Autoblog

Gazoo Racing teases Toyota GT86-based concept for Tokyo Auto Salon

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 15:01:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Japan, Toyota, Tokyo Auto Salon

The Tokyo Auto Salon will welcome a Toyota GT86 (known here as the Scion FR-S) tuned by Gazoo Racing, said to be called the GRMN Sports FR Concept Platinum. We only get the briefest of teasers right now before the show begins on January 11, so we don't have much to go on beyond a unique lower front fascia and headlight treatment, a hood with at least one scoop, and a giant wing with unique LED taillights out back.

Assuming this coupe is a further development of the GRMN Sports FR Concept from earlier in 2012, it will likewise use a twin-charged version of the 2.0-liter boxer four-cylinder and put out something like 330 horsepower and 318 pound-feet of torque. We'll get the rest of the skinny in about two weeks, so for now, there's a gallery of other teased angles above.

Gazoo Racing teases Toyota GT86-based concept for Tokyo Auto Salon originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Dec 2012 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lexus / Gazoo Racing Nürburgring video is a tribute to perseverance

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Lexus, Racing

It was a little more than four years ago that Lexus announced it would campaign an LFA in the Nürburgring 24-hour race. From 2008 with a black prototype that no one would talk about, the Gazoo Racing LFA has raced every year since and suffered breakdowns, fires, more mechanical issues and high-speed encounters with guardrails.

There were enough literal hard knocks that this year, of the team's drivers said that that they were still rookies. Even so, the five-year "novices" took SP8-Class honors ahead of two Aston Martins and an Audi A8, getting some silverware to go along with that scintillating exhaust note.

The team put together a video recap of its years on the 'Ring, and it's definitely worth a watch. You'll find it posted below.

Continue reading Lexus / Gazoo Racing Nürburgring video is a tribute to perseverance

Lexus / Gazoo Racing Nürburgring video is a tribute to perseverance originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Gazoo Racing drums up twincharged 320-horsepower Toyota GT86

Scott Burgess — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Toyota

As if turbos weren't enough.

Gazoo Racing (full name: Gazoo Racing Masters of Nürburgring) has unveiled a concept racing version of the famed Toyota GT86 that features both a turbocharger and a supercharger to offer up 320 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque.

The car, officially called the Sport FR Concept, oozes high performance out of its fenders and includes Gazoo brakes, spoilers and suspension tuning, according to FT86Club.com. However, few specifics were available.

Toyota teamed up with Gazoo earlier this year to help jump start it's small-displacement engines. Earlier this year, Toyota gave the green light to the iQ Supercharger. Gazoo was expected to build about 100 of those cars.

Gazoo Racing drums up twincharged 320-horsepower Toyota GT86 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 May 2012 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Toyota to field GT 86 pair at the Nürburgring 24 - could WRC be far behind? [w/video]

Noah Joseph — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Toyota, Racing

You don't build a chassis as superbly balanced and capable as that which underpins the Subaru BRZ, Toyota GT 86 and Scion FR-S without taking it racing. Fortunately the Japanese auto marques involved have plenty of competition spirit coursing through their veins, and are already gearing up to take the nimble little sportscar racing at events around the world.

Subaru recently unveiled the GT300 racing version of the BRZ which it will be fielding in Japan's SuperGT series, and now Toyota is following suit with the announcement that it will be bringing not one, but two examples of its GT 86 to the Nürburgring to compete in the grueling 24-hour race there next month. The pair of cars - whose level of modification remains unclear - will be fielded by the company's own Gazoo Racing team alongside one Lexus LFA.

Toyota's racing plans for the GT 86 extend beyond the 'Ring, however, as it has revealed a program to support privateer teams fielding the car domestically in both the Super Taikyu Endurance Series and All-Japan Rally Championship. The latter announcement crucially comes at a time when rumors have resurfaced of Toyota preparing to re-enter the World Rally Championship - a series which the Japanese automaker dominated in the 1990s with four Drivers' Championships and three Constructors' Championships.

The company shut down its WRC operation to branch into Formula One, but now that its F1 program is long gone, could the time be right for Toyota's return to the pinnacle of rallying? Only time will tell, but for now you can scope out the press release and video footage by scrolling below to see what Toyota has in store in the short run.

Continue reading Toyota to field GT 86 pair at the Nürburgring 24 - could WRC be far behind? [w/video]

Toyota to field GT 86 pair at the Nürburgring 24 - could WRC be far behind? [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Toyota getting help from Gazoo Racing to bring downsized turbo engines to market

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: China, Europe, Technology, Toyota

According to a report by TheDetroitBureau.com, Toyota is teaming up with Gazoo Razing (full name: Gazoo Racing Masters of Nürburgring) to kickstart development and retail rollout of small-displacement, turbocharged engines. While Toyota is the undisputed leader in hybrid sales, the 274,927 gas-electric vehicles sold in 2011 - that's in total, not just the Prius - still represent a tiny portion of overall sales. By contrast, the EcoBoost-equipped Ford F-150 alone sold 100,000 units last year.

Direct injection and updated transmissions are also said to be developmental hot-buttons for Toyota. The first boosted, DI motors could be seen as soon as next year in Japan, then find their way into products for China and Europe. Outside analysts expect America to be in that pipeline somewhere, eventually, with mooted options for introduction being the next-generation Corolla or, even easier, as an added powertrain option for the new Camry.

The direction is not meant to take away from Toyota's hybrid position and expansion in the U.S., with the company still expected to put hybrids in "for just about everything we offer." Overseas, though, hybrids made the same impression as in the States, which could explain the initial markets chosen for Toyota's new tech.

