Can Toyota’s GR Survive as a Solo Brand?
Toyota appears to be following a path set by Cupra and Polestar
The company’s new supercar, the generically named “GT”, has no Toyota badging on it, but rather GR (as in Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s performance arm). The outgoing Supra and current 86 also carry GR badging, and performance-oriented GR variants of the Corolla, Yaris, and other models are out there as well. Autocar offers up some new info on the resurrection of the MR2 (likely to be sold as the GR MR2, based on recent trademark filings). It combines styling from the FT-SE concept (which was originally developed as an EV) and a new compact, hybrid-specific 2.0-liter engine of upwards of 400 horsepower.
The Supra’s future is up in the air (the current model ended production in March), but a new Celica appears to be on the horizon as well. One open question will be distribution; while the Supra and 86 are sold through Toyota dealers, the GT will be sold through select Lexus dealerships.
If Toyota is serious about making GR a standalone brand, it (like Cupra and Polestar) will need a dedicated channel. Cupra has been a success story for the beleaguered VW Group--and that’s without the motorsports heritage that Gazoo Racing already has on tap. This sounds like good news for both Toyota investors and auto enthusiasts.
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