned hydrogen combustion technology, but it also includes synthetic fuels, and who can forget Toyota's expertise with hybrid electrification? As a climate solution, hybrids are seen as a bridge between gasoline and fully electric, therefore combining the best of both, which is why these cars are so popular at the moment.

Who Else Is Making GT3-Class Production Cars?

Perhaps the most intriguing formula for Toyota's commitment to fun cars this time around is that this is going to be their first road car that's based on a GT3-class car. Toyota is joining an elite group of brands, mostly consisting of European ones, that have been churning out production sports cars and supercars that are based heavily on or were developed alongside their GT3 racers.

Of course, the most famous and iconic of them all is Porsche and the 911 GT3, with the current generation (992) being the most potent in the nameplate's history. The 4.0-liter naturally-aspirated flat-six of the current 911 GT3 shares 95 percent of its components with the 911 GT3 Cup racecar, among other components.

Over here in America, we have the current C8 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, which has been a sensational hit among car enthusiasts. Though the Corvette C8.R was built around FIA WEC LMGTE Am regulations, most of what's in this racecar has been carried over to the succeeding Corvette Z06 GT3.R. This includes its engine, a 5.5-liter naturally-aspirated V-8 with a flat-plane crank, unlike a cross-plane crank used in other V-8 American performance cars.

This engine appeared first in the C8.R racecar before making its way for public road use in the Corvette Z06. By using a race-derived engine as opposed to going the other way around, the Corvette Z06 likewise became an instant hit for those who are able to afford one. With Toyota taking the same route for its future V-8-powered sports car that is expected to wear a Lexus badge, our expectations are indeed high for what is shaping up to be a racecar for the road.

2024-06-22T11:07:48Z dg43tfdfdgfd