Akio Toyoda is a man who has written himself into the history books of the motoring world as one of the coolest CEOs to ever walk the planet. He is a talented driver who has been around the Nurburgring and spent a lot of time sideways! Add that on to what he has done to revive the public’s enthusiasm for the Toyota brand and that makes him a legend.
At Tokyo’s Auto Salon 2022, he took that reputation one step further but unveiling the GR GT3 concept, Yaris GRMN, bZ4X GR Concept and the Lexus NX PHEV Offroad Concept. Without further ado, here’s some details on those cars:
GR GT3 Concept:
The GR GT3 concept was designed for a customer motorsports type racing series. The “driver first” approach to designing this car means that Toyota will look to commercialize this for the road as opposed to the traditional way which is road first then track!
Yaris GRMN
This is the one you’ve been waiting for! Toyota’s ultimate Yaris is quite something indeed. The GRMN Yaris is a variant of the car that has been taken to the limit with plenty of rigorous testing undergone courtesy of the brand’s pro drivers. The GRMN is 20kg lighter than the standard model with the track also being widened by 10mm. The car has also been further lowered by 10mm for aerodynamic improvement. A mechanical LSD, close ratio gearbox and beefier brakes complete the package.
The Yaris GRMN lottery will begin in 2022 with prospective buyers able to get in the queue at their local Toyota GR garages. Available only to Japanese buyers, there is a special dealer upgrade to the Rally Package with the luckier buyers getting their hands on the 50 unit only Circuit Package! The price is set at nearly 8.5 million Yen or $109,000 NZD. An eye watering price for a car that is sure to deliver an exceptional driving experience.
bZ4X GR Sports Concept:
The bZ4X is one of Toyota’s battery EV concepts and it too has undergone the GR treatment. Wider tires, sports seats, matte paint and new body panels are among the major changes here.
Lexus NX PHEV Off-Road Concept and ROV Concept:
Lexus suite of concepts above weren’t just because the company’s designers were given a free reign. Seriously, Lexus have put some genuine thought into these off-road machines. The main reasoning behind them is to cater to the ever expanding lifestyles of the brand’s customers. Not just that, Lexus wanted to surprise their customers with a concept that would really shatter their expectations! I think they’ve done exactly that.
Along with these crazy concepts, Toyota GR has also done something sensible by expanding the parts range of their ‘GR Heritage Parts Project‘. The expansion now includes parts for the A70 & A80 Supra, Toyota 2000 GT, Land Cruiser 40 Series and AE86 Corolla Levin/Sprinter Trueno. Toyota enthusiasts will be rejoicing at this announcement!
