Toyota’s new GT3 race car being developed for a planned customer racing program has been spotted for the first time.
Video from Car Spy Media shows a camouflaged prototype testing at Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps and includes a soundtrack that points to a V-8 engine under the long hood.
The car is being developed by Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s motorsports department and in-house tuner, and is expected to be ready in time for the 2026 motorsports season.
Some series where the car might end up include the IMSA SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship.
The car was previewed at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon by the GR GT3 concept, and may carry that name into production.
Toyota already offers up a Supra GT4 customer race car, as well as a Supra-based race car designed for Japan’s Super GT touring car series, so a new GT3 customer race car wouldn’t be an unusual move. By why not use an existing road car for the project? Toyota said at the GR GT3 concept’s debut that the move enables engineers to test out new vehicle concepts that could potentially reach production down the road.
Toyota executives have also hinted that a road-going version of the race car may be launched. The GT3 class requires race cars to be derived from road cars, so it’s inevitable that Toyota’s new race car, which isn’t based on any current road car, will eventually spawn a model you can drive on the streets.
The road car could be badged as a Lexus for showrooms, allowing the GR GT3 to take over for the aging RC F GT3 on the racetrack. Lexus has also shown an electric supercar concept with proportions similar to those of the GR GT3, perhaps pointing to some shared development.
