Toyota relaunches sports car: Gazoo Racing developed Gr Gt, Gr Gt3 and Lexus Lfa Concept

Not only hybrid cars at Toyota. The Toyota Gazoo Racing (Tgr) division and Lexus unveiled the Gr Gt, Gr Gt3 and the Lexus Lfa concept car, born out of President Akio Toyoda's conviction that certain automotive skills should be preserved and passed on to the next generation. Together, the three models represent Toyota's 'Shikinen Sengu'. "Shikinen Sengu" is a traditional Japanese ritual in which the basic structures and elements of a (Shinto) shrine are rebuilt every few decades. The ritual consists not only of the reconstruction of the shrine itself, but also the reconstruction of the furnishings and ceremonial clothes it houses. As such, it serves as a platform for artisans from a wide range of traditional Japanese crafts - including architects, blacksmiths and fashion designers - to pass on their skills to the next generation.

The Toyota Gr Gt was created with the aim of furthering Toyota Gazoo Racing's philosophy of making cars increasingly suitable for motorsport. Based on the concept of a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive vehicle, the GR Gt has a very low centre of gravity and uses Toyota's first all-aluminium chassis for extremely low weight and high rigidity, with a design that gives top priority to aerodynamics. The engine is a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 with dry sump lubrication, while the transmission uses a carbon-fibre coupled tube and transaxle configuration. The rear-mounted gearbox is an eight-speed automatic, with a single electric motor and a mechanical limited slip differential.

Based on the Toyota Gr Gt, the Gr Gt3 is designed to compete in competitions around the world. Created in compliance with the Fia Gt3 regulations - the main category for private customer motorsport based on the development of production vehicles - it is aimed at both professional and gentlemen drivers due to its ease of use. The aluminium chassis, low mounted double wishbone suspension and 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine are the same as the Gr Gt.

Created to be a true electric sports car, the Lexus Lfa Concept is a model that, like the Gr Gt and Gr Gt3, was developed directly under the control of President Toyoda. The Lexus LFA Concept is an electric sports car model that has already been presented as the 'Lexus Sport Concept' at Monterey Car Week and the Japan Mobility Show in 2025. The interior is designed with functional components arranged around the driver. The steering wheel is designed for sports driving, eliminating the need to change grips during turns, while the layout of the switches facilitates intuitive vehicle control.