Toyota Teases GR Line Up: Supra MK6, Celica MK8, MR2 MK4, 86 MK3 and GR GT

[jmikes]

So.. umm.. how come this stupid cartoon didn't have the three cars Toyota actually released in it?

I haven't actually watched or read about it, is it "illegal" street racing? Toyota is hugely against that (see: their refusal to put Toyota vehicles in NFS games since 2015)

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[noogie]

The GR GT will compete with the Porsche GT3RS, so expect to be around 250k.

The GT3RS is essentially impossible to buy even if you have 250k. It’s part of Porsche strategy to make the car more appealing.

I don’t think Toyota will make it exclusive like the GT3RS so maybe that’s how Toyota differentiate themselves.

Though I don’t think someone that wants to buy a GT3RS will buy a GR GT as an alternative.

At the end of the day, Toyota needed to develop a new GT3 car as the current RCF GT3 is getting too old. Pretty sure Toyota will be losing money selling the GR GT. Consider this just part of racing marketing budget.

 

[Pizza]

I haven't actually watched or read about it, is it "illegal" street racing? Toyota is hugely against that (see: their refusal to put Toyota vehicles in NFS games since 2015)

That idea is mostly myth that's been perpetuated through the internet for the last decade or so, because a social media manager who didn't know the real answer responded to a question on Twitter.

It's 95% due to licensing. Sony had exclusivity with Toyota for some of Grand Turismo. EA has just never reached a new agreement. Forza Horizon has illegal street racing in it and Toyota is back in those games. Actually the only way the get the 2003 Celica Specialty ii in FH5 is from beating it in an illegal 1v1 midnight battle lol.

 

[jmikes]

That idea is mostly myth that's been perpetuated through the internet for the last decade or so, because a social media manager who didn't know the real answer responded to a question on Twitter.

It's 95% due to licensing. Sony had exclusivity with Toyota for some of Grand Turismo. EA has just never reached a new agreement. Forza Horizon has illegal street racing in it and Toyota is back in those games. Actually the only way the get the 2003 Celica Specialty ii in FH5 is from beating it in an illegal 1v1 midnight battle lol.

Ah I actually never knew that, the more you know!

 

[Nugs]

And the GT3 version deletes the hybrid system and battery pack altogether presumably to allow for a higher powered (and undoubtedly with higher boost pressure) and much more aggressive race tune of the V8.

GT3 racing cars often have less power than the road going versions.

 

[Matador]

And the GT3 version deletes the hybrid system and battery pack altogether presumably to allow for a higher powered (and undoubtedly with higher boost pressure) and much more aggressive race tune of the V8.

Unnecessary. GT3 racecars have limits on power, BoP, etc etc.

The GR GT will compete with the Porsche GT3RS, so expect to be around 250k.

The GT3RS is essentially impossible to buy even if you have 250k. It’s part of Porsche strategy to make the car more appealing.

I don’t think Toyota will make it exclusive like the GT3RS so maybe that’s how Toyota differentiate themselves.

Though I don’t think someone that wants to buy a GT3RS will buy a GR GT as an alternative.

At the end of the day, Toyota needed to develop a new GT3 car as the current RCF GT3 is getting too old. Pretty sure Toyota will be losing money selling the GR GT. Consider this just part of racing marketing budget.

I'd say the GR GT would compete marketwise with the 911 Turbo S and the GT3... There may be a GRMN GT that competes with the GT3RS (remember the fixed wing test mule that was NOT the GT3 version?)

Anyway, as much as Toyoda says that he wants this car to be more available than the LFA, make no mistake that this car exists to go racing and to promote the GR brand. I'd bet that sales volume is somewhat of an afterthought beyond selling enough to meet homologation requirements.

 

[Zboy]

All the news outlets are saying the GT will be sold only at Lexus dealers. Does that mean all the other GR cars will be sold there as well? A $25k-$30k GR 86 doesn't really fit in at a Lexus dealership price wise. Also I can imagine that Toyota dealers will be pissed off if all their sport cars were taken away.

 

[suprazul]

All the news outlets are saying the GT will be sold only at Lexus dealers. Does that mean all the other GR cars will be sold there as well? A $25k-$30k GR 86 doesn't really fit in at a Lexus dealership price wise. Also I can imagine that Toyota dealers will be pissed off if all their sport cars were taken away.

It’s sounding like GR might become a standalone, premium brand and exclusively sold at Lexus. The GR GT as a flagship model would probably boost interest in other GR models. Toyota is probably banking that the GR brand will be appealing and buying it at a Lexus dealer will make buyers feel like they are paying for a premium-level car. Which they, arguably, are. [edit] I would bet that the lower priced models will phase out, marked up or be replaced with more expensive versions.

