Toyota revolutionizes the sector with the presentation of the brutal GR GT, with a V8 of more than 650 CV

We live in a world where SUVs make up the majority of vehicles on the roads: cars with greater electrification that, in some cases, considerably increase their weight, where carrying the largest possible number of screens, each one bigger than the last, is prioritised, all of it seasoned with an atmosphere surrounded by little lights and increasingly poorer-quality materials, leaving driving and what the car can convey to those behind the wheel in second place, and sometimes not even on the list.

But then along comes Toyota, which in recent years has been characterised by going somewhat against the current of the rest of the industry, something that has earned it numerous criticisms, and presents you with the spectacular GR GT and its competition version GR GT3, making us regain our faith in manufacturers, or rather in certain manufacturers. Because it is not common these days for brands to pull a radical sports car out of their hat, created on the basis of what they have learned in competition and focused on its driver, but also fitted with a V8 engine block loaded with horsepower and a sound to delight and enjoy. For all of that and more, before anything else: THANK YOU VERY MUCH TOYOTA.

As they say at Toyota, the new GR GT has been created without forgetting the brand’s legacy, with cars such as the 2000GT or, more recently, the LFA of Lexus, with a “driver-centred development, listening to, understanding and satisfying the needs of the person at the wheel; conceived as a racing car for use on conventional roads”. The GR GT still has the final steps of its development ahead before we can see it on the road, but the brand could not wait any longer and, although they are not many, the first details offered, which we can tell you about, are a delight.

With all this, the Toyota GR GT lives up to its name, presenting itself with the classic lines of a sports GT: that is, a long nose that serves to move the driver’s position back relative to the centre, and a very short rear, resulting in overall dimensions of 4,820 mm long, together with a width of 2,000 mm and a height of just 1,195 mm, not forgetting a wheelbase of 2,725 mm. Despite being a large vehicle that will also be fitted with a V8 engine block, Toyota has managed to keep the whole from being heavy; in fact we are looking at a total weight that is estimated to be around 1,750 kilograms.

Achieving this figure on the scale has been thanks to the work done on areas such as the chassis, which for the GR GT is entirely manufactured in aluminium. By the way, it is the first of its kind built by Toyota, using large forged aluminium pieces in the main structure together with an optimal arrangement of aluminium extrusions and other components to achieve a high level of rigidity. On top of this, the chassis is enveloped by a bodywork whose panels are made of aluminium and CFRP (carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer), bodywork which, incidentally, was conceived and developed under the concept of “aerodynamics first” and which gives the GR GT its final design.

If the exterior of the Toyota GR GT was designed with its aerodynamics in mind and its aesthetics then shaped around that, inside we find a driver-centred cabin, which will have the same layout, design and visibility whether you use it on the street or on a track, and whether you are a professional or amateur driver. At Toyota they sought the ideal driving position, taking the exterior design into account and without compromising visibility or the feeling of protection, and from there designed the operability of the driving station, with the buttons affecting driving placed close to the steering wheel, with a design and feel that make them intuitive. All of it topped off with quality materials throughout the cabin, and technology that, in principle, is not intrusive, since it has a digital instrument cluster alongside the infotainment screen, the latter being rather too large for my taste.

Under the bonnet, Toyota has for the first time decided to fit a V8 engine block, in this case with twin-turbo technology and a displacement of 4,000 cc in a “Hot V” configuration, meaning the turbos are mounted in the centre of the V, thus achieving a compact unit and reducing turbo lag by shortening the distance the exhaust gases travel to reach the turbines. It features a transaxle-type powertrain with a front-mounted engine and longitudinal transmission to the rear axle, transmitting power to the rear axle through a driveshaft running inside an ultralight torque tube built in CFRP. We should not forget the eight-speed automatic gearbox with a wet-start clutch and a mechanical limited-slip differential, which has at its front a motor-generator that compensates for the momentary delay in torque response during acceleration and gear changes.

Toyota has not yet dared to reveal the exact figures this engine will provide to the GR GT, but they have given us a preview, confirming that the target set from the start of development was to reach a minimum of 650 CV of power and a maximum torque of 850 Nm or more. On top of all this, the GR GT features an exhaust line structure carefully designed to produce a sound synchronised with the vehicle’s state, emitting a melody distinctive of a V8 engine.

Toyota has also confirmed that development of the GR GT continues, and that it will offer more details as significant progress is made or as the launch date approaches, which is planned for sometime in 2027.