Tokyo Drift Watch the video of the Toyota GR GT and GR GT3, Toyota's new flagship supercars, performing their first drift show at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2026, powered by a V8 4.0-liter Twin-Turbo Hybrid engine.
After Toyota unveiled the GR GT and GR GT3 in December 2025, Thairath Online's news team got an up-close look at the GR GT and GR GT3 in person at Tokyo Auto Salon 2026, and witnessed the first drift show performed by the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) team.
The Toyota GR GT and GR GT3 are Toyota's new flagship supercars developed under Gazoo Racing's concept: "Make Ever Better Cars From Circuit to the Road," which means creating ever-better cars transitioning from the racetrack to real roads.
This project would not be possible without Morizo, also known as Akio Toyoda, the president and master driver of Toyota Motor Corporation, along with top professional drivers such as Tatsuya Kataoka and Hiroaki Ishiura, plus Toyota’s engineers collaborating on development from concept through real-world testing.
1. A road-legal race car
The GR GT was designed with a driver-centric focus to create a seamless connection between driver and car, from seat placement to power delivery, aiming for the driver to experience unity with the car like a true race car.
Powertrain of the Toyota GR GT
Both the GR GT and GR GT3 feature a new hybrid drivetrain with a 4.0-liter V8 twin-turbo engine paired with a single electric motor, delivering a combined output of over 650 horsepower and torque exceeding 850 Newton-meters, equipped with regenerative braking and a rear-mounted transaxle transmission for balanced weight distribution.
2. Low center of gravity, lightweight, and strong
The GR GT's body was developed with the goal of the lowest possible height, using an aluminum body frame — a first for Toyota — with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) panels to increase strength while reducing weight.
Heavy components like the V8 engine and drivetrain are positioned as low as possible to align the center of gravity of the car and driver. It also features specially low front and rear double-wishbone suspension and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires unique to this model. All these contribute to the GR GT’s sharp, race car-like handling on both roads and tracks.
3. Aiming to meet FIA racing standards
The GR GT started with an ideal aerodynamic design, then the car was shaped around it. The goal is to support speeds over 320 km/h. Toyota’s WEC aerodynamic engineers worked with the design team to create a shape that reduces drag, increases downforce, and manages airflow to cool all components. The interior focuses purely on function, such as seating position, long sightlines, and switches within reach to enable driving at the limit, yet remain practical for everyday use.
Both the Toyota GR GT and GR GT3 were developed with the philosophy of continuous improvement through racing, using advanced driving simulators and real-world testing at tracks worldwide, including Fuji Speedway and Nürburgring, repeatedly breaking and fixing the cars in the true GR style. The official launch is expected around 2027.