South African motorists are not exactly short on options when it comes to Toyota, which has an incredible 124 different models on sale in the country.
Arguably the most exciting entries among these are the units bearing the credentials of the brand’s sports division – Gazoo Racing (GR).
The performance brand is split into multiple tiers, which the automaker refers to as “the GR Pyramid,” with each tier bringing varying levels of cosmetic, handling, and engine tweaks.
The lowest tier, which is still under investigation for a South African introduction, is GR parts, allowing customers to install aftermarket enhancements to their cars, but it’s in the second and third tiers that the GR badge really starts to show.
The second level is where you’ll find the “GR-Sport” models, which are enhanced versions of existing entries in the Toyota stable.
For now, this includes the Corolla Cross, Hilux, and Land Cruiser 300, though other markets also have Gazoo versions of the Rav4, C-HR, and Agya.
The GR-Sport overhaul is mostly cosmetic, adding new badges and other styling elements to both the cabin and exterior of the vehicle, but it also improves the steering and stiffens the suspension.
In the case of the Hilux, the carmaker also coaxed an additional 15kW and 50Nm out of the 2.8-litre engine, making it one of the most powerful bakkies in its class.
The third tier is where you’ll find the GR originals – cars built from the ground up to work as high-performance models.
Right now, this list comprises the GR Yaris, GR86, and Supra, but the automaker has confirmed that the new GR Corolla will be coming to South Africa sometime within the next three months.
For the enthusiasts
Below is a list of every GR-branded Toyota you can currently buy in South Africa, including engine variations.
Click on the underlined prices for more information.
Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 GR-Sport
- Power – 103kW/172Nm
- 0-100km/h – 9.9 seconds
- Top speed – 185km/h
- Starting price – R480,800
Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid GR-Sport
- Power – 90kW/142+e Nm
- 0-100km/h – 11.96 seconds
- Top speed – 170km/h
- Starting price – R512,500
Toyota GR86
- Power – 174kW/250Nm
- 0-100km/h – 6.8 seconds
- Top speed – 216km/h
- Starting price – R733,500
Toyota GR Yaris 1.6T GR-Four Rally
- Power – 198kW/360Nm
- 0-100km/h – 5.5 seconds
- Top speed – 230km/h
- Starting price – R815,700
Toyota Hilux 2.8GD-6 double cab 4×4 GR-Sport
- Power – 165kW/550Nm
- 0-100km/h – 10.6 seconds
- Top speed – 180km/h
- Starting price – R918,100
Toyota GR Supra 3.0T
- Power – 250kW/500Nm
- 0-100km/h – 4.3 seconds
- Top speed – 250km/h
- Starting price – R1,213,700
Toyota Land Cruiser 300 3.3D GR-Sport
- Power – 225kW/700Nm
- 0-100km/h – 8.0 seconds
- Top speed – 210km/h
- Starting price – R2,000,000
Toyota Land Cruiser 300 3.5T GR-Sport
- Power – 305kW/650Nm
- 0-100km/h – 6.7 seconds
- Top speed – 210km/h
- Starting price – R2,034,100
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