Toyota

It would appear that Toyota is just as enamored with its GR GT3 concept as we are.

A pair of design patents filed in Europe suggests that the Japanese automaker is serious about building a production version of the racing-oriented prototype it unveiled at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon, according to Motor1.com. Maybe even more exciting is that images accompanying the filings hint that the supercar could look remarkably similar to the alluring concept it’s based on.

The two patents, or more specifically the Registered Community Design (RCD) applications, were filed to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) late last month. The paperwork is necessary in order for Toyota to be granted rights to a specific design from members of the trade union. The website reports that both filings have been “registered and fully published.”

Toyota GR GT3 concept 

Toyota

The images accompanying the RCD applications—one of which is for the car, the other for its lights—show a vehicle that looks quite similar to the GR GT3 concept. Although not as angular as the prototype, the vehicle is still a long-nosed grand tourer with a sculpted body. The smoother shape isn’t the only difference between the two coupés, though. The sports car depicted in the images also has tweaked bumpers and the concept’s giant rear wing has been replaced by a much less prominent spoiler. We’ll miss the latter especially, but there’s no denying that the vehicle still looks striking.
Earlier this month, Cooper Erikson, Toyota North America’s vice president of product planning and strategy, told Motor Trend that the development of a GR GT3 had begun. Because the project is still in the early stage we don’t know what kind of powertrain the athletic two-door will be equipped with, but Motor1.com says the car is meant to appeal to potential GR3 racers, which means the car will likely be able to hold its own on both the road and track.

A patent image of a possible production version of the Toyota GR GT3 

EUIPO

The new patent images are certainly fun to look at, but it’s worth remembering that they’re not necessarily a guarantee of what’s to come, especially since neither application mentions the concept by name. But sometimes, as in the case of the new Nissan Z, they are. Let’s hope that this proves to be the case for the production GR GT3 as well.

Check out more images of the potential GR GT3 production car below:

EUIPO

EUIPO

EUIPO

EUIPO

Toyota just gave enthusiasts another reason to love the Supra.

The Japanese auto giant has announced a six-speed manual gearbox will be available as an option on the 2023 edition of its iconic sports car. Now, if you opt for the more powerful version of the vehicle, the pleasure of shifting through the gears can be yours and yours alone.
The news, which performance diehards have been waiting for since Toyota brought back the nameplate in 2020, doesn’t come as a complete shock. Two weeks ago, the automaker finally confirmed that the Supra would be available with a stick shift again. Unfortunately, it won’t be available on all Supras, just those powered by the BMW-sourced turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six. The mill produces the same power—382 hp and 368 ft-lbs of torque—regardless of which type of transmission it’s connected to, but the six-speed manual offers a shorter final drive ratio and rev-matching, which can be turned off.

The 2023 Supra A-91 MT’s manual gear shifter 

Toyota

The manual will be offered on three Supra models, the 3.0, 3.0 Premium and the limited-edition A91-MT. Only 500 examples of the last variant will be sold in the US and only as part of the 2023 model year. It comes in either matte white or gray and features an exclusive Cognac leather interior, a “GR” logo Alcantara shift knob, a 12-speaker JBL sound system (which also comes standard on the 3.0 Premium), 19-inch alloy wheels and special red brake calipers and “Supra” badging.
All 2023 Supras, regardless of transmission, come with a revised suspension and power steering system, as well as a new feature called “Hairpin+,” designed to make sharp turns a breeze if you ever find yourself in the midst of a car chase on a windy mountain road. Manual-specific changes include recalibration of the traction- and braking-control systems, as well as adjustments to the shape of the center console made so you don’t bang your hand against the control panel when you’re shifting between third and fourth gears.

Toyota

It should be noted that the 2023 Supra isn’t the only car available with a manual gearbox. Porsche announced it comes as standard equipment on the new Porsche 911 Sport Classic on Wednesday. But the cars with stick shifts are definitely few and far between. Last year, The New York Times reported that just one percent of the cars produced for sale in the US had manual transmissions, compared to 35 percent in 1980. The decline makes sense when you consider that only 18 percent of US drivers say they can even drive a stick shift.

