GR summit reached: Toyota Exec rules-out more Gazoo Racing models

Toyota has reportedly put a lid on suggestions of more models receiving the Gazoo Racing (GR) treatment after confirming that it will produce no other models bar the existing range consisting of the GR Yaris, GR Corolla, GR86 and GR Supra.

Despite reports earlier this year alleging the possible introduction of sedan-based GR model, Chief Engineer for the GR86, Yasunori Suezawa, told Australia’s drive.com.au that it won’t be commissioning another GR model now that the GR86 has premiered.

“There is none left actually. For the GR [performance brand], basically this [the GR86] is the last,” Suezawa said via an interpreter.

Despite announcing the expansion of the GR Sport division, which falls below the GR and flagship GRMN designations in the Gazoo Racing structure, Suezawa’s comments seemingly spells not only the end for a practical GR model, but also the much reported on GR Hilux predicted to have rivalled the Ford Ranger Raptor.

ALSO READ: Toyota clarifies manual Supra and GR86 no-show at Kyalami Festival of Motoring

Supposedly set to have derived motivation from a turbocharged petrol engine or the 3.3-litre turbodiesel V6 from the Land Cruiser that allegedly would have pumped-out 230kW/687Nm, the apparent cancellation effectively confirms comments made back in May by Toyota’s Light Commercial Vehicles Manager for the United Kingdom, Gareth Matthews, who told Auto Express that no GR model would sit above the Hilux GR Sport at any stage.

“The GR Sport has the looks that customers want while still having the right payload weight, so we’re meeting the demands of performance fans there,” Matthews told the publication.

As well the GR Hilux, which would have debuted not long after the standard Hilux and its twin, the currently being tested all-new Tacoma, a return of the MR2 appears cut-and-shut after being branded “not a priority” by Toyota’s European Vice-President of Sales, Matt Harrison, in 2020.

The same seemingly also applies to the still-born Celica despite patents for the moniker’s return having surfaced in the United States five years ago and in Australia last year.

As is known by now, Toyota South Africa will supplement the Corolla Cross GR Sport with a localised version of the Hilux GR Sport that produces 165kW/550Nm from the 2.8 GD-6 turbodiesel engine.

Scheduled to have premiered alongside the GR86 at the Kyalami Festival of Motoring two months ago, the GR Supra line-up will only be broadened next year with the inclusion of the six-speed manual gearbox and the upgraded 285kW/500Nm 3.0-litre B58 straight-six engine, while the GR86 itself appears on the cards for a November 2022 unveiling.

The availability of the remaining GR models are just as clear-cut with the GR Yaris now on-sale after receiving a rationalised model update three months ago, while the GR Corolla remains “under investigation” and unlikely to become a reality this year.