Toyota Supra to be launched in 2019 under Gazoo performance brand GR / GRMN related topics

MA617M · Aug 8, 2018

just gazoo it

MLG Tofu Shop · Aug 8, 2018

RyleyMA61 said:
just gazoo it

Jdmuscle · Aug 8, 2018

RyleyMA61 said:
You Americans will be touched by the Gazoo soon enough, I feel it in my loins

Lmao. That would be the last nail in the coffin for this car. Mediocre specs with a name like Gazoo is rivaling Pontiac Aztek in many forms.

Blupra · Aug 9, 2018

Jdmuscle said:
Lmao. That would be the last nail in the coffin for this car. Mediocre specs with a name like Gazoo is rivaling Pontiac Aztek in many forms.

Agree. If the first US Gazoo car is 3000lbs, 450 hp, and amazing to drive then people will eventually worship the Great Gazoo. However, if its 3500 lbs, 330 hp, and still $60k, it'll flop into Pontiac Aztek flop zone.

Captain_Kirk · Sep 24, 2018

A70TTR · Nov 29, 2018

Jack Hollis' commentary there confirmed for me that there will be no Gazoo Supra and it will instead be a TRD model if anything. If you watch the video above, it's very obvious they were pushing to extend TRD vs introducing something else (especially something they dislike). I think this has likely been the plan for quite some time (we have discussed it on here plenty of times), and after hearing his thoughts it made that much more clear.

Jabba · Nov 29, 2018

@A70TTR Agreed.... well here's to hoping that the GR variants with be a direct copy paste to TRD just with different badges.

McWicked · Nov 29, 2018

A70TTR said:
Jack Hollis' commentary there confirmed for me that there will be no Gazoo Supra and it will instead be a TRD model if anything

Plus Toyota wouldn't have to go through hassle of having to set up a licensing deal with Hanna-Barbara to use that stupid name "Gazoo" in North America.

A70TTR · Nov 29, 2018

Jabba said:
@A70TTR Agreed.... well here's to hoping that the GR variants with be a direct copy paste to TRD just with different badges.

One could hope, but that's one topic it's really hard to be optimistic about IMO.

Bryster · Nov 29, 2018

McWicked said:
Plus Toyota wouldn't have to go through hassle of having to set up a licensing deal with Hanna-Barbara to use that stupid name "Gazoo" in North America.

I can already see people replacing the TRD badges with GR badges

justbake · Nov 29, 2018

I find it hard to believe they went through all the work of launching Gazoo here in America and putting using the Supra nameplate under it. Especailly since they said a year ago that was exactly what they were doing

twntrbo03' · Nov 29, 2018

Bryster said:
I can already see people replacing the TRD badges with GR badges

I can't lol

A70TTR · Nov 30, 2018

justbake said:
I find it hard to believe they went through all the work of launching Gazoo here in America and putting using the Supra nameplate under it. Especailly since they said a year ago that was exactly what they were doing

They have never launched Gazoo Racing in NA or made claim that it was planned... The GTE car was at SEMA, but that's purely because it didn't make any sense to change it when the class it would race in would fall under the Gazoo umbrella (let alone the fact that it was going right back to the EU afterward). It's convoluted regardless, but unless Akio demands GR makes a debut vs TRD then it wont.

I also spoke with a senior marketing exec yesterday (not US based), and he commented that it was very unlikely GR would be the nameplate for the US.

A great recent example further backing this up in the GR 86 being branded as TRD for NA (albeit watered down).

Also, articles such as this one:

"Toyota last week launched the new performance sub-brand GR in Japan.

Toyota said the GR name, which refers to the automaker’s Gazoo Racing motorsport department, will be expanded to other markets. It seems, however, that the United States won't be one of them.

Speaking with Automotive News (subscription required), Gazoo Racing boss Shigeki Tomoyama said "Toyota won’t use the GR name in the U.S."

The reason is that Toyota feels the existing TRD (Toyota Racing Development) sub-brand is already well established here and doesn’t need changing. Some execs are also reportedly reluctant to embrace the Gazoo name because of the connotations with 'The Flintstones' cartoon character the Great Gazoo."

justbake · Nov 30, 2018

A70TTR said:
Speaking with Automotive News (subscription required), Gazoo Racing boss Shigeki Tomoyama said "Toyota won’t use the GR name in the U.S."

The reason is that Toyota feels the existing TRD (Toyota Racing Development) sub-brand is already well established here and doesn’t need changing. Some execs are also reportedly reluctant to embrace the Gazoo name because of the connotations with 'The Flintstones' cartoon character the Great Gazoo."

This just sounds like semantics, not that we won't get GR models just with TRD badging here in the US. Its a Tomato Tomahto situation to me

2JZ-No-Sh*t · Nov 30, 2018

https://www.carscoops.com/2018/11/toyota-intention-trd-everything-range/

Toyota Has The Intention To TRD Everything In The Range

Toyota has apparently revealed its intentions to spice up its entire range with the new TRD versions of the Camry and Avalon, which debuted at the LA Auto Show.

During an interview with Autoguide, Toyota USA’s Group Vice President Jack Hollis didn’t hide his affection for the TRD brand name.

“I love the TRD brand, I love what Toyota Racing Development does, and I like learning from our motorports teams and putting it into our cars,” Hollis said. “And if we can bring it to every car and SUV and every truck, I think we should.”

Toyota USA’s Group VP then hinted that a Corolla TRD is already on the cards but didn’t actually confirm it, saying only that it’s “not in the plans yet,” but “there’s intention and development” happening.

A hotter version of the new Corolla certainly makes sense, since the new generation features a more driver-oriented chassis and an aggressive styling to match.

Toyota is also considering adding an all-wheel drive option to more models than today, offering greater variety to customers. Hollis said however that the C-HR isn’t going to get an AWD option in the near future. “We’re looking at the all-wheel-drive application for all of our products. Not necessarily on C-HR today, but you have to stay tuned because some new things are coming up.”

The most possible contenders for gaining AWD could be the Camry, the Avalon and the Corolla, following the new Prius which now features an extra motor to power its rear axle at speeds up to 43mph.

“We’re taking each model and we’re giving more choices for the consumer,” Hollis said, adding that the TRD nameplate and all-wheel drive models seem like a smart way to do that.

Toyota Supra to be launched in 2019 under Gazoo performance brand GR / GRMN related topics

MA617M

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