Toyota’s Grand Slam: Inside the GR GT, GR GT3, and the Future of the Lexus LFA
Toyota just unveiled its new sports car “Holy Trinity,” sending shockwaves through the automotive world and sparking fierce speculation among enthusiasts. By revealing the Lexus LFA Concept, the GR GT, and the GR GT3 race car, Toyota sent a clear message: the era of the performance EV is arriving, but the iconic V-8 is far from dead.
We were on the ground in Toyota’s Woven City for exclusive technical briefings with Chief Program Manager Takashi Doi and the engineering teams, delving into the nitty-gritty of chassis, powertrain, design, and aerodynamics. While Toyota guarded certain details closely, a few things became strikingly clear. The biggest takeaway? Toyota plans to milk every milestone on the long journey from concept to customer production for these machines.
GR GT: A Nürburgring King in the Making
The GR GT is the road-going counterpart to the track-focused GR GT3, slated for production around 2027 as a 2028 model. Toyota has consistently stated that the GR GT is a homologated version of the race car, suggesting the racer will appear shortly thereafter. However, we’ve seen in the past—as with the Ford GT—that race cars often hit the track long before their road-legal siblings reach showrooms.
When pressed on the pricing of the GR GT, Doi-san instructed us to examine the price lists of comparable Porsche 911 GT3 and Mercedes-AMG GT models. Using the GR GT’s claimed 641 horsepower and 3,858-pound curb weight as benchmarks, we calculated a power-to-weight ratio of 6.0 lb/hp.
| Vehicle | Curb Weight | Horsepower | Weight/Power | Base Price |
| :— | :— | :— | :— | :— |
| 2028 Toyota GR GT | 3,858 lb | 641 hp | 6.0 lb/hp | N/A |
| 2026 Porsche 911 GT3 | 3,278 lb | 502 hp | 6.2 lb/hp | $235,500 |
| 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S | 3,859 lb | 701 hp | 5.5 lb/hp | $275,650 |
| 2026 AMG GT Pro 4Matic | 4,299 lb | 603 hp | 7.1 lb/hp | $202,200 |
| 2026 Aston Martin Vantage S | 3,847 lb | 671 hp | 5.7 lb/hp | $235,000 |
\Non-hybrid models.\
Prices are in U.S. dollars.\
Based on this competitive set, it’s highly probable the GR GT will retail for well north of $200,000.
Performance Engineering and High-Performance Car Pricing
The GR GT features a sophisticated hybrid powertrain that includes a mechanical limited-slip differential (LSD), ensuring drivers can engage in all the tire-scorching mayhem their hearts desire. Whether it has a dedicated “drift mode” remains unconfirmed, though Doi-san confirmed his team is working on multiple driving modes, pointing to a “Sport Boost” knob on the steering wheel as a clue.
A “TRC/VSC Off” button on the lower left side suggests drivers will have the option to fully disable traction and stability controls, a critical feature for enthusiasts. When asked about future higher-performance models, Doi-san—mirroring a tactic used by other manufacturers—provided a characteristically coy response: “Obviously we can’t talk about future product, but variations and improvements is something we’re always looking for. And that’s crucial, very important for a sports car.”
For industry insiders and performance car enthusiasts, high-performance sports car pricing is a complex equation involving aerodynamics, carbon fiber content, hybrid systems, and premium brand positioning.
Nürburgring: From Humiliation to Redemption
Akio “Master Driver Morizo” Toyoda, the visionary behind Gazoo Racing, addressed the “humiliation” his team faced at the Nürburgring Nordschleife just a few years prior. While driving Toyota’s sports cars, including a fourth-generation Supra, the team was consistently passed by faster, better-handling machines, mostly from German manufacturers.
It was this very concept of using humiliation as fuel for improvement that drove the development of the GR GT and GR GT3. When asked about the importance of the Nürburgring and whether the team is targeting a sub-7-minute lap—a feat recently achieved by the Mustang GTD (6:52), Corvette ZR1 (6:50), and Corvette ZR1X (6:49)—Doi-san avoided a direct answer. However, he did affirm the significance of the Nürburgring to Toyota, the GR brand, and its motorsports programs, reiterating that the GR GT would not be the one getting passed on the Green Hell.
Given the Japanese culture of modesty and the historical performance of cars like the Porsche 911 GT3 and Mercedes-AMG GT, we consider this essentially a declaration that the GR GT will achieve a sub-7-minute lap.
Lexus LFA: The Electric V-10 Supercar Flagship
If you’re waiting for the next-generation Lexus LFA, prepare for a long wait. Toyota representatives indicated the model would arrive “several years” from now. Regarding pricing, the new LFA will need to be considerably less than the original, which debuted in 2010 at a staggering $375,000 and later reached $445,000 for the Nürburgring Edition.
Doi-san conceded the automotive landscape has shifted since the V-10 supercar departed. Coming back as an EV complicates matters, subtly implying the new LFA should be less than $350,000.
We believe it must be substantially less, for a few reasons. The market for luxury sports coupes is minuscule, and there are currently no electric sports coupes commanding over $200,000. While a handful of luxury EVs exceed $200,000, none fit the competitive profile of the LFA. The Rimac Nevera and Lotus Evija fall into the electric hypercar realm, fetching $2.3 to $2.4 million, which is decidedly not Lexus territory. The closest comparison is the second-gen Tesla Roadster, rumored to be in the $200,000 to $250,000 range—if it ever materializes.
The Solid-State Battery Game-Changer
However, one complicating factor could render the LFA a very expensive, exotic luxury sports flagship for Lexus: solid-state battery technology. While no one confirmed this, Toyota has been aggressively developing SSB since 2020 via its joint venture with Panasonic, Prime Planet Energy & Solutions. In 2024, Toyota updated its plans, projecting SSB arrival by 2027–2028 with a 621-mile range and 10-minute recharging times.
This level of performance would represent a massive technological leap—exactly what Lexus may seek in its flagship. It could also solve a major packaging challenge for the electric LFA. Current global EV manufacturing best practice involves placing heavy battery packs as low as possible in the floor (a skateboard chassis), pioneered by the Tesla Model S.
Engineering Excellence: The Hybrid V-8 Powderhouse
Look at the GR GT powertrain cutaway and marvel at its engineering complexity. It starts with an all-aluminum engine and forged internals, boosted by twin turbochargers nestled in the 90-degree cylinder banks to a claimed 641 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque. All this power is sent via a driveshaft enclosed in a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) “torque tube” to a rear-mounted transaxle containing the hybrid system’s electric motor and eight-speed transmission.
The sharply cut and polished shafts and gearsets in the cutaway look like something out of a watchmaker’s fever dream. At the rear of the transmission, conical gears send power forward to a mechanical LSD, which distributes output to the wheels via half shafts. Why the complicated U-turn? The powertrain engineers claim it reduces overall length, but we also think Akio is sending a larger message.
In the last 15 years, we’ve witnessed the rise of electric vehicles with vastly simplified powertrains and the subsequent death of the V-8, revived primarily in America thanks to dramatic shifts in consumer sentiment and government policies. While other automakers scrambled to cover their ICE, EV, and hybrid bases, Toyota has remained vocal about its hybrid-first strategy, with only a handful of EV models.
The GR GT, GR GT3, and second-gen LFA are built on an all-new aluminum spaceframe—a first for Toyota. The GR twins utilize that fiendishly complicated transaxle powertrain, allowing Akio to not only flex Toyota’s manufacturing might but also showcase high-performance vehicles utilizing three distinct powertrain technologies.
Motorsports and Technology Transfer: The Future of Toyota
Akio and Team Toyota aren’t just throwing down one gauntlet