Despite this, Toyota is doing what it can to keep manuals alive. The new Supra is one of a trio of models the brand currently offers in the US with the feature, joining the sporty GR86 and the less fashionable Corolla (yes, the Corolla). Earlier this year, the company also patented a system for EVs that would simulate the feel of going through the gears with a fake pedal and shifter.

Toyota

Toyota clearly isn’t ready to give up just yet.

This article was originally published on this site

Lexus is finally bringing an EV to the US—and of course it’s an SUV.

The Japanese luxury marque unveiled the all-electric RZ 450e on Wednesday. The brand is calling the compact crossover its “first battery EV,” but that’s not quite true; it’s just the luxury marque’s first that will be sold globally.
The RZ 450e is based on the Toyota bZ4X SUV. Toyota, after all, is Lexus’s parent company, so the RZ 450e is essentially a more refined version of that EV. It sports a front fascia with the marque’s signature lights and spindle grille. The rest of the vehicle shows off a streamlined aerodynamic shape that Lexus is calling its new “spindle body” design. The automaker says the sleek shape will be a trademark of its EVs going forward. It’s not as striking as some of the battery-powered concepts we’ve seen from the brand—especially the Blade Runner-esque LF-30 Electrified—but it does look both athletic and elegant. It also a lot more stylish than the brand’s first EV, 2019’s rather generic UX 300e crossover.

Inside the 2023 Lexus RZ 450e 

Lexus

While the RZ 450e’s exterior may look sportier than its Toyota-built cousin, its cabin is decidedly more upscale. The minimalist design and panoramic roof give it a wide open and airy feel, even if someone is sitting in each of the five seats. The dashboard, meanwhile, is equipped with digital gauge cluster in the cockpit and a 14.4-inch infotainment touchscreen powered by the Lexus Interface multimedia system. One feature to look out for in the future is an optional yoke-style steering wheel. You’ll presumably be able use it with the brand’s new ultra-precise “Steer by Wire” handling system, which is set to arrive at an unannounced future date.
Lexus’s EV is also more powerful than the bZ4X. The two SUVs ride on the same e-TNGA platform, but the RZ 450e’s powertrain consists of two motors. The engine situated on the front axle produces 201 hp while the one on the back delivers 107 hp, putting combined power at 308 hp, according to the brand. That figure is substantially than the 214 horses generated by the bZ4X. A torque figure wasn’t announced. CNET Roadshow reports that the powertrain will produce 321 ft lbs of torque, but Lexus would not confirm that number to Robb Report. We’re still waiting on acceleration and top speed figures as well.

The 2023 Lexus RZ 450e’s future yoke-style steering wheel 

Lexus

The dual-motor powertrain gets its juice from a 71.4-kWh battery pack, about 65.0-kWh of which is usable energy. Lexus estimates that you’ll be able to drive the SUV for 225 miles between charges. That number may have been fairly common as recent as two years ago, but it’s now well off the 300-mile mark that so many automakers are aiming for at this point.  No charging rate or time info has been released as of writing, but if the brand hopes to allay customers’ range anxiety, a DC fastcharger will likely need to come standard.
Lexus’s compact SUV won’t go on sale until the fall and is expected to start around $50,000. It may not be the paradigm shift some of the brand’s concepts have hinted at, but it will be the start of a new era for the marque.
Check out more photos of the RZ 450e below:

Lexus

Lexus

Lexus

Lexus

Lexus

Decades later, Carroll Shelby’s cars are still setting records.

A 1967 Toyota 2000 GT tuned by the automotive legend for racing sold for $2.54 million at Gooding & Company’s Amelia Island auction last week. The stunning gavel price makes the beautiful speed machine the most expensive Japanese car ever sold.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a 2000 GT now owns the title. The Satoru Nozaki-designed coupé debuted during a time when the country’s cars were unfairly derided as little more than disposable budget rides, but it’s one of the more striking sports cars of the era. Low and compact, the car has a long nose and sleek curves running from front to back. Only 351 examples were built, each of which were meant to show that Japanese vehicles were more than just utilitarian everyday drivers, a goal they accomplished with ease.

The 1967 Toyota-Shelby 2000 GT—chassis No. MF10-10001—sold for a record-setting $2.54 million 

Photo by Josh Hway, courtesy of Gooding & Company.

