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<\/p>\nA fresh spy video shows Toyota testing a new sports car. The automaker covered the model in camouflage, but its silhouette is unmistakable \u2013 this is the Toyota GR GT3 concept that is in development for the race track and the road.<\/p>\n
The video, shot from a distance at the Motegi motorsport venue, doesn\u2019t reveal much of the coupe\u2019s styling. The car looks tiny on the track, but the long, flat hood and massive wing are clear, as is the car\u2019s throaty exhaust note that sounds like a V8 engine.<\/p>\n
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In June, Toyota WEC team director Rob Leupen confirmed that the race car will compete in WEC starting in 2026. He also revealed that the automaker would build a street-legal version of the concept, which is expected to lose its Toyota badge for a Lexus one. In early 2022, Toyota Racing Development president David Wilson suggested the concept could be \u201ca precursor\u201d to the next GT3 from the luxury brand.<\/p>\n
While the race car might hit the track in 2026, it\u2019s unclear when the road-going version could arrive at dealers. If it wears a Lexus badge, it will likely replace the RC in the lineup. The coupe is old, launching in 2014 for the 2015 model year and receiving its mid-cycle refresh for 2019.<\/p>\n
The RC F also serves as Lexus\u2019 GT3 racer right now, but getting it ready for racing wasn\u2019t without its challenges. In February 2022, Wilson told us that it was \u201can afterthought\u201d to turn the current-generation RC into a GT3 car, which isn\u2019t how you build a race car. Lexus put in a \u201cFrankenstein\u201d effort to increase the coupe\u2019s level of performance.<\/p>\n
Toyota first showed off the GR GT3 concept at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon. The big wing, large front splitter, canards, sharp body lines, and side-exit exhaust captured everyone\u2019s attention, and it looks like many of those features could make it onto the racing version.<\/p>\n
We expect Lexus to tone down the road-legal version, as we don\u2019t see the company keeping the side tailpipes for everyday use. The car could also lose its aggressive canards and front splitter before hitting the road. Lexus may even use a different rear wing on the production model. With the automaker already testing the vehicle, we hope to learn more about it soon.\u00a0<\/p>\n