Some performance cars are built to attract attention. Others are built for people who intend to drive them. Toyota appears determined to place its upcoming GR GT in the second group.
The company plans to position the GR GT as its flagship performance model and the most expensive production Toyota ever sold. Pricing is expected to begin around $225,000, placing the car above the Century SUV, which starts at $200,000. Toyota views the model as a halo vehicle, but access to ownership will not depend solely on financial means.
A similar battle has played out before. Ford famously pursued legal action against actor and wrestler John Cena after he sold his Ford GT shortly after taking delivery, despite agreeing to a no-resale clause. Tesla attempted to discourage flipping during the early Cybertruck days, though secondary-market activity quickly took over. At one point, a Porsche dealership in Orlando reportedly paid $244,000 for a Cybertruck and listed it again at $290,000 only days later. Rolls-Royce adopted an even stricter stance. Former chief executive Torsten Muller-Otvos warned that owners who flipped a Spectre might lose access to future Rolls-Royce purchases.
Toyota now appears ready to follow its own version of that approach.
Jeff Ball, Director of the Sports Car Program for Gazoo Racing, said Akio Toyoda wants the GR GT placed in the hands of people who understand the car and intend to use it. According to Ball, the chairman does not want buyers storing the vehicle while waiting for resale values to climb. Instead, he wants owners putting miles on the odometer.
The selection process sounds unusually selective. Ball described a lengthy procedure designed to identify the most suitable customers and connect them with one of the brand’s GR Masters. He added that the process will involve extensive vetting and may feel more like an interview than a traditional purchase.
Those accepted will receive a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 working alongside an electric motor. Combined output reaches 641 horsepower, or 650 metric horsepower, while torque stands at 627 pound-feet, equal to 850 Newton meters.
Performance targets place the car firmly among modern supercars. Toyota expects the GR GT to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph, or 0 to 100 kph, in under 4.0 seconds. Top speed is projected to exceed 199 mph, or 320 kph. Even with hybrid assistance, the package will weigh around 3,858 pounds, or 1,750 kilograms.
Sales in Japan will flow through Gazoo Racing. Buyers in the United States, meanwhile, will order the GR GT through Lexus dealerships. Toyota has experience handling exotic machinery through the Lexus LFA program, although that model left production back in 2012.
Toyota GR GT – Photo Gallery
