It will be more powerful than the Le Mans race car.
Toyota is looking to spice up its lineup and appeal to sports car enthusiasts with the GR Yaris and GR Supra, but there’s so much more to come in the near future. The new GR 86 was unveiled about a month ago, and reports are intensifying about a GR Corolla and even a performance version of the Hilux pickup truck. At the top of the Gazoo Racing food chain will be a fully fledged hypercar.
Previewed back in January 2018 by the GR Super Sport concept, the production version will arrive next year and could go by the name of GR 010. Autocar is now aiming to shed light on Toyota’s flagship sports car, which will have to do battle against the Aston Martin Valkyrie and the Mercedes-AMG One. The mid-engined machine will adopt a hybrid powertrain and a coupe body style, possibly with a canopy opening as hinted by a patent.
Gallery: Toyota GR Super Sport concept
Even though a road-going equivalent of the Le Mans Hypercar racer is no longer necessary since the LMH regulations have changed, Toyota is sticking to its original plan to give the GR Super Sport a license plate. It’s expected to employ a twin-turbo V6 2.4-liter hybrid system adapted from the motorsport division’s previous race car, the TS050 Hybrid.
It’s said to have at least 986 horsepower as per the original LMH regulations and the power output announced for the concept car. Autocar claims there is a distinct possibility the final version will pack an even more punch courtesy of a tri-motor hybrid setup. Either way, it will be more powerful than its race car equivalent since the track version will be capped at 670 hp from a hybrid 3.0-liter V6 as per the latest LMH class regulations.
The jury is still out on the asking price and how many will be made, but with the regulations changing, Toyota no longer has to make a minimum of 20 units. Considering the money, time, and effort invested in the project, logic tells us the production run will be greater to build a solid business case for the GR Super Sport / GR 010.
While Toyota is determined to launch a road version of its Le Mans Hypercar racer, other automakers that have announced to participate in the LMH class have yet to commit to a road-approved car. We’re specifically talking about Peugeot, Porsche, Audi, and Ferrari.
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