Since the retirement of the Lexus LFA in 2012, the world has been waiting for a new halo car from Toyota. Now, after years of rumors, leaks, spy shots, and teasers, it’s finally here. The GR GT is an all-new, all-Toyota sports car, and feels like an especially worthy successor.
The GR GT uses the LFA’s same front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission mounted at the rear for optimal weight balance. Under the hood is not another V10, but rather an all-new hybridized twin-turbo V8 (not as exciting, sure, but considering how many hypercars are EVs these days, I’ll take it).
Most importantly, the GR GT isn’t some heavyweight, ultra-complex hypercar. It’s a more pure, relatively lightweight sports car focused on thrills, not performance figures.
Let’s Get The Numbers Out Of The Way
I’d argue numbers are more insignificant than ever in the performance segment, seeing as how EVs can outrun anything in a straight line these days. But they’re still important for comparison’s sake. So let’s talk about them first. The V-8 is a 4.0-liter unit combined with a single electric motor, making a total of 641 horsepower and 626 pound-feet of torque. Mind-blowing figures? Absolutely not. But considering this car weighs 3,858 pounds, it should deliver excellent dynamics.
While that number isn’t nearly as light as, say, a Miata, it’s pretty damn good for a hybrid with an onboard battery. That weight figure is thanks to an all-aluminum chassis—Toyota’s first, ever. There are also carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic body panels in place of metal. Power is routed to the rear wheels via a carbon-fiber torque tube to an eight-speed transaxle mounted out back, for better weight distribution.
Toyota makes a big deal about the GR GT’s low center of gravity. The engine uses a dry sump oiling system, so Toyota could get the whole drivetrain positioned lower within the car.
It Looks Absolutely Awesome
Design-wise, I think Toyota hit it out of the park. The classic front-engine, rear-drive proportions shine here, with a long nose and a compact passenger cell. The company managed to finesse its corporate grille fascia into this car elegantly. There are elements of Supra in the headlights, though the nose itself reminds me, weirdly, of the Daihatsu Copen GR Sport. There are some clever aero channels towards the rear that funnel air through the space behind the windows and out the back of the car:
The interior looks unlike any Toyota or Lexus I’ve seen, with a bulky steering wheel, a set of knobs for adjusting vehicle settings, some big paddle shifters, and lots of red leather. The shifter is, unfortunately, a very tiny rocker switch in the center console, though thankfully, I can see plenty of physical buttons for important features.
Weirdly, it looks as if there are zero actual Toyota badges anywhere on the car, inside or out. Toyota seems to want to emphasize this is a pure GR product, through and through.
The Big Questions: How Much, And When?
When the LFA debuted in 2009, it commanded a starting price of $375,000 (over $560,000 in today’s money). Paying that much for any Toyota product, Lexus badge or not, was a tough sell for most people, which is why it took a few years for Lexus to sell every example.
I don’t think the GR GT will cost that much, but it will definitely be the most expensive Toyota by a long shot. The company hasn’t released pricing details just yet, but says the car will launch in 2027. It’ll launch alongside a racing version called the GR GT3, which the company plans to field in the FIA GT3 category.
My judgment will, of course, be reserved for when I actually get behind the wheel. Toyota had plenty of opportunity to screw this up, but going by what I’ve seen tonight, it’s very much on the right track.
Top graphic image: Toyota
Why would they spend all the money developing this when they could have put that money into their much needed EV development?
#Sarcasm pointed at anyone who thinks this is awesome but takes issue with the Mirai.
Meh. Looks like a 10 yr olds reimagining of a Viper mated to a Mercedes AMG C190.
Regarding weight, at 3,860 lbs it is on par for a 2020’s supercar in this class. Here’s a list of other production versions of current GT3 racecars:
Mercedes AMG GT: 4,343 lbs
Corvette ZR1: 3,831 lbs
BMW M4 CS: 3,902 lbs
Ferrari 296: 3,241 lbs
Mustang GTD: 4,343 lbs
Porsche 911 GT3RS: 3,268 lbs
Regarding looks, I like it a lot. Looking forward to seeing the IMSA racecar versions of these thundering around Road Atlanta in a couple years.
Yeah but the article acts like that’s really light.
The BMW and Mustang are based on production cars that start at like 40k or something. The Mercedes presumably is a coupe version of a fat sedan. The other 3 were built from the ground up to be sports cars. Of these, the Vette makes almost double the power, and the other 2 are much lighter.
