Toyota has a new sports car coming in 2026.
Toyota is building a new race car. We saw the first GR GT3 concept at the Tokyo Auto Salon in 2022, and all the spy videos and patent images since have previewed a vehicle very similar to that original concept. But it won’t be limited to the track. Toyota will also offer a road-going version of the GR GT3 that will likely wear a Lexus badge when it enters production.
Toyota isn’t providing many details about the new race car or its street-legal counterpart. The company has released a timeline, but sadly, we won’t see this car on the road anytime soon. The race car likely won’t debut until 2026, and the road version will be a year or more after that.
But it’s not all bad news. Toyota has been dropping subtle hints over the past few months, which means the car isn’t a complete mystery. We’ve rounded up as many of those details as we can; Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming Toyota GR GT3.
What Will It Be Called?
The GR GT3 name comes from Toyota’s 2022 concept, but the car’s official name could change when it launches. The road car could wear a Lexus badge, although nothing is set in stone, and it’s unclear if it will serve as a direct replacement to the current RC or arrive as a new model in the lineup entirely. The current RC went on sale in early 2015 and is well overdue for a makeover.
What Will It Look Like?
The spy videos and patent images (pictured below) show a long, sleek coupe similar to the GR GT3 concept. The test vehicles in those videos featured massive lower bumper openings with aggressive splitters, canards, wings, and a huge hood vent with radiators—all the necessary hardware for tearing up the track.
The patent images, uncovered in June 2022, make no direct mention of the GR GT3. But it’s hard not to believe they will preview the production model. It looks like what one would expect of a street-legal version of the concept.
The car retains the front splitter and hood vent, which are much less aggressive. The racer’s big wing is missing from the car in the patent, but it still has a sizeable rear diffuser, taillights with triangular accents, and vents reminiscent of the LFA.
It’s also long, with the cabin pushed back on the body just ahead of the rear wheels; It looks like a Mercedes-AMG GT with a squished roof and body kit in profile. The massive front fenders, with vents, appear to house side-exit exhaust tips that are well out of the way of burning anyone’s calves.
The rendering pictured here imagines what the GR GT3 could look like when it reaches the road.
What Will Power the GR GT3?
Toyota hasn’t provided any hint as to what might power the GT3. However, a recent spy video captured the car’s exhaust note, and it sure sounded like a V-8—at least on the track. It could use an evolution of the naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V-8 engine that powers the Lexus RC F GT3, which makes over 500 horsepower.
The Lexus RC F you can drive to work every day also has a naturally aspirated V-8 engine, but it only displaces 5.0 liters while making 472 hp. That’s enough power to get the RC F Track Edition to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds, but it’s unclear if a V-8 will power the production car. There’s certainly enough room ahead of the windshield for one.
While the hard-hitting F-badged version of the car will likely have pure combustion power (and hopefully eight cylinders), the model’s more pedestrian trims could adopt smaller engines and even hybrid setups. Lexus offers the 2024 RC with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 241 hp and a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 with 260 hp. But it depends on where the car will fall in the lineup.
When Will the GR GT3 Debut?
Toyota Racing President David Wilson suggested earlier this year that the GR GT3 race car could debut at the 2026 Daytona 24 Hours in January. But the road car won’t show up until later.
The Lexus-badged sports car is one reason we won’t see the GR GT3 race until 2026. It was supposed to be ready for the 2025 season, but Toyota reportedly had to delay it by a year due to hurdles in developing the road-going model homologation. We expect Toyota to introduce it in mid to late 2025 before going on sale the following year.
How Much Will It Cost?
The 2024 Lexus RC F starts at $68,295, while the entry-level RC with the turbocharged four-cylinder costs $45,920 (RC prices include the $1,150 destination charge while the LC 500’s is $1,350). Lexus’s current lineup also consists of the LC 500, which has a $99,800 starting price, so an RC successor might have to fall below the six-figure mark.
However, the LC 500 could be out by the time the new Lexus arrives. The LC went on sale in 2017 for the 2018 model year and has yet to receive any significant updates. The automaker could move it further up-market with a refresh to make room for a potentially pricier RC successor, although the RC F Track Edition is a whopping $101,170 to start, so we’ll have to wait and see
