Toyota has decided, quite rightly, that if you’re going to unveil a dramatic-looking new racing car concept, Bathurst is the place to do it.
Mount Panorama race track
Bathurst, in Australia, is, of course, home to the famous Mount Panorama race track, home to both the famed touring car and sports car races, and this weekend sees the annual running of the Bathurst 1000, a must-see race for all enthusiasts.
The GR Supracar - as this concept is rather brilliantly named - won’t be racing this weekend, but something very like it will probably be coming to a racetrack and maybe even a public road near you soon.
The Supracar has been designed in Australia by Toyota’s design team there, and it’s definitely tilting at a run in the Bathurst 1000 race in the future. The matte-black colour scheme with Gazoo Racing logos looks especially menacing, while the prominent A90 sticker is a reference to the model code for the current Supra sports car.
Passion, excitement, energy
The clay model of the Supracar - which has already been wind-tunnel tested - was revealed in Mount Panorama’s pit lane garages by Toyota Australia’s Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley and Senior Manager of Toyota Design Australia, Nic Hogios. Hogios said the dynamic, athletic exterior of the race car truly captures the passion, excitement and energy of Toyota and its GR range of sports cars: “Our design team has amped up the car significantly, giving fans a fresh perspective of GR Supra performance through a car that instantly looks like it owns the track. We are enthusiasts first and foremost, and the GR Supra Supercar is the kind of project we dream about working on. We can’t wait to see it competing and winning in Supercars, including right here at Bathurst,” he said.
Hanley said Toyota’s decision to enter Supercars would reinforce the “fun to drive” spirit that is intrinsic to Toyota’s commitment to making ever-better cars: “Taking part in the heat of Supercars, as well as other racing and rallying series around the world, provides technical learnings that can be transferred to the development of our entire range of vehicles - not just our sports cars. We are looking forward to building on the passion among enthusiasts for our GR range and to generating interest and excitement among motorsport fans, including those who are new to our brand. We are also keen to involve our own people, enabling them to improve their skills and acquire new abilities in the high-pressure teamwork environment that is motorsport. The experience gained by our local designers, modellers and engineers with their stunning GR Supra Supercar is a perfect example of what motorsport can help us achieve.”
Echoes of the FT-1 concept
The Supracar concept has echoes of the original 2014 Supra FT-1 concept car in its wide-arched look, while Hogios also pointed out subtle references to other classic Toyota sports cars, such as the original 2000GT, the various versions of the Celica, and the MR2.
While Toyota will almost certainly create a racing car out of this concept - it’s ideal for events such as the Bathurst 1000 and the Nurburgring 24hrs - there is also the tantalising possibility that a limited run of road cars might be made too. Toyota is gearing up for a new - electric, in part - assault on the global sports car market, with a new MR2 in the offing, as well as rumours of a new Celica and a replacement for the legendary Lexus LF-A supercar. Equally, the current Supra has been kind of left alone since it was launched back in 2019, and you can kind of sense Toyota’s engineers itching at the chance of making it more sporty and powerful. Watch this space.