There it is, the GR GT3

One of the worst kept secrets of the GT3 market finally broke cover last Friday (05), as the GR GT3 was presented with the road going GR GT and the electric Lexus LFA Concept. But hold your horses, because the replacement of the Lexus RC F GT3 will not debut immediately in the international scene, with some competitive tests coming before a World launch for customers.
 
Not much is known from the GR GT3 apart from its powerplant, as a 4-litre biturbo V8 engine will be the heart of the machine. While the car was spotted testing in different parts of the World, like at home at Fuji Speedway, Nürburgring and Laguna Seca, it won’t mean that the testing program is over, with the possibility of competing as a GTX class machine in selected events being high, just like other manufacturers like Porsche and Mercedes did with their most recent models.
 
The GR GT3 is also the first car from the lineup having a full aluminum structure in its chassis, with some touches of CFRP to keep rigidity while staying as light as possible. This is combined with a low center of gravity, the front engine layout and the focus on aerodynamics over design to make it as nimble as possible, although the front layout can be seen as a good choice because Toyota has previous experience with the layout, and the fact that front engine layouts prevail in terms of stability, which certainly favors customer racing.
 
Another change from before comes in the name. With the GR GT and GR GT3, Gazoo Racing officially detaches from Toyota, passing from a sport division to a proper brand on its own, which was the same case with Genesys within the Hyundai group, which evolved from a single model to a full luxury brand.
 
Both the road car and race car are expected to be available for customers in 2027, but the GR GT3 might appear in one-off races to complete the testing period.
 
PHOTO: Toyota