Toyota has been announcing some big plans recently, like its 15 electric vehicle concepts and its first-ever battery-powered production model, the BZ4X. It definitely hasn't been quiet on the motorsport front, either. As well as being one of the first manufacturers competing in the WEC's slightly mothballed Hypercar prototype class, it's been doing off-the-wall stuff like making a hydrogen combustion car that competes in endurance races in Japan.
So, it follows that we were all due a Gazoo Racing announcement at the Tokyo Auto Salon this year. Toyota teased a few times that it was dropping what looked like a GT car and now it's unveiled the thing. Here's the Toyota GR GT3 Concept in all its monochrome, Batmobile glory:
So what is there to like about it? Well, it's certainly a GT car, one that's been built to GT3 racing specifications.
Toyota's raced GT3s before—in fact, luxury division Lexus has been running a mean-looking RC F in IMSA for quite a few years. But this one is interesting, firstly, because it's new, and also because it's not actually a factory race car that we'll see in action just yet. Normally, given the chance to build a concept, you'd go off the wall a bit and create something you say is a GT car but doesn't necessarily conform to the regulations of any recognized racing class. I mean, it's concepts, why stick to the rules?
Well, there are a few hints. It's hard to see, given how dark the photos Toyota have released are, but it certainly looks as though there's an exhaust, as well as a honking great air intake on the front of the car. All of that points to a combustion vehicle. Which figures, given this car definitely wasn't lined up alongside the other 15 EV concepts late last year.
Toyota says that the concept is part of its commitment to (deep breath) "further accelerating customer motorsports activities to make the world of motorsports sustainable." So is this a full-scale GT car running the hydrogen combustion engine we've seen racing in Japan? Or a more powerful version of that? I'm not sure, but I'll try to find out.
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