Toyota’s new GR GT picks up where the 2000GT and Lexus LFA left off

There’s some Toyota news today that doesn’t involve the chairman wearing a MAGA hat. The Japanese automaker has apparently decided that it’s been a long time since it used its engineering capabilities on something with two doors and plenty of power, so it’s remedied that situation with a new flagship coupe for its Gazoo Racing sporty sub-brand. Meet the GR GT, which is set to go on sale late next year.

Sporting a Camry-esque look at the front and somewhat at the rear, the GR GT came second to the aerodynamics, which is the opposite of the way Toyota usually styles its cars. It’s built around a highly rigid aluminum frame – Toyota’s first, apparently – with carbon fiber for the hood, roof and some other body panels to reduce weight. The automaker says lowering the car’s center of gravity was a top priority, and weight balance and distribution also helps explain the transaxle layout, where the car’s transmission sits behind the cockpit and between the rear wheels.

That transaxle transmission will be an eight-speed automatic that uses a wet clutch instead of a torque converter and into which the car’s hybrid motor is integrated. Power from the 4.0 L twin-turbo V8 and hybrid system should be a combined 641 hp (478 kW) and 626 lb-ft (850 Nm). Despite the use of an aluminum frame and composites, the GT GR is no featherweight; Its weight will be 3,858 lb (1,750 kg). The V8 is a new design with a short stroke, hot-V configuration for the turbocharger, and dry sump lubrication.