641-bhp Toyota GR GT debuts as Michelin-shod V8 supercar

Channelling the aura of machines like LFA and 2000GT, Toyota’s GR GT is a true road-legal race car. From the twin-turbocharged V8 to the all-aluminium construction, here’s all you need to know.

Talk about saving the best ‘till last, with just a few weeks left on the calendar, Toyota’s all-new GR GT supercar is surely the hottest arrival of 2025.  

It’s positioned as the brand’s halo performance product — complete with huge power, low weight, wild looks, and motorsport-bred technology — and proves Toyota still cares about building cars we petrolheads pine for. 

Interestingly, though, you’ll struggle to find any Toyota badges anywhere. That’s because it’s the work of the firm’s special Gazoo Racing (GR) division — also responsible for machines like the rally-inspired GR Yaris, and the most recent Supra. But the new GT is several orders of magnitude spicier than anything we’ve seen from them before. Targeting thoroughbred machines like Aston Martin’s vicious Vantage and Mercedes’ AMG GT, the GR GT is all about performance without compromise.

Subscribing to the Shikinen Sengu philosophy, the GR GT looks to combine the best of old and new — passing the torch from veteran engineers to the next generation of supercar craftsmen. And its internals reflect this. 

Given the way the industry is moving, you might expect the GT to sport an all-electric powertrain or, at the very least, a heavily hybridised and downsized combustion unit. But, in reality, a heart of V8 thunder beats under that impossibly long bonnet. Displacing 4 litres and boasting twin turbochargers, the new powerplant is completely bespoke and, with the help of a single electric motor, sends a whopping 641-bhp and 627 lb-ft straight to the rear axle. It’s not just grunty, either, Toyota says it’s thoroughly compact and light, helping to lower the car’s overall height and centre of gravity. Good news for the handling. 

Speaking of which, the GT should be the most dynamic and capable production car the company has ever created. From the all-aluminium body and carbon fibre reinforced panels to shed weight, to the rear-mounted transaxle to ensure that mass is optimally distributed, the GT’s underpinnings are primed and poised for agile cornering. Aiding this optimal base platform, Toyota has added a limited-slip differential, low-mounted double wishbone suspension, Brembo carbon ceramic brakes and, of course, suitably aggressive Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres to ensure all those performance parts perform as intended.

The end result is a legitimate supercar capable of smashing lap records and rocketing past 200 mph. And, while no official 0-60 mph figure has been quoted, the combination of vast grip from the expansive 325 section rear rubber, and lighting fast gear changes from the dual-clutch 8-speed auto, should have explosive consequences off the line.  

However, the GR GT is as much about how it makes you feel, as what it can do. To this end, Toyota has spent much time tweaking the exhaust system to ensure it conveys ‘the distinctive racing sound of a V8 twin-turbo engine’. Moreover, the stability control offers multi-stage adjustment for traction and braking — developed in GR’s Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race vehicles — helping the driver to find a perfect handling balance for their own skill level and the weather conditions.  

As for the styling, well we’ve left it ‘till last as it’s proven a little divisive. While some relish the long-bonnet, low and wide proportions, others think the GT’s dimensions are a little cartoonish. But surely that’s what supercars are all about? Either way, those looks are actually predicated on the ideal aerodynamic model, so they’re extravagant for good reason.

And the price? Nobody knows yet. That said, it’s not going to be positioned as some billionaire’s toy with a seven-figure RRP and a miniscule production run. Instead, the GR GT is more likely to sit in Aston Martin Vantage territory — meaning it’ll be a rare sight on the roads, but not of mythical status. 

Is the new GR GT the final act for petrol-powered supercars, or a sign of more to come from the world’s automakers? Let us know what you think about the Toyota’s new halo performance product.

Hero image credit: Toyota