Toyota really wants to build a kickass GT3 racing car will give birth to a production partner. However, we’ve heard very little about the effort in the more than a year since its announcement. The news is not always good in this business and sometimes plans change. Maybe Toyota left the road car behind; its it’s not like it has no precedent for that. Thankfully, that doesn’t seem to be the case. The GT3 is still out — we’ll have to wait a few more years to get it.
The update comes from the best source possible, which is Toyota World Endurance Championship team director Rob Leupen. I said Motorsport.com that it’s unlikely the grand tourer will hit the track until 2026 and that’s because it takes years to develop and certify a production car. Sure, the wait sucks, but here’s a good reason. From the article:
It was thought the car would be lined up for its race debut in 2025, a year after WEC opened its doors to GT3 cars.
But due to a delay in the planned release of the GR GT3-derived road car that will debut to coincide with the track version, Toyota is now targeting a WEC launch in 2026.
Toyota WEC team director Rob Leupen told Motorsport.com: “Everybody knows we are developing a car and this car will enter races in Europe in 2026.
“The date fits the road car aspect, which follows Toyota’s philosophy of having a sports car hybrid on the road. This is moving forward at the moment.”
Of course, “Hybrid motorsport on the road” is music to our ears. One of the big question marks that remains is how the end result will be branded. original concept, with an impressive front-engine, rear-wheel drive ratio, badged as a product of Gazoo Racing. But of course the GR is an exclusive product of Toyota and has yet to really touch the Lexus brand. Leupen also made this clear:
Reports have suggested that the car based on the GR GT3 will be badged as Lexus, which has repeatedly hinted at introducing a successor to the aging RC F GT3.
When asked if the new car will be called a Lexus, Leupen replied: “For now, it seems. It depends on how it develops inside Toyota, but right now it is.”
That sounds pretty definitive. At this stage, it seems likely that the GR GT3 will become Lexus, which makes sense given the entry into the car segment and the brand’s range. Besides, Toyota has a super car effort anyway, so why not share the race glory with the rest of the family? Regardless of the logo above the grille, the company seems pretty determined to take this to the end. Launched in 2026.
