Toyota continues electrification: Introducing Toyota GR GT and Lexus LFA Concept
Toyota is introducing the Toyota GR GT, a sports coupe with a V8 hybrid drive, and the Lexus LFA, a sports car with electric drive.
Toyota GR GT: The design is certainly an acquired taste.
(Image: Toyota)
- Patrick Solberg
Toyota remains present in the high-performance sports car segment and is introducing the Toyota GR GT as its basis for the upcoming GT3-class touring cars. As a road-legal version, it is intended to thrill customers with a weakness for luxurious super touring cars.
Classic Transaxle Construction
The drive is a four-liter V8 with twin-turbocharging, which, together with a hybrid module, achieves a short-term system output of over 478 kW and 850 Nm. According to initial information, the top speed of the sports coupe, weighing almost 1.8 tons, is over 320 km/h. The electric motor for recuperation and load point shifting or for full additional thrust during acceleration is connected to the automated clutch of the eight-speed automatic transmission, which is located at the rear axle in a classic transaxle construction. The combustion engine is arranged longitudinally at the front and sends its power through the car via a driveshaft.
Toyota GR GT (3 Bilder)
Toyota
)Aluminum and Carbon Fiber
The 4.82-meter-long GR GT is the first Toyota with a load-bearing body structure made of aluminum. In the areas of the front axle subframe and engine mounting, as well as the rear axle and transmission mounting, it also consists of light metal casting, extensively clad with carbon fiber-reinforced plastic. The transaxle central tube between the engine and transmission is also a construction made of carbon fiber composite material.
Toyota GR GT Details (5 Bilder)
The materials and their distribution reduce weight and help lower the center of gravity. Akio Toyoda, grandson of the company founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Toyota, and president until 2023, was likely involved in the development not solely out of respect. He is a passionate race car driver with decades of experience.
Lexus LFA (5 Bilder)
Lexus
)Lexus LFA to be battery-electric in the future
The Lexus LFA, which was already presented as a near-production study at Monterey Car Week in August and most recently as a 4.69 m long concept model at the Japan Mobility Show, will be available as a battery-electric car from 2027. It has nothing in common technically with its predecessor of the same name with its characteristic V10 engine. However, the upcoming LFA is related to the Toyota GR GT in some construction details, the manufacturer reveals.
Videos by heise
(wpl)