Toyota has a new flagship sports car, and it seems those rumors of it wearing a Lexus badge were overblown. There’s no Lexus badge on it, and in fact, there isn’t even a Toyota badge. It’s a GR.
The GR GT debuted Friday morning in Japan at the automaker’s Woven City complex not far from Fuji Speedway, alongside a GR GT3 race car and an electric Lexus LFA concept.
The GR GT, which is officially still a prototype under development, is expected to debut sometime in 2027 and will herald a list of firsts for the Toyota group, including a new twin-turbo V8 hybrid powertrain and aluminum frame.
Specs aren’t final yet, but lurking beneath the carbon fiber and aluminum skin is a new 4.0-liter. twin-turbo V8 engine featuring dry-sump lubrication. Toyota said the design concept for the clean-sheet engine revolved around a low center of gravity and keeping everything light, which resulted in a bore and stroke of 87.5 x 83.1, reducing the engine’s overall height. The two turbos are set up in a “hot-V” configuration, like other high-end turbocharged V8s. Toyota says it’s targeting at least 641 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. A 0-60 mph time hasn’t been divulged, but the GR GT is estimated to top out at 199 mph, if not higher.
Power is sent through a carbon fiber driveshaft to a transaxle 8-speed automatic transmission. Between the driveshaft and gearbox is an electric motor to act as a torque filler and replace the torque converter for smooth shifts and seamless power delivery. A battery pack rests above the transaxle to feed the electric motor. There’s a mechanical limited-slip differential to optimally get that power to the ground. But, in an effort to keep the wheelbase short, Toyota is using a canonical gear to reverse the direction of the power, to turn the driveshaft through the mechanical limited-slip differential, similarly to how power would flow in an all-wheel-drive supercar. Except, the GR GT is rear-wheel-drive only.
Toyota said the entire setup delivers a 45:55 weight distribution. And, while the automaker is calling the GR GT a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive car, the V8 is fully seated behind the front axle, making it more of a front-mid-engine machine.
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires bordering on street-legal race slicks will be standard; according to Toyota, they were developed specifically for the GR GT. Hidden behind the wheels are pizza-sized Brembo carbon ceramic brake rotors grabbed by huge calipers, but more details on those haven’t been released at this point.
While the old Lexus LFA’s V10 engine and exhaust note were tuned by Yamaha, no such partnership exists for the GR GT. But Toyota said that the GR GT’s exhaust pipes were constructed in a way to produce a sound that suits the vehicle. We’ll reserve judgment for when we hear the final product in person.
The entire chassis is new; it was specifically designed for the GT3 version and used for the street car, as the two were developed in tandem, and it’s made out of aluminum. That’s a first for Toyota, but it helps keep the weight down, rigidity up, and cost in check, rather than using a carbon fiber tub. The body panels are made out of aluminum and carbon fiber, though Toyota hasn’t yet specified which panels are made from which material. Toyota said the GR GT will weigh 3,858 pounds at most. At 15.8 feet long, it’s about 10 inches longer than a Porsche 911 but roughly the same length as a Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe.
Both the GR GT and GR GT3’s suspension systems were designed together and consist of low-mounted double wishbones made out of forged aluminum, front and rear.
The exterior was shaped around the car’s aerodynamics. Toyota said designers and aerodynamic engineers co-developed the GR GT’s body with the main goal of proper airflow and cooling performance, rather than pure style.
Inside, the GR GT is strictly a two-seat affair and is not a 2+2 setup. Sorry, kids. The interior design is focused on ergonomics, both for outward visibility on the track as well as vehicle controls. There are chunky toggle switches for some aspects of the climate system and infotainment beneath the huge touchscreen, while drive modes and traction control are adjusted via knobs on the steering wheel.
Toyota hasn’t said how much the GR GT will cost when it arrives, but expect a sizable six-figure price tag in the vicinity of $225,000
Toyota provided The Drive with travel and lodging to bring you this first-hand report