Toyota’s exclusive coupé wasn’t just a looker, though. It also had some pep thanks to a Yamaha-built 2.0-liter, twin-cam inline-six engine that produced a respectable 148 hp and could push the car to a top speed of a 137 mph, both of which were impressive marks for the times. Of course, this isn’t any old 2000 GT. This particular example, chassis No. MF10-10001, is the first of three which Toyota had Shelby modified for competition in SCCA C-Production racing. This included tuning the engine, lowering its suspension, stripping its Solar Red finish and replacing it with a racing livery.
This 2000 GT’s auction price easily tops the previous record for a Japanese car. In 2019, the first production example of the fifth-generation Supra sold for $2.1 million, with all proceeds going to the American Heart Association and the Bob Woodruff Foundation, according to the ClassicCars.com. In terms of vehicles not sold for charity, the previous record holder was a 1989 Mazda 767B race car that sold for $1.75 million in 2017. Amazingly, this particularly 2000 GT went for lower than its pre-sale estimate of between $2.75 million and $3.5 million.

The interior of the Shelby-tuned 2000 GT 

Photo by Josh Hway, courtesy of Gooding & Company.

The result shows that collectors are starting to take Japanese-made sports cars more seriously. That is undoubtedly a good thing, but there is still room for improvement. The Shelby-tuned 2000 GT was the fourth highest sale of the event, finishing behind a 1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Teardrop coupé (that sold for $13.43 million), a 1959 Porsche 718 RSK ($2.98 million) and a 1954 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback ($2.98 million).

Lexus is reaching into Toyota’s wheelhouse for inspiration for the new RC.

The next generation of the luxury coupé will take inspiration from the GR GT3 concept that debuted at the Tokyo Auto Salon in January, Toyota Racing Development president David Wilson told Car and Driver last week. The new car will also draw on the company’s motorsport bona fides, according to the executive.

The top-of-the-line RC350 has solid pep, thanks to a V-6 that produces 311 horses, but it wasn’t designed with racing in mind. That fact has held the track-focused car back. The racer, which shares its body with the road car, is heavier than the competition and has a larger front end that increases drag and hinders performance. These are both issues that resulted from the track vehicle being, in Wilson’s words, an “afterthought.”

Toyota GR GT3 concept 

Toyota

“What we’ve all come to learn is that’s not the way you bring a GT3 car to market,” Wilson told the magazine. “Before you put your first line on paper, you decide you’re going to race that car and that shapes the design parameters, the performance parameters of that production car.”
Although no official announcement has been made, Wilson told C&D that the next RC will be designed with the track in mind from the get-go. Its design will also draw heavily on the GR GT3 concept for inspiration. That’s exciting news because that prototype is nothing if not easy on the eyes. The two-door speed machine has an athletic-yet-elegant design that features a long nose, prominent front splitter and side skirts and a giant rear wing. The company’s Gazoo racing division hasn’t revealed what powers the car, but its side exhausts suggest there will be an internal-combustion engine, possibly aided by an electric motor, sitting in the engine bay.
Testing of the GR GT3 is expected to begin later this year. Once it does, we’ll not only learn more about the car, we should find out a lot about its more luxurious Lexus cousin.

Today, the Toyota 2000 GT is regarded as one of the most significant—and beautiful—Japanese automobiles ever made. But when it came on the scene, the model was an outlier by every definition—an unexpected offering from a Japanese marque whose products, along with those of Honda and Nissan (Datsun in the US at the time), were generally regarded by stateside buyers of the era as disposable econoboxes. But those cars soon earned a reputation for reliability and quality, relative to their modest cost, and soon converted skeptics and won all three brands a place at the mass-market table. By the 21st century, Toyota would become the world’s second largest car company.