I don’t think this is very light for a new, ground up “supercar” chassis.
No, this looks HIDEOUS!
‘While that number isn’t nearly as light as, say, a Miata, it’s pretty damn good for a hybrid with an onboard battery.”
Why not just dispose of the hybrid stuff then.
As a global leader in hybrid vehicles, it wouldn’t be a quintessentially “Toyota” halo car in 2025 if it didn’t have some electrification.
That’s kind of stupid to me. The whole point of a halo car is that it’s an impractical showpiece. No one is going to say “huh well it’s not a real Toyota” or sell their Prius if Toyota’s two-seat limited production GT car isn’t a hybrid.
I always used to complain that my ’80 Firebird was too fat to be a proper track car at 3800 pounds. This could have easily been in the 3500-3600 pound range if they had gotten rid of the hybrid that its target buyer doesn’t want anyway.
I mean, it is still kind of an impractical showpiece. You’re not taking this to Walmart for tendies, hybrid system or no. It’s also not just about marketing, either. They want to continue improving their hybrid and battery tech, so it makes sense they’d want to put it in a platform like this. It forces you to package systems differently, reduce battery weight, etc., all stuff you can apply to normal cars.
Well, consider the fact the 5.0L V8 in the LC makes 471hp, while this 4.0L hybrid makes 641 (also 626 lb-ft tq).
Also consider the Corvette E-Ray has also gotten great reviews.
Nobody actually buying these would notice a small weight reduction.
I’m not angry about the hybrid system, I just don’t know why it was necessary in this application. Building a 700hp V8 in 2026 is like falling off a log. I’m pretty sure Stellantis sprinkles them on their cereal.
The E-Ray is an interesting piece, to be sure, but you have to tick that box to get it. Chevrolet’s default Corvette offering is non-hybrid.
Granted it’s marketing speak but this is straight from the press release.
“Together, the three models symbolize “Toyota’s Shikinen Sengu”.
Shikinen Sengu is a traditional Japanese shrine ritual during which a Shinto* shrine’s core structures and elements are rebuilt every few decades. The ritual involves not only rebuilding the shrine itself but also recrafting its furnishings and ceremonial garments housed within. As such, it serves as a platform for artisans of a wide range of traditional Japanese crafts—including architecture, blacksmithing, and weaving—to pass on their skills to the next generation.
The three unveiled models are being positioned as TMC’s flagship sports cars, in the footsteps of the Toyota 2000GT and Lexus LFA. They embody “Toyota’s Shikinen Sengu” through the making of sports cars by preserving and passing on to the next generation fundamental car-making skills and incorporating new technologies.”
Since Toyota is all in on Hybridization of every model, it makes sense the Halo car has that. Even if I’d prefer it to lose the system to save some weight, not like I can afford one anyway. Hopefully I will get to see one since I live near Toyota’s Largest factory. Although probably not since they don’t want a repeat of what happened when they brought an LFA here. Lexus supercar crashes on test track | News | news-graphic.com
That looks pretty dope!
Damn, the proportions are… alluring!
It’s not bad? Great proportions, but it’s somewhat… unemotional.
It’s like if someone said ‘what if a Viper looked like a Camry? ‘
That said it’s amazing that it exists and I’m genuinely happy to see Toyota’s renewed interest in producing performance vehicles.
This is an excellent description of how I feel about it.
Oh god here we go. It’s an inanimate object and you’re talking about its emotions.
Blame it on the gray. I want to see it in a COLOR color. Give me a bright blue or yellow.
That is fair.
I’m getting some R32 vibes from the nose, for good or ill.
What if the 2000GT and the LFA had a baby and it got big?
It’s a busy design but overall I think it looks great. A cleaner Lexus version would be awesome. Lots of nitpickers in here, and surprising negativity. 3800lbs is not a ton of weight for any car these days (and this doesn’t seem like a small car either). The new M5 is 1500lbs heavier than this…in fact, this is right on par with the lauded M2 at 3800. No, it’s not a 1960s Elan.
It’s a new Japanese sports car. They’re easily the most picked apart and over-analyzed and crapped on new vehicles. You can see the same hatred directed towards the LFA, NSX, (both iterations), GTR, and I guarantee you’d find the same nonsense published about the 2000GT when it was new. In 10 years everyone will act like they always loved this thing and knew it was a game-changer and that it sucks nobody makes stuff like that any more, etc.
