Toyota actually needs to construct a kickass GT3 race automotive that can spawn a manufacturing counterpart. Nevertheless, we’ve heard little concerning the effort within the year-plus since its announcement. No information isn’t all the time good on this enterprise, and typically plans change. Maybe Toyota shelved the street automotive; it’s not prefer it doesn’t have precedent for that. Fortunately, that doesn’t appear to be the case. The GT3’s nonetheless coming — we’ll simply have to attend just a few extra years for it.

The replace comes from the very best supply, that being the director of Toyota’s World Endurance Championship workforce, Rob Leupen. He instructed Motorsport.com that it’s unlikely the grand tourer will hit the observe till 2026, and that’s as a result of it takes years to develop and certify a manufacturing automotive. Positive, ready sucks, however that is for cause. From the article:

It had been thought that the automotive was being lined up for a race debut in 2025, the yr after the WEC is opened as much as GT3 vehicles.

However as a consequence of delays to the deliberate launch of the GR GT3-derived street automotive that can be launched to coincide with the race model, Toyota is now concentrating on a WEC debut in 2026.

“Everyone is aware of we’re creating a automotive, and this automotive will come to race in Europe in 2026,” Toyota WEC workforce director Rob Leupen instructed Motorsport.com.

“The date is in alignment with the street automotive facet, which is following the philosophy of Toyota to have a motorsport-bred automotive on the street. That is transferring ahead in the meanwhile.”

“Motorsport-bred automotive on the street” is, in fact, music to our ears. One of many huge query marks that is still is how the ultimate end result can be branded. The preliminary idea, with its dramatic front-engine, rear-wheel-drive proportions, was badged a Gazoo Racing product. However in fact GR is completely a Toyota factor, and hasn’t actually touched the Lexus marque but. Leupen clarified this, too:

Reviews have prompt that the automotive based mostly on the GR GT3 can be badged as a Lexus, which has repeatedly hinted at introducing a successor for the ageing RC F GT3.

Requested whether or not the brand new automotive can be often called a Lexus, Leupen replied: “In the mean time, it appears to be. It will depend on the way it develops inside Toyota, however in the meanwhile, sure.”

That sounds fairly definitive. At this stage it appears the GR GT3 will find yourself a Lexus, which is smart taking within the automotive’s section and the scope of the model. In addition to, Toyota has the hypercar effort all to itself anyway, so why not share the racing glory with the remainder of the household? No matter emblem’s above the grille, the corporate appears fairly decided to hold this out to the tip. Roll on 2026.