Toyota recently came out with good and bad news for its fans around the world, both of which revolve around its celebrated Gazoo Racing (GR) performance division.
Put simply, the Japanese carmaker ruled out the possibility of a fully-fledged GR Hilux, something enthusiasts have been speculating about for years.
However, the same cannot be said of its SUVs, as the company is considering the development of a high-performance model to widen the appeal of the GR nameplate to new audiences.
GR vs GR-Sport
Toyota has an extensive selection of vehicles in South Africa catering to everything from affordable hatchbacks to capable off-roaders.
One of the biggest appeals of the brand is its Gazoo Racing wing, which as the name suggests, is centered around producing models that look more at home on a circuit than a suburban road.
Not all GR-branded cars are equal though, as there is a big difference between the units bearing either a GR prefix and those with the GR-Sport suffix in their name.
The true GR originals are the former, such as the GR Yaris and GR Corolla hot hatchbacks or the GR Supra coupe.
These models are designed from the ground up with powerful engines, special gearboxes, tyres, suspension and other mechanical attributes that make them suited for a track day.
Naturally, the consequence of this is that these “extreme” options come with a sizeable price tag, which is where the GR-Sport moniker comes in.
GR-Sport units are based on existing templates and typically involve only minor adjustments in the form of cosmetics, stiffer suspension, and tighter steering.
Examples of this include the Corolla Cross, Land Cruiser 300, and, most importantly, the Hilux.
The Hilux is actually a bit of an exception, as the latest version boasts an uprated powertrain, a more muscular body, improved suspension, and BF Goodrich Baja Champion all-terrain tyres.
It’s a welcome addition to be sure, but not equal to a GR original, as it is built upon the same platform as the standard Hilux and uses the familiar 2.8-litre, turbo-diesel engine with a comparatively small bump in power of just 15kW and 50Nm.
What petrolheads have really been asking for is a high-octane Toyota GR Hilux that will take on one of the most prolific double cabs currently on the market – the Ford Ranger Raptor.
The Raptor, in comparison to the standard Ranger, gets a rally-modified body with a unique twin-turbo V6 petrol plant producing 292kW and 583Nm, letting the five-metre-long bakkie keep up with hot hatches like the GR Corolla.
Sadly, in a recent discussion with Australian publication CarExpert, Tomoya Takahashi, the president of Toyota Gazoo Racing Company, confirmed that a GR Hilux is not in the pipeline for the foreseeable future.
He explained that GR has limited resources to develop new models and that it wants to focus on more popular segments to attract buyers.
However, in the same breath, he said Toyota is considering the development of new hot SUVs.
Toyota hot SUVs
Hot crossovers and SUVs are a concept that has seen a rapid uptick in interest over the past few years owing to the explosion in popularity of the body type.
Hyundai’s N division, equivalent to Toyota GR, has produced the Kona N and the all-electric Ioniq 5 N to much fanfare from motoring enthusiasts, and VW is experimenting with units like the Tiguan R.
Toyota is keen to jump in on the trend while widening the appeal of Gazoo Racing to fans who may not go for something like the Yaris for practical reasons.
“In the future, from my point of view we need a GR SUV,” said Takahashi.
“Some people can only use SUVs because they have a family or need space. To expand our brand, maybe an SUV is needed.”
Since this idea is still at the conceptual stage, there are no further details to go on, but a quick look at the automaker’s catalogue shows there’s a ton of potential with something like a GR C-HR, Rav4, or Prado all being an exciting possibility.
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