Long live the V8! Wild GR GT and GR GT3 break cover alongside EV Lexus LFA Concept to prove ‘Toyota isn’t boring’

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Toyota Global has today revealed three mind-boggling supercars, designated as GR GT, GR GT3, and Lexus LFA Concept to the world stage, with genuine promise of two roadgoing versions to launch in the future. 

Where both the GR GT and GR GT3 supercars are powered by a twin-turbocharged petrol V8, with the road-going GR GT additionally gaining a hybrid system. The Lexus LFA Concept, meanwhile, will use an all-new electric drivetrain with supercar performance.

Toyota says its new V8 engine has a target output which ‘should exceed 480kW and 850Nm’. More information on Toyota’s modular V8 engine platform can be viewed here. 

Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda stated that the vehicles are a result of a vision to produce no more boring cars, stating that he was disappointed by Lexus of America’s reputation of “being boring”. 

“We used the pain and frustration from ‘Kuyashisa’ (meaning humiliation or frustration) to focus on developing ever better cars, from the GR 86, Supra, Yaris, and Corolla to now, with the GR GT and GT3,” he said. 

The Lexus LFA Concept measures 4690mm long, 2040mm wide, and 1195mm tall, the GR GT 4820mm long, 2000mm wide, and 1195mm tall, and the GT3 4785mm long, 2050mm wide, and just 1090mm tall. All three vehicles share a 2725mm wheelbase.

We anticipate the electric LFA Concept to be all-wheel drive, with a large ‘skateboard’ configured high voltage battery and two electric motors, while the GR GT and GTR have been confirmed to offer a transaxle eight speed automatic transmission which sends power to the rear wheels via a limited slip differential.

All three vehicles will be built on a rigid aluminium spaceframe. The track-use only GR GT3 sports a stripped-back racing interior, featuring a roll-cage, single wrap-around bucket seat, and jet fighter-like center console and steering wheel both stacked with buttons and switches.

The roadgoing GT adorns red bucket seats and door-cards, underneath a likely Alcantara dashboard. A row of physical switches can be seen beneath a modest-size infotainment touchscreen, and next to it, an equally modest driver instrument cluster and sports steering wheel. 

Lexus’ car sports a futuristic wrap-around cockpit finished with a square steering wheel and curved instrument cluster.

Outside, all three vehicles are visually similar, sporting huge bonnet vents, carbon-fibre roof, a low-slung aerodynamic silhouette, slender LED brightwork, an LFA-inspired angular rear end, and several brake-cooling ducts. The GR GT3 additionally sports an enormous spoiler and side-exit exhaust! 

Toyota says its new concept vehicles represent a new direction for the Japanese company, where racing will be prioritised to nurture new technology and products for both Lexus and GR-badged vehicles. 

It is unclear when global or Australian deliveries will commence for the roadgoing GR GT and Lexus LFA Concept, as well as the track-only GR GT3. 

Pricing too, is purely speculative. Certainly on both looks and sound, the three concept vehicles appear to be rivals to the Porsche 911 GT3 and McLaren 750S. Expect pricing to be north of $400,000. 

Being that the vehicles are described as spiritual successors to both the Toyota 2000GT and Lexus LFA, pricing could even land in excess of $700,000!