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Toyota's next sports car: The Supra-inspired GR HV concept looks great

<i> Image: Motorpress </i>
<i> Image: Motorpress </i>

  • Honours Toyota's motorsport heritage 
  • Inspired by legendary Supra
  • World premieres at Tokyo Motor Show 

Tokyo - Toyota is set to unveil a dramatic open-top sports-car concept inspired by the company's involvement in endurance racing and its legendary Supra and Toyota Sports 800.

The world premiere of the aggressive matte-black GR HV Sports Concept will be at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show later this month.

It will share the Tokyo stage with the  Tj Cruiser that showcases a new vehicle genre by combining the flexibility of an SUV with the storage capacity of a van.

The GR HV Sports Concept is designed to promote the fun of driving by combining the thrill of a sports car, a wind-in-the-hair 'targa to' opening and Toyota's latest motorsport-developed hybrid technologies.

GR HV Sports Concept measures 4.3m long, 1.8m wide and 1.2m tall. It could be the perfect Toyota sports car with its front engined, rear-wheel-drive configuration. GR are the initials of Toyota's motorsport arm GAZOO Racing while HV stands for hybrid vehicle with the concept using a racing version of hybrid technology refined by the TS050.

Its swooping design and racing-inspired hybrid powertrain are reminiscent of the Toyota GAZOO Racing TS050 Hybrid that competes in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). The LED headlights, five-bolt wheels and rear diffuser evoke the components used on the hybrid-powered WEC racer.

Image: Motorpress

Embodying the functionality of a genuine sports car, the concept features a push-button ignition on the centrally located automatic gear lever. Six-speed manual operation is available at the press of a button, using a compact H-pattern gearshift.

To enhance dynamic performance, the concept has a front-engine, rear-drive layout with the hybrid battery placed centrally for optimal front-rear balance and a low centre of gravity.

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