Actually, 3800 lbs is almost two tons of weight.
Hurhurhurhurhur
Thank you for continuing to make cool cars & not just rolling out endless SUVs to make $$$. Even if I never see one in person, let alone own one.
…it does fall in the E-type trap of being too long in the hood. That said, photos can lie, hopefully someone in Central Illinois will bring one to East Peoria Cars & Coffee so I can see it in person.
Oh no! It does something the best looking car ever did! What a shame!
What are you talking about? This looks nothing like a Ford GT40.
🙂
Fortunately I have seen a Ford GT at the EP Cars and Coffee…
He shows up quite often.
Overall I like the design, even if as usual I wish they would have edited down the number of embellishments on the front and rear ends. I’m going to bet it’s pretty stunning in person, especially with those proportions.
It isn’t perfect, but in an era where most companies seem to be trying to get their enthusiasts excited for bulbous coupe SUVs as a substitute for sports cars, I’ll take anything I can get. Not that I’ll be getting this, lol. But at least I might be able to gawk at them occasionally.
I expect that yes, in person it will be quite the sight. Like a very thicc carpet.
I don’t understand all the people here saying that they don’t like this or don’t like that, this is bad, they’d never buy it. I’m honestly surprised that ANY manufacturer even makes a sports car for the American market anymore.
It used to be the case (old man rant here, beware) that people used to dream of sports cars, put up posters of what they wanted, they were aspirational, cool and something to be desired. Now they’re an afterthought in most cases. Look at the last Supra that was basically a cribbed together mess of shitty BMW parts. I don’t really blame Toyota for phoning that one in, though they should have saved the Supra name for something better.
In America, we’ve been so heavily manipulated to be insecure in the name of marketing and sales greed. You’re fat, get some surgery, your teeth aren’t pure white, buy some overpriced toothpaste that doesn’t actually help, you’re going to be murdered by brown criminals, buy some guns, you’re going to die in a fiery crash, buy the biggest truck/SUV you can afford so you can drive around without worry (or skill).
The sports car is the antithesis of this manipulation effort. A sports car demands that the driver (typically) know how to actually drive it. The expectation is that the owner should know how to take care of it, maintain it and equip it properly. We see how well that worked with the Mazda rotaries, moreso with the RX-8 than any other. Going fast is dangerous and nobody should ever do it, but a sports car is the opposite of that. Rather than poke around at -5 of the speed limit, you can go fast and even do it on a curved road. Yes, you’re driving something that is likely 1/4 the weight of a modern fatass truck and 1/3 the height. A sports car expects that the driver is confident in their abilities to take that risk and live to tell the tale.
While this car is not anything I could ever afford, I can at least appreciate that it’s being made and flying in the face of the fear-based marketing. Is it exactly how I would have envisioned it? No, but I don’t see that as a problem; it’s interesting, unexpected and different in a lot of good ways.
I’m glad someone at Toyota is brave enough to champion something like this.
I don’t know, man. I’m fairly certain every sports car is leaning on insecurity as marketing.
But as for aspiring to sports cars, most everyday people these days are aspiring to not be completely out of money at the end of the month. As the middle class has been hollowed out, even cheaper sports cars feel unattainable.
Eh. The Miata doesn’t to the point that the Miata is considered NOT manly.
The Miata is the exception that proves the rule, though. Every enthusiast points out that the Miata is so good as a sports car that it overcomes its image. No one ever makes that caveat for Corvettes, or Porsches, or even the BRZ/86 twins. Even then, they’ve done some correction to the image with the styling on the ND.
And I’m not necessarily knocking it, either. It’s fun to feel cool and drive a cool car. That’s always a factor in the emotional purchase of a sports car, and it absolutely will be a factor for anyone who buys one of these GR GTs.
I’m just over shitting on people buying the cars that they want as some way to denigrate SUV and crossover sales. Car enthusiasm doesn’t exist without emotion, and while it gets uncomfy to admit, a lot of the emotion in any of the stuff we find cool came from some marketing pitch somewhere.
Hell, even the example of the car posters of yesteryear are explicit examples of marketing at work. To pretend like we’re somehow above the soiled masses because we weren’t “taken in by the marketing” while lusting over a product on a poster in our bedroom is hilariously hypocritical.
