The GR Supra Racing Concept made its world debut at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, reviving the name and spirit of the most celebrated model in Toyota’s illustrious sports car heritage and demonstrating Toyota’s commitment to bringing the Supra back to the market. It also shows the future potential for a car that can deliver high performance on both road and track.
The GR Supra Racing Concept revives the great heritage of one of Toyota’s most famous sports cars. The Supra name evokes power, performance and handling that defined a succession of world-class cars for a quarter of a century. As a thoroughbred sports car, the Supra built a reputation both as a formidable performer on the road and as an all-conquering machine on the racetrack, dominating Japan’s top-level GT racing series and earning legions of fans.
The Supra still enjoys an iconic status among sports car aficionados, 16 years from the end of production. Its enduring popularity has been helped by its success as a popular model in the Gran Turismo driving simulator video game, and as a starring car in the first film of The Fast and the Furious global action movie series.
A compact two-door car, the GR Supra Racing Concept has a pure front-engine/rear-drive configuration and makes use of advanced lightweight materials in its construction.
Created by Toyota Gazoo Racing, the concept perfectly expresses the “fun to drive” quality that is intrinsic to Toyota’s commitment to making ever-better cars. The large “90” race number on its doors is a historical reference to Supra’s codename and a big visual clue to the fact that this concept heralds Supra’s return in a fifth generation.
The racing concept has a dramatic bodywork design that includes a large rear wing. It makes extensive use of strong but lightweight composite material for elements such as the wide front and rear bumpers, front splitter and rear diffuser, side skirts, door mirror housings and the rear wing. The hood is crafted from the same material and features louvred air inlets. The windscreen and side windows are made of plastic.
The concept’s chassis features lowered front and rear suspension using original equipment (OE) components. The BBS racing wheels with centre-nut attachment are fitted with Michelin racing tyres, while the braking system uses Brembo Racing callipers and discs, and there is a racing exhaust.
The cockpit is entirely competition-focused and is fitted with a racing dashboard and OMP driver’s seat and safety harness. OMP has also supplied the quick-release steering wheel, mounted on a racing column and equipped with a paddle-shift system. The doors are lined with carbon fibre panels and the dashboard includes a racing display.
Competition safety requirements are met by a full roll cage and fire extinguishers, and the fuel and brake lines, pedal box, battery and wiring looms are all designed to competition standard.
Check out the Toyota GR HV Sports concept coupe.