Building a proper sports car is one of the hardest and riskiest things an automaker can do. It’s not like cranking out another SUV — sports cars need unique parts, engineering, and tuning, and they don’t exactly sell in massive numbers. That makes the math tough, and in most cases, companies team up to spread out the costs. Toyota knows this well, having partnered with Subaru on the GR86/BRZ and with BMW on the Supra/Z4.
But this time, Toyota says it’s ready to go solo. Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia’s sales and marketing boss, told Drive magazine that the company absolutely has what it takes to develop a GR-branded sports car on its own. When asked if a dedicated GR car could ever be built entirely in-house, his answer was simple and confident: “Yes, yes, and yes. You’ll have to wait and see.”
So what could this mystery sports car be? It’s probably not the Lexus LFR supercar since that won’t carry GR badging. Toyota has teased the possible return of the Celica, and there’s also the FT-Se electric concept, which is still penciled in for sometime after 2026. Meanwhile, the Supra is wrapping up production next year, though Toyota has promised that legendary name will make a comeback at some point.
There are also whispers of a more affordable GR model sitting below the GR86 — kind of like a revival of the decade-old S-FR concept. Whether that actually happens is up for debate, because let’s face it: launching multiple GR sports cars in today’s SUV-crazed market doesn’t sound like the easiest business case.
Still, Toyota isn’t out of options. Its newly developed 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, shown off in the midship Yaris concept, could form the backbone of the GR lineup. The engine is flexible enough for both front- and mid-engine applications, which means Toyota has room to play. On the higher end, Lexus could be cooking up a V8 hybrid for the LFR.
And let’s not forget, GR versions of mainstream hits like the Yaris and Corolla are much easier to pull off — the base cars are already global bestsellers, making performance spinoffs far less risky. There’s even been talk from Gazoo Racing’s boss about a big GR SUV being a “necessity,” showing Toyota’s performance ambitions aren’t limited to just small, lightweight sports cars.
Bottom line? Toyota isn’t backing down from performance, even in an SUV-dominated world. Whether it’s a new GR coupe, a revived Celica, or even something totally unexpected, it looks like Toyota wants to prove it can still deliver the fun stuff without needing anyone else’s help.