I don’t get what your argument is. You think the BRZ and Corvette sell because they are marketed as manly not because they sell on their merit as sports cars? The Corvette has been punching above it’s weight for 2 decades; that’s why it sells. The BRZ sells because it’s the closest thing to a fixed roof Miata. They sell on merit, not on marketing. Now there are plenty of exceptions though; mostly German.
From the original comment:
Is any of this objectively true? Is every purchaser of a sports car some kind of driving god who screams around every corner at the edge of grip and then rebuilds his own motor on the weekend to squeeze every drop of performance out of the car? Not even close. But they often buy a sports car because they like that image of the supposed driving god and feel like owning the car imbues some of that to them.
I’m pointing out that it’s silly to shit on people who “buy into marketing” to buy a car or truck and for us to try to pretend that our interest in cars is somehow purer and above any “marketing manipulation.”
I’m saying cars are not rational, and car enthusiasm even less so, and self-awareness is a useful trait.
I bought my 1986 MR2 on emotion. I was shopping for socks that day and was frustrated that I couldn’t find what I wanted. To feel better I went to a dealer to look over the MR2. I would have bought one there and then, but the dealer insisted on doing the ‘car dealer’ thing. Shortly thereafter I found a more sensible dealer and bought it. It would be fun to do something like that again. Even if I had the money, the GR GT doesn’t appeal to me. At this stage in life, I would go for the LC500.
I hope one day I can leave the house looking for socks and come back with an MR2.
This a recurring dream I have.
I agree that this once was the case, but I think that has since changed.
Why try to sell a few people sports cars when you can sell a LOT of people trucks?
The marketing has pivoted away from sports car as so-called cock enhancement to truck as cock enhancement, keying in on insecurity to do it.
You need AWD because you might go offroad (you won’t). You need AWD because snow (people have been driving in snow for quite a long time now without it). You need a truck that seats five people (you commute to work in it by yourself). You need maximum towing and payload (you tow nothing and buy mulch once a year). You need ground clearance and the big motor (for what?). Exceptions made for the handful of people who actually need and use a truck to do things.
Trucks are where the money is, the ground is so fertile to sow the seeds of insecurity. Whatever is wrong with you (and we’ll find something), a truck can fix it.
Sports cars are now just toys for chavs or wealthy boomers. On occasion a normal person will also buy one. I can’t think of the last time I’ve come across a commercial for a sports car, but I see truck/SUV advertisements all the time. I’d be willing to bet that far more regular folks could spot and name a Ford Raptor on the street than could a Toyota GR86 (similar sales figures).
As for money, somehow a LOT of people can find a way to finance a $70k truck, so I don’t think people are unable to get their hands on some borrowed money. Paying it back, that’s a different story, but the automakers don’t care, that’s not their problem.
My point is that sports cars are products (just like trucks and SUVs) and they’re sold to our insecurities and emotions (just like trucks and SUVs) and it’s silly to shit on people who buy F-150s as weak-minded or easily manipulated and in the same breath lust after a sports car on a poster.
Amen. Marketing has such a hold on people that they are talking about this cars emotions…the hell does that even mean? And if it WAS a thing, how would they know about them through a picture?
These people don’t want a sports car, they want something that makes other people think they are the type to drive a sportscar. Marketing has warped peoples brains such that they do things only for the marketing of ones self rather than just doing what they want despite other people.
It’s definitely interesting. Very batmobile, and that’s not a bad thing, but I find myself wishing they’d do a Lexus version with more subtle curves and fewer hard chops and folds. It’s just altogether too busy.
The styling is awesome on this, one of the first new cars in years to actually have me excited to see it in person.
As others have said though, that price better be under 100k or else it doesn’t really work.
As I am wont to do, I compare it to the c8 corvette. The Eray (v8 hybrid, about 650 hp, starts around 100k) is about 3800lbs, so the new ‘yota is not breaking any new barriers. The c8 z06 is lighter, about 3500lb and 670hp, but it’s a different animal. None of these come with a manual, so my choice leans towards the better performance and cost.
This Yota does seem like a really nice grand touring car, which makes sense with how it’s named.
Keep pushing and refining Toyota, good first effort lol
Compare this to AMG and Porsche (probably their true target) and you’ll conclude that the likely ~$150k price tag and 3850 lbs is very competitive. Nobody could ever touch the value of the Corvette, GM is off in their own little world with that.
