New Toyota CEO commits to GR sports cars

A REPORT published by UK-based Autocar magazine this week says Toyota Motor Corporation’s new global CEO, Koji Sato, has committed to the development and production of high-performance Gazoo Racing (GR) sports cars, even suggesting that the momentum of GR models launched under his leadership could accelerate.

Mr Sato took over from Akio Toyoda, the grandson of the founder of the company, in January this year. Mr Toyoda – known as a ‘Master Driver’ within the company – founded the GR division and was an avid fan of rallying and endurance racing, competing in many events throughout his career.

According to an interview with Autocar, Mr Sato said, “The Gazoo brand will be acknowledged for the future, and maybe we can even speed it up”.

“Our Master Driver was also president of the company at the same time as he had a steering wheel in his hands for Gazoo. Now, he is only chairman, maybe he will have a lot more time to develop cars for them”.

Locally, Toyota’s range of GR-branded models continues to grow. The GR 86, GR Corolla, GR Supra and GR Yaris are now stalwarts of the Japanese brand’s portfolio, with GR treatments applied elsewhere in the line-up, including to the LandCruiser and incoming 550Nm HiLux.

Autocar says Toyota has been tight-lipped on plans for further future models but hinted that a GR version of its bZ4X SUV is in development, potentially with a hydrogen-powered driveline.

It has also been rumoured that an all-electric MR2 successor is in the works, following the 2021 debut of a compact, two-seat concept model. If such a model is indeed produced, it will give Toyota a rival to the likes of the forthcoming MG Cyberster, Porsche 718 EV and electric Alpine A110 (being codeveloped with Lotus).

Toyota and Lexus are also working on an electric ‘spiritual successor’ to the LFA, which is tipped to be the first of its kind with a manual transmission. Initially shown as the Electrified Sport concept, the model will include a software-based system which reproduces the sensation of driving a manual gearbox, and even features three pedals.

The all-wheel drive model features steer-, brake- and drive-by-wire systems Toyota says improves both low-speed manoeuvrability and high-speed stability, some of which will debut later this month in the all-electric Lexus RZ450e SUV.

As for the ‘LFA’ replacement, specifications and details are still rather thin on the ground. Lexus projects a 0-100km/h time in the sub-two-second range and a driving range of over 700km. There is no word yet on arrival timing, either. But as they say in the classics: watch this space.