The development of the race car is not affected.
The unveiling of the GR Super Sport Concept by Toyota at the start of 2018 took almost everyone by surprise. This hypercar will be used to complement the WEC racer. The news regarding the electrified flagship sportscar has been scarce and uncertain.
Racing magazine in Japan claims that a prototype of street-legal version of the hybrid hypercar was damaged during a test at Fuji Speedway. Toyota had to abandon the development of the hybrid hypercar after it caught on fire and suffered serious damage. According to the new report, the Japanese rumors that the GR Super Sport was involved in a fiery crash may be confirmed.
As Racing points, the possibility of a road car’s demise doesn’t impact the LMDh program. Peugeot already stated that it would not sell any road-going version of its 9X8 Le Mans Hypercar. Motorsport.com reports yesterday that the GR010 hybrid race car completed last weekend’s shakedown at Spa-Francorchamps before this year’s Le Mans endurance racing race.
Many of you may recall that Toyota released a video featuring the GR Super Sport at the Fuji Speedway in Japan in June 2019. The video was shot with Akio Toyoda, the CEO of the company. It made its dynamic public debut in September 2020 by performing a lap of Circuit de la Sarthe at the 88 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Road-legal GR Super Sport will have a twin-turbo 2.4 liter V6 engine. This is part of a hybrid powertrain that should produce more than 1,000 horsepower after taking into consideration the electric motors. According to a patent filed by Toyota last year with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, it is likely to be a coupe with a canopy.
It is not clear if the road car was actually canceled. After all, it’s not uncommon for prototypes of road cars to crash and sometimes burn during testing. This happened just like it did in June 2017 in the Alps. Test mule for the new-generation Audi A7 Sportback . The same story was repeated in July 2014, with an Acura NSX prototype at Nurburgring The GR Super Sport is not the first vehicle to be tested.
Some would argue that it is a bit strange that Toyota approved the road-going version of the Lexus LFA supercar. It will be an indirect successor to the GT-One originally designed for GT1 racing, but later adapted for LMGTP. There were two road cars made. However, they weren’t sold to public. The Japanese museum has one and the German Toyota Motorsport GmbH in Cologne houses the other.
If the GR Super Sport is still being produced, it’s going to cost hypercar money . According to Orlando Rodriguez, Toyota Australia’s spokesperson: “It’s probably on that hypercar level. Pricing? It will be at that level. It won’t be open to anyone. Those who are interested in signing on the dotted lines for potentially seven figures must first complete a questionnaire. A Lexus LFA or a Toyota 2000GT is a good option, as well as a FIA racing licence.