I say this as someone who inexplicably fell in love with the AMG GT (first gen) and see this ‘yota as an exciting potential alternative
Agreed on the AMG GT (and I really liked the SLS AMG back in the day). I know I am being a bit much with the C8 comparison, as this Toyota really does seem to fit the GT car class like the AMG or Aston martin or 911, and compared to those it should be cheap, competitive in performance and be more reliable (also, it looks good). I wonder if there will be a more powerful version in subsequent years (what would you call that since its already the GR, so, GR GR?). I am excited for this, but I am still amazed at how much performance the C8 can give.
I think the C8 comparison is great. This doesn’t really bring anything new to the table and I don’t think the Toyota business model works great on truly expensive stuff.
Why did they launch it in a drab grey and have the photos on a grey background? Surely needed to be a bright colour or white like the launch LFA (V10).
I like it more than I thought I would.
If they priced it just below a scat pack charger, they’d have a sales hit on their hands.
Who is doing these interiors. Every single special edition or PRO model coming out of Toyota is so bad. What is that screen doing? The red. I just can’t.
I agree. I love the TRD Pro Tacoma but good god the interior is just too childish. Red camo and MOLLE everywhere is just asinine
I’m laughing over here since this car weighs 1532lbs LESS then the 2025 BMW M5 with it’s hybrid 4.4L V8. Yes that one makes 717hp and this one makes 641hp and that one is a Sedan. I don’t care about that. Imagine strapping 1/2 of a VW GTI to the roof of the Lexus, or a whole bunch of Miata.
Modern vehicles are FAT and this new Toyota GT is not. Let’s celebrate. Now if only I could afford one…
I think a better point of comparison is that this weighs as much as a mostly steel M3 despite being a coupe and all aluminum/CFRP.
The old M5 CS was only 250lbs heavier than this, probably accounted for by the AWD system alone.
It wasn’t meant to be a good comparison, but more to poke fun at a ridiculously fat (and ugly) M5 and also to say thanks for making cars lighter instead of just adding more power.
I don’t think this cartoonish-proportioned busy mess looks “astonishingly good” in any way. The hood is far too exaggerated and there’s way too much front overhang. All the detailing is incoherent.
The sister Lexus is much better looking, shame it won’t have the V8 option.
That steering wheel is criminal in a car of this caliber.
I’d love to see an engineering deep-dive article on the suspension & mechanical side of this one! Toyota has released a lot of press pics of the engine, transaxle and double wishbones. This really feels like a Porsche GT3 RS competitor in its layout and intent.
…Is this a homologation car? The weird proportions, the focus on aero, and the reveal right next to a race car are all giving me homologation vibes. For a big company in 2025, that’s wild.
They did that with the GR Yaris for the WRC. Toyota seems to be the best motorsports OEM right now
What? This is going to be the second performance car that they actually build and the only one that isn’t a parts bin special.
The GRC is currently used as a basis for the rally2 car, and I’m pretty sure this makes the only production-based parts they use in a race series the body shell and engine of the GRY.
Like 2 years after they introduced the GRY, Rally1 cars switched to a tube chassis with common safety cage and now have nothing at all in common with production cars.
IMO Subaru or Mazda probably is the top motorsports OEM literally just because they make the Miata and Brz/86, the most raced cars in the world.
Mazda will literally sell you race parts, or factory replacement parts at wholesale price if you prove you took your Miata to an HPDE day or an autocross.
There are some level of homologation rules for GT3, which is why Ford designed the last gen GT the way it did. Seems to be mostly related to aero/body shape.
Yes Mazda is great but they don’t do anything above spec Miata. Toyota also owns Subaru and IMO is really calling the shots on the 86.
Toyota has Rally1 and Rally2 cars homologated as well as the GR Yaris cup cars for national level rallying. And they’re in WEC. And NASCAR. And now all signs are pointing to GT3. Gotta give them credit
My point was that there is a big divide between their race programs and their actual production vehicles. Hopefully the GR GT marks a change but so far there is near zero trickle-down into production cars. This will be their only dedicated performance car platform and I have a feeling it will be at a price that is not reasonable to the public.
So while they go racing a lot they most certainly don’t embrace the “win on sunday, sell on monday” mantra, which is very disappointing.
Did they really have to slap a Prius/Camry/Corolla beak on it? I stopped looking after seeing that.
The rear end has too many puckers (yeah, I heard it) but overall I love the looks. My only interior gripe is the screen begging to be snapped off.