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All-new Toyota GR GT3 concept hints at motorsport ambitions

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Toyota has revealed the all-new and totally bespoke GR GT3 concept as a statement of intent for its Gazoo Racing performance division.

Revealed at the Tokyo Auto Salon, the striking motorsport-oriented concept embodies what Toyota calls a “driver-first” approach to car development. 

The firm says it aims to attract customers participating in GT3 racing – “the pinnacle of customer motorsports – with the GR GT3, but has given no timeframe for the market launch of such a car.

Toyota says it will continue “commercialising motorsports cars rather than simply adapting production vehicles for use in motorsports”, as was the case with the rally-honed GR Yaris. 

The firm’s motorsport efforts will inform the development of both GT3 racers and road cars, it says, to “further promote making ever-better motorsports-bred cars”.

The company has not revealed any specification or performance details for the concept, but it clearly bears minimal relation to anything the company sells or races today. 

GT3 specifications – as applied by various series worldwide – are relatively flexible, with minimal restrictions imposed on the cars’ chassis, engines, drivetrain layouts and bodies. GT3 cars weigh between 1200 and 1300kg, and produce roughly 500-600bhp.

Importantly, however, GT3 racers are all based on existing or recent road cars: Porsche’s GT3 Cup is closely related to the 911 GT3, Mercedes offers a racing version of the AMG GT, Aston Martin has the Vantage AMR GT3 and Bentley the Continental GT3.

All of which suggests the GT3 concept could spawn a road-going Toyota GR flagship to sit above the Supra. However, the concept on show at the Tokyo Auto Salon is obviously track-focused – with its centre-lock wheels, huge rear spoiler, side-exit exhaust and chunky front splitter.

Toyota currently offers a GT4-specification race version of the Supra, while sibling brand Lexus races the RC F GT3 in the IMSA Sports Car Championship in the US and Japan’s SuperGT series.

Further details on the GR GT3 concept are expected to be revealed following its unveiling.

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