 

[supraboi]

All the news outlets are saying the GT will be sold only at Lexus dealers. Does that mean all the other GR cars will be sold there as well? A $25k-$30k GR 86 doesn't really fit in at a Lexus dealership price wise. Also I can imagine that Toyota dealers will be pissed off if all their sport cars were taken away.

No idea, but I can't wait to walk into my local Lexus dealer and see this bad boy!

 

[gymratter]

All the news outlets are saying the GT will be sold only at Lexus dealers. Does that mean all the other GR cars will be sold there as well? A $25k-$30k GR 86 doesn't really fit in at a Lexus dealership price wise. Also I can imagine that Toyota dealers will be pissed off if all their sport cars were taken away.

i think in one of Kirk's video he said all GR stand alone cars are moving to Lexus dealers. but i think the lower end ones like the Corolla and Yaris are staying put

 

[KahnBB6]

It’s sounding like GR might become a standalone, premium brand and exclusively sold at Lexus. The GR GT as a flagship model would probably boost interest in other GR models. Toyota is probably banking that the GR brand will be appealing and buying it at a Lexus dealer will make buyers feel like they are paying for a premium-level car. Which they, arguably, are. [edit] I would bet that the lower priced models will phase out, marked up or be replaced with more expensive versions.

I don't think they're going to phase out entry level GR models like the GR86 and GR Corolla (or something like it) when those are key to getting people interested in the brand.

One of the worst things Nissan did is only carry the very expensive and out of reach for most R35 and under it the still fairly expensive for most Z. Add to that the mixed appeal the Z has had since the early 2000's with the then and current chassis architecture. Everything else was a boring rental car spec vehicle.

Mazda did the opposite by only keeping their Miata in the lineup with no halo car above it but this did focus everything onto a well made enthusiast offering that is somewhat within reach for most.

I don't see how removing ALL GR models from Toyota dealers is the best thing since those models help drive interest in the brand but I certainly see something as expensive as the GR GT/GT3 being sold and serviced there (ie: at select Lexus dealers) since it costs in the ballpark of $225k.

But if they're really going to apply this to ALL dedicated GR models then I guess even cars like the $30k-$40k GR86 will also be sold and serviced at Lexus dealers. To me this is only a win if it significantly controls new vehicle markup frenzies better than Toyota dealers tend to especially on the GR86, GR Corolla, GR Supra and presumably the GR MR2.

It does send a clear message though that the Toyota logo itself may soon not directly be associated with proper enthusiast driver oriented models once again.

 

[GRMan]

It’s sounding like GR might become a standalone, premium brand and exclusively sold at Lexus. The GR GT as a flagship model would probably boost interest in other GR models. Toyota is probably banking that the GR brand will be appealing and buying it at a Lexus dealer will make buyers feel like they are paying for a premium-level car. Which they, arguably, are. [edit] I would bet that the lower priced models will phase out, marked up or be replaced with more expensive versions.

Nah, lower pricing models are the bread and butter for the brand because they sell more and is the key to getting buyers to go for the more $$$ model 10 years down the track

 

[rottmore]

Man i dunno, that front end looks like needs its own ZIP code. Just throws off the look for me. Such a beautiful car but they really should have shorten that front end.

 

[Loco38SUP]

All the news outlets are saying the GT will be sold only at Lexus dealers. Does that mean all the other GR cars will be sold there as well? A $25k-$30k GR 86 doesn't really fit in at a Lexus dealership price wise. Also I can imagine that Toyota dealers will be pissed off if all their sport cars were taken away.

It means MSRP = $$$$. Its a business strategy, they know us regular joes aren’t shopping for a $200K sports car. They want potential buyers to feel the prestige of the Lexus brand.

-RJM

 

[BMWAF]

Nah, lower pricing models are the bread and butter for the brand because they sell more and is the key to getting buyers to go for the more $$$ model 10 years down the track

Yes, but it doesn't sound like this is the strategy anymore. Pushing the GR brand as a "sporty" intermediary between boring Toyotas and expensive Lexus cars is a sure way to increase the prices of all three tiers.

Other than to create this new tiered branding, I actually think this GT is a bit of a fail. It's going to be very expensive and according to Toyota, not particularly exclusive. Who is this car for exactly: A buyer that has a couple of hundred thousand USD to spend who has a penchant for avoiding more exotic and exclusive cars?

I think this might be Toyota's NSX moment. They've probably built a great car but priced it to compete with cars that ooze status and exclusivity just from their nameplate.. a market Toyota simply isn't equipped to compete in. Just ask Honda.

Time will tell, I guess.

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