Penned by Toyota’s designer Satoru Nozaki, the 2000 GT was unveiled at the 1965 Tokyo Motor Show. Only 351 examples were made from 1967 through 1970, about 60 of which came to the US. Each was hand built under contract with Yamaha, whose own 2.0-liter, twin-cam inline-six engine powers the lightweight sports car. Developing a respectable 148 hp, the 2000 GT has a top speed of 137 mph, thanks in part to only a 0.28 coefficient of drag. Weighing just 2,469 pounds, the car comprises an aerodynamic, semi-monocoque-design steel body that’s on a backbone chassis. The result is a near-perfect 48/52 weight distribution. Also featuring a five-speed transmission, limited-slip differential, rack-and-pinion steering, independent suspension and four-wheel disc brakes, Toyota’s 2000 GT offered an ideal starting point for a winning race car at the time.
[embedded content]
Originally finished in Solar Red and configured in right-hand drive, the vehicle soon to cross the auction block through Gooding & Company—chassis No. MF10-10001—is one of the original show cars used by Toyota Motor Sales USA to promote the 2000 GT publicly. But establishing the marque’s reputation in the US was a daunting proposition. Carroll Shelby, whose stock-in-trade was turning production cars into competitive race cars, was just the man to bring Toyota to the American motorsports scene, and by natural progression, the public eye. So, after the car’s promotional tour, Shelby and Toyota engineers made mechanical and design modifications to MF10-10001—the first serial-numbered 2000 GT built and the first of only three cars that Shelby prepared for SCCA C-Production racing.

The 1967 Toyota-Shelby 2000 GT—chassis No. MF10-10001—soon available through Gooding & Company. 

Photo by Josh Hway, courtesy of Gooding & Company.

Shelby had a lot to work with in the Toyota 2000 GT. Drop-dead-gorgeous looks notwithstanding, the model is low, compact and evenly balanced, providing one can fit into the small cabin. Actor Sean Connery was too tall for the car when starring as agent 007 in the 1967 movie You Only Live Twice, hence a one-off convertible was made for filming. It seems that most people were a little smaller then, as an attempt to pilot any Jaguar XK-E or mid-1950s Thunderbird or Corvette will remind contemporary—and perhaps more corpulent—drivers. Regardless, the Toyota 2000 GT offers an exhilarating driving experience.

Weighing just 2,469 pounds, the car comprises an aerodynamic, semi-monocoque-design steel body on a backbone chassis. 

Photo by Josh Hway, courtesy of Gooding & Company.

Ultimately, MF10-10001 enjoyed a brief racing career, after which it was owned by several noted collectors. Its most recent owner and consignor—regarded as the foremost 2000 GT specialist—acquired the car in 1980, subsequently devoting a decade to a full restoration that returned the racer to its original 1968 SCCA configuration, including unique Shelby mechanical components and historic white-and-metallic blue racing livery. Following restoration, this 2000 GT has been exhibited at events including the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, where it won First in Class.

The race-focused and right-hand-drive-configured interior. 

Photo by Josh Hway, courtesy of Gooding & Company.

For the better part of a decade, non-competition 2000 GTs have hovered around the $1 million threshold; not bad for a car that sold for $6,800 when new ($750 more than a Porsche 911). Never before offered for public sale, this first-of-a-kind and best-of-the-best example is estimated to bring between $2.75 million and $3.5 million at Gooding & Company’s Amelia Island Auction on March 4.

The Lexus LX600 may be one of the most elegant SUVs on the market, but that doesn’t mean it’s afraid to get a little dirty.

To prove this point, the luxury marque is bringing an off-road-focused version of its stylish behemoth to this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon. The result of a collaboration between Lexus and after-market parts supplier JAOS, the special LX600 aims to show it can do anything the legendary off-roader it’s based on, the Toyota Land Cruiser, can do and more.

The heavily modified SUV is based on the off-road variant of the fourth-generation LX, which was introduced last October. Although it looks just like the standard version at a glance, a slew of add-ons combine to give it a more rugged, characterful appearance. These include front and rear skid plates made from lightweight carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP), mud guards and rugged CFRP wheel arches in the front and back, according to a press release. Beneath those arches, you’ll find a new set of 20-inch titanium gold wheels wrapped in knobby Toyo Open Country A/T III 285/55R20 all-terrain tires.

