Toyota tested an undisguised GR GT3 race car for two days this week at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, according to DailySportsCar. The vehicle is slated to replace the Lexus RC F GT3 and will debut in 2027 across the NLS, FIA WEC, and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The 4.0-Liter V8 and Mechanical Specifications
The GR GT3 is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine designed to meet FIA GT3 regulations. While the road-going GR GT targets 640 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, Motor1 reports that the race variant swaps the road car’s eight-speed automatic transmission for a sequential gearbox.
The chassis utilizes an all-aluminum frame. To shave weight and increase rigidity, the car employs aluminum body panels and carbon fiber-reinforced plastic. The race-spec version distinguishes itself from the road car through aggressive aerodynamics, including fender louvers, a large rear wing, and a front splitter. These modifications are essential for maintaining stability and downforce at the high speeds encountered on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, a circuit renowned for its demanding elevation changes and technical corners.
Inside the cabin, the road-going GR GT features carbon-backed Recaro bucket seats and a driver-focused layout, though these luxury elements are omitted in the stripped-down GR GT3 race car. In accordance with FIA GT3 safety standards, the race car incorporates a comprehensive roll cage and racing-specific instrumentation to monitor engine vitals and tire pressures in real-time.
Goodwood Festival of Speed Debut and Schedule
Toyota Gazoo Racing will debut the GR GT and GR GT3 in Europe at the Goodwood Festival of Speed from July 9 to 12. According to the Toyota Media Site, both models will appear without bodywork camouflage for the first time during Supercar sessions.
The vehicles will be stationed in the Supercar Paddock alongside the Lexus LFA Concept. The LFA Concept also uses the GR GT’s all-aluminum body frame but explores the potential of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), as reported by AUTOJOSH. This pairing highlights Toyota’s dual-track approach to performance, showcasing both internal combustion power and electrification under the umbrella of the Gazoo Racing brand.
- Thursday, July 9: 13:00 and 17:05
- Friday, July 10: 12:35 and 17:55
- Saturday, July 11: 11:50 and 16:25
- Sunday, July 12: 11:45 and 15:50
Toyota Racing will also display the #7 TR010 HYBRID Hypercar, which recently secured the company’s sixth Le Mans 24 Hours victory. The presence of the TR010 alongside the new GT3 machinery emphasizes the bridge between Toyota’s top-tier Hypercar prototype success and its upcoming foray into customer-focused GT racing.
2027 Racing Program and Homologation
Toyota is positioning the GR GT3 as a global customer racing platform. Following homologation—the process of certifying that the race car is derived from a production model—the car is expected to enter a comprehensive 2027 campaign.
- NLS/N24: A presumed 2027 program in the Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie and 24 Hours Nürburgring.
- FIA WEC: Entries in the LMGT3 class.
- IMSA: Competition in the GTD and GTD Pro classes of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
This shift follows a period of preparation where Toyota Racing team principal Kamui Kobayashi and other Japanese talents competed in NLS and N24 events using a Mercedes-AMG GT3 via KCMG, as noted by DailySportsCar. This strategy allowed Toyota to gather critical data on GT3 competition dynamics and track behavior before deploying their own proprietary hardware.
The move into the LMGT3 class in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the GTD/GTD Pro classes in IMSA represents a significant shift in the global GT landscape. As the era of GTE (Grand Touring Endurance) cars concludes, the transition to GT3-spec machinery allows manufacturers to sell cars to privateer teams, expanding the grid and increasing the commercial viability of the program.
Timeline of Development and Release
The progression from concept to track has moved rapidly since the official unveiling of the GR GT and GR GT3 in December 2025. The current testing phase at the Nürburgring, supported by TGR in Cologne, serves as the final bridge toward the commercial release of the road car.
| Milestone | Date/Timeline |
|---|---|
| Official Unveiling | December 2025 |
| European Debut (Goodwood) | July 9–12, 2026 |
| Road Car Market Release | Late 2027 |
| Full Racing Program Start | 2027 |
The transition from the Lexus RC F GT3 to the GR GT3 marks a strategic realignment for Toyota, moving away from the Lexus-branded GT3 effort toward the Gazoo Racing flagship identity. This shift aligns the GT3 program with the broader “GR” branding used for the GR Yaris and GR Supra, consolidating Toyota’s performance image under a single banner.
By launching the road-legal GR GT simultaneously, Toyota is following the traditional GT3 blueprint: creating a high-performance street car to justify the homologation of a dominant race car. This ensures that the road car possesses the necessary mechanical DNA to be competitive on track, while the race car’s successes serve as a marketing catalyst for the road-going version’s market release in late 2027.
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