Latest news with #GR86
Miami Herald
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Toyota Says a New Supra is Already in the Works
The Toyota Supra is on its way out - again. Production of the fifth-generation GR Supra, co-developed with BMW and built in Austria alongside the Z4, is set to end by spring 2026. Toyota has already announced a Final Edition for the 2026 model year, signaling the end of this chapter, but the Supra nameplate isn't being retired. Not yet. In recent interviews with MotorTrend, Toyota executives confirmed that while the Supra will go on hiatus, it's expected to return. "It would be logical that we would have a next-gen Supra," said Cooper Ericksen, senior vice president of product planning and strategy for Toyota Motor North America. "But when and how is still TBD." What is clear is that the gap between Supra generations won't be as long as last time. Fans will recall the two-decade stretch between the legendary fourth-generation Supra and its modern GR-branded reboot in 2019. Ericksen insists that Toyota's goal is to shorten that downtime significantly, though he didn't offer a concrete timeline. Cost is a major factor. New global regulations, particularly around emissions and safety, are pushing automakers to either invest heavily in updates or start from scratch. For Toyota, refreshing the Supra isn't feasible without a full overhaul. "It needs to be a new house," Ericksen said. "When we can get the new house built is the question." Toyota hasn't officially greenlit a successor, but the intention is there. Whether the next Supra will