Toyota Gazoo Racing Reveals Special GR Corolla, GR86, And GR Supra At SEMA 2022

Nov. 02, 2022 7:30 AM ET by Nikesh Kooverjee SEMA 2022 / 1 Comment

The entire GR family will be showing its stuff at the annual tuner motor show.

Although Toyota's SEMA stage appears to be jam-packed with Overlanding concepts, the Japanese manufacturer has not forgotten the other end of its roots and has pieced together several thrilling performance-minded concepts and products to contrast the large brutes at the annual aftermarket-specialist show. Unfortunately, none of these are based on upcoming rumored performance cars, but they are exciting, nonetheless.

Under the Gazoo Racing banner will be a unique Toyota GR Corolla, two GR86s, and two Toyota GR Supras, each of which has been reworked to cater to a select niche audience covering everything from track and rally racing to drag racing. Unlike the overlanders, these five cars were built exclusively by the Toyota brand via various motorsport banners.

Toyota GR86 Cup Car

The Toyota GR86 Cup Car is based on the all-new model and is intended for private motorsport use in its model-specific racing series. This is a car that was already shown to us a few months ago, but now we have a full list of technical details of what the modest race car is put together with. While the powertrain remains standard, the Cup Car does come fitted with a custom Borla exhaust system to give it more grunt.

The standard six-speed manual transmission has been swapped out for a SADEV sequential unit while handling characteristics are improved via Gazoo Racing-designed MacPherson struts with adjustable JRI shocks. Aerodynamics are improved via a custom body designed by Stratasys and an in-house developed splitter and carbon fiber rear wing. Stopping power is provided by an upgraded set of brakes by Alcon.

Toyota GR86 Daily Drifter

What if you want to go sideways in your GR86? After all, this is one of the sales pitches for the standard model. While it can get pleasantly drifty in its standard guise, Larry Chen headed up this build to resemble the likes of the Formula Drift champions, minus the 1,000-horsepower outputs. Instead, this achieves a more modest 300 hp thanks to an HKS GT2 Supercharger Pro ZD8 kit, an intercooler kit, and a CSF aluminum radiator. You can hear the extra muscle thanks to a MagnaFlow Neo cat-back performance exhaust system.

For the drifting characteristics, the car has been given a full redesign with some HKS aero components and GR-designed rigidity components, some of which are still in their prototype phase. An OS Giken Super Lock 1.5-way differential helps the rear wheels get the appropriate spin, while pitch and angle are improved with a StopTech braking system and fully reworked suspension. Completing the experience is a reworked interior that is in accordance with road laws and drifting competition requirements.

Toyota GR Corolla Rally Concept

Many fans of Toyota Motorsport will be pleased to see the return of the Corolla rally car which embodies the spirit of the iconic 1998 Team Castrol Corolla. It still has the turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder engine under the hood with its standard power output with a MagnaFlow exhaust system, but the suspension has been reworked with Tein Gravel Rally coilovers. To this, 17-inch OZ Racing wheels and Continental VikingContact 7 tires were added.

As you can see, the bodywork has been drastically altered with custom three-inch fenders formed with 20-gauge steel and a front splitter and rear wing made with carbon composite. These aren't just for show, as every panel has been designed to maximize the hot hatch's downforce. As the exterior suggests, the interior has also been revised to match rally requirements with OMP racing seats, a full TIG welded custom cage, and various car system controls, communication, and safety features.

Toyota GR Supra 10-Second Twins

This Toyota GR Supra duo has been dubbed the 10-second twins to suggest that they will clear a quarter mile in 10 seconds, although it only crosses the line a little before 11 seconds. It's hard to deny that this is a cheeky homage to The Fast and the Furious. The BMW B58 3.0-liter straight-six still sits under the hood, but with the addition of a Pure Turbo, two CSF high-performance intercoolers, and a Titan Motorsports catless downpipe and 3.5-inch exhaust system. These inclusions bring the standard 382 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque figure up to an impressive 620 hp and 590 lb-ft. This is delivered to the rear wheels via a stock eight-speed automatic transmission.

Grip is transferred to the strip via a set of Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/R radials at the front and R2 compound ET Street S/S radials at the rear. These are wrapped around a set of 18-inch Weld Racing Belmont drag racing wheels at the front and 17-inch Weld Racing Belmont Beedlock wheels at the back. Although it is a drag car, the brakes have also been upgraded with Hawk performance pads. As for the interior, it gets a G-Force Racing Gear six-point harness.