Toyota getting help from Gazoo Racing to bring downsized turbo engines to market originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Toyota to reveal GRMN Hybrid concept at Nürburgring 24

Zach Bowman — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:32:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Hybrid, Europe, Technology, Toyota

Toyota GRMN Hybrid Concept II - Click above for high-res image

Toyota is set to pull the sheets back on a new convertible sports hybrid at this year's Nurburgring 24-Hour endurance race. Co-developed by Gazoo Racing, the GRMN Hybrid Concept II is a slightly updated version of the concept that Toyota displayed at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon.

With its gasoline engine mounted mid-ship and a hybrid all-wheel-drive system, the GRMN should deliver drivers plenty of grip and excellent balance as well. Total combined output sits at 295 horsepower, with 245 ponies coming from the gasoline V6 and another 50 arriving via an electric motor. That motor supplies power to the two front wheels only.

The automaker says the machine weighs in at less than 3,300 lbs, though there's no indication as to what sort of fuel economy to expect from the drop-head. So, when can you buy one? We wouldn't hold our breath. With its wild looks and pricey all-wheel-drive system, it'll be a cold day in Toyota City before the GRMN lands on dealer lots. Hit the jump for the press release.

Continue reading Toyota to reveal GRMN Hybrid concept at Nürburgring 24

Toyota to reveal GRMN Hybrid concept at Nürburgring 24 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Gazoo Racing fields race-prepped Lexus CT hybrid at Nürburgring

Noah Joseph — Sun, 15 May 2011 10:02:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hybrid, Europe, Hatchback, Lexus, Racing

Lexus Gazoo Racing CT - Click above for high-res image

When nearly 200 cars line up this weekend at the Nürburgring for the Adenauer ADAC Rudstrecken-Trophy, countless Porsches and BMWs will be among them. And a hybrid. Wait, what?

That's right. This year Gazoo Racing - the ToMoCo-backed outfit that has campaigned the Lexus LFA at the same track - is fielding a competition-spec Lexus CT 200h.

Well, we shouldn't call it a CT 200h, since while it's almost identical to the roadgoing CT hybrid, the 200 nameplate would be a bit of a misnomer. Because while the electric component of the Lexus Hybrid Drive system was kept in place for this racing machine, the 1.8-liter four was replaced by a 2.4. Perhaps it's a test platform for the upcoming more powerful CT?

Otherwise, beyond the required safety modifications, it's pretty much bone stock, right down shutting the engine off at idle and under braking. Follow the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Gazoo Racing fields race-prepped Lexus CT hybrid at Nürburgring

Gazoo Racing fields race-prepped Lexus CT hybrid at Nürburgring originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 May 2011 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Toyota GRMN iQ Racing Concept headlines TMC's Tokyo Auto Salon roster

Noah Joseph — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 19:02:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Japan, Hatchback, Lexus, Toyota, Tokyo Auto Salon, Racing

Toyota GRMN iQ Racing Concept - Click above for high-res image

SEMA may take the proverbial cake for the American tuner scene, but the Vegas expo isn't the only tuner show in the world. And with the Tokyo Auto Salon currently underway, Toyota has a wide variety of cars on display under various labels and divisions.

The vehicle you see above is the GRMN iQ Racing Concept. Lest you think the four letters indicate some kind of special nav system, it stands for Gazoo Racing tuned by MN - the same outfit that prepared the Nürburgring 24-winning Lexus LFA racer.

Little in the way of details were released along with the solitary image other than to say that it's based on a limited-edition model that's already sold out, and fitted with a roll cage and supercharger. It's one of seventeen vehicles prepared by the Toyota Motor Corporation and its subsidiaries for the show, including versions of the Prius, Vitz (aka Yaris), Auris, Corolla, Noah, FJ Cruiser, Ractis, Lexus CT and IS F and more, modified by Gazoo, Toyota Racing Development, G Sports and even the Fuji Speedway and a staff collective known as the Toyota Engineering Society. Read all about it in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota GRMN iQ Racing Concept headlines TMC's Tokyo Auto Salon roster

Toyota GRMN iQ Racing Concept headlines TMC's Tokyo Auto Salon roster originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Jan 2011 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

'Ring Leader: Lexus announces return to Nürburgring 24 with new LFA racer

Noah Joseph — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Europe, Lexus, Toyota, Racing

2010 Lexus LFA racer - Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota has announced its racing activities for 2010. And while Formula One has already been removed from the program, the Japanese automaker has plenty going on in other disciplines, including the domestic Super GT series, Formula Nippon, NASCAR and...what's that? The Nürburgring 24 Hours.

As you may recall, Toyota's Lexus division took LFA prototypes to the 'Ring in both 2008 and 2009 for the round-the-clock race to help drum up some excitement and give the prototypes some competition testing. Since then, the LFA has gone from concept car to race car to production car and is now going back to endurance racer for this year's event.

The pair of cars, now based on the production LFA, will be fielded once again by Gazoo Racing, piloted by a roster of Japanese and German drivers with a wealth of experience between them in sportscar racing. They'll be supported by Toyota factory personnel, potentially to include once again company president Akio Toyoda.

The announcement comes hot on the heels of the similar news regarding a track-oriented LFA special edition, reportedly bearing the Nürburgring name as well. The race takes place in May, but in the meantime, you can check out the press release after the jump and the fresh images in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2010 Lexus LFA racer

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading 'Ring Leader: Lexus announces return to Nürburgring 24 with new LFA racer

'Ring Leader: Lexus announces return to Nürburgring 24 with new LFA racer originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments