Toyota Says Fast And Fun Cars Don’t Make Sense Financially But Will Continue To Make Them

Toyota is the largest car manufacturer in the world and makes most of its profits from models such as the Yaris Cross, Corolla, and RAV4. But at the same time, the Japanese company invests huge amounts of money in cars that are sold in incomparably smaller quantities. Moreover, one of its leading people openly admits that the new sporty GR GT “makes no financial sense”. Toyota is still making it, and it should soon be joined by the new MR2 and Celica.

Andrew Gilleland, Toyota’s senior vice president of automotive operations, explained that the GR GT alone could hardly justify the development costs. His value to the company is elsewhere; he shows what Toyota can do technically, builds the image of the brand, and enables the development of technologies and people who will later transfer the knowledge to ordinary cars.

This is exactly the continuation of the philosophy of Aki Toyoda, who, after coming to the head of the company in 2009, started pushing the idea of ​​”no more boring cars”. The result was models like the GR Yaris, GR Corolla and GR Supra, and the new GR GT should take that story to a whole new level.

Contrary to some earlier speculation, the GR GT is not a mid-engined car. Beneath its long front hood is an all-new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, while an eight-speed automatic transmission, electric motor, and differential reside at the rear. The hybrid system should develop at least 650 hp and 850 Nm, and Toyota aims for a weight of less than 1750 kg and a top speed of more than 320 km/h. The serial version is expected around 2027.

Even more interesting could be what comes below it in the offering. Autocar reports that Toyota is preparing the return of the MR2 and Celica models. The new MR2 should once again have the engine behind the seat, with development already underway through the experimental GR Yaris M, with the engine moved to the middle of the car. Toyota is also developing a new 2.0-liter turbo gasoline four-cylinder G20E, which is said to produce more than 400 hp in the road version and more than 600 hp in the racing version. The return of the MR2 and Celica has not yet been officially confirmed in final production form.

Such cars can hardly generate profits like SUVs and hybrid family models, but Toyota is clearly counting on something that is harder to show on the income sheet. Sports models create enthusiasts, attract attention, and give the whole brand character. The GR GT may not make financial sense as an individual product, but it’s cars like it that could be the reason Toyota, as a brand, becomes someone’s new choice.

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