Lexus LX600 Offroad JAOS version 

Lexus

Lexus has sensibly chosen to leave everything under the LX600’s hood untouched. That’s because the SUV is powered by a brawny 3.4-liter V-6 mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission that can already churn out a solid 409 horses and 479 ft lbs of twist. Add in a four-wheel-drive system and increased stability because of locking differentials in the front, center and rear and you have everything you need for some serious overlanding fun.
Unfortunately, this special LX600 is unlikely to ever make it to America. There are two reasons for this. First, it’s a one-off made to show off some aftermarket parts. Second, it’s based on a variant that’s currently only available in Japan. Let’s hope that part changes soon, though. Hey, it would only be fair given that we’ve already been denied our chance at this generation’s Land Cruiser.

The reborn Toyota Supra has always felt like something of an olive branch towards enthusiasts, and that may be even more true after next year.

It appears that a manual gearbox will be an option on the Japanese auto giant’s beloved sports car, starting with the 2023 model year, according to The Drive. If the rumblings turns out to be true, the Supra could become a go-to vehicle for driving purists.

An unnamed source who attended the automaker’s product preview event for dealers last year in Las Vegas told the website that one of the vehicles the marque showcased was a Supra prototype equipped with a stick shift. Although this contradicts a 2018 statement from Toyota’s chief engineer Tatsuya Tada—he said the Supra would feel “worse” with a manual—it does corroborate a report from November by Japanese magazine CarSensor (via Motor1.com) that the brand would begin offering a six-speed manual as an alternative to the current eight-speed automatic.

2022 Supra A91-CF Edition 

Toyota

Even without a manual, the new Supra, which was reintroduced in 2019, is an impressive sports car. The range-topping version of the coupé, the A91-CF Edition, is equipped with a BMW-sourced 3.0-liter inline-six that pumps out 382 horses and 368 ft lbs of twist with a redline of 6,500 rpm. In addition to all the manual speculation, there’s also a growing belief that the brand will introduce a GRMN model with BMW’s S58 engine, according to Motor1.com. That mill, which can be found in the M3 and M4, can generate 503 hp and 478 ft lbs of torque.
It’s all exciting information, but we’ll have to wait to see if turns out to be true. A representative for Toyota did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Robb Report on Thursday afternoon.
The stick shift may seem to be on its last legs, but it’s not dead yet. Despite appearing in an increasingly smaller number of the vehicles sold each year, the manual gearbox continues to be a feature in more enthusiast-friendly vehicles from marques like Porsche (the 911 Carrera S) and BMW (the M4). Time will tell whether Toyota will be added to that list.

The mid-’90s Toyota Supra is so coveted among enthusiasts that there are some willing to pay supercar prices for it.

That’s why an exotic car dealership in Illinois, Diamond Motorworks, recently listed a gorgeous example from the beloved car’s fourth generation for $299,800. Why so much for this specific Supra? Because it’s fully stock and remains in nearly pristine condition 28 years after rolling off the line.

Although it was a favorite of the budget conscious sports car lovers dating back to the early ‘80s, the Supra didn’t really begin the ascent to legend status until 1993. That’s the year that the model’s fourth iteration, the Mk IV, was introduced. It featured a curvaceous design light years ahead of its predecessors and a surprising amount of pep under its long extended hood. Of course, the Supra’s reputation wasn’t just built on word of mouth. The fact that Paul Walker drove the vehicle in 2001’s The Fast and the Furious also played a pretty significant part.

[embedded content]
This specific example dates back to the Mk IV’s first year of production. While it doesn’t feature the over-the-top spoiler closely associated with the vehicle, it’s has everything else, including a removable “sport roof.” It’s also finished in a rare coat of metallic Anthracite, which, from the looks of the photos, has been wonderfully maintained over the years.
Under the hood, you’ll find a 2JZ GTE twin-turbo inline six capable mated to a six-speed manual transmission capable of pumping out 320 horses. It and ever other major part are completely original; nothing has been swapped out or modified since it left the factory. A big reason or this is the fact that the car only has one owner, who managed to put just 9,683 miles on the car. It comes with a complete CarFax report confirming all of this.

Inside the Toyota Supra Mk IV 

Diamond Motorworks

If you’ve been dreaming of owning a practically new Supra Mk IV since you first saw The Fast and the Furious or you just love ’90s-era Japanese sports cars, you’ll want to get in touch with Diamond Motorworks soon. Its price may sound like a lot, but it’s also not unheard of for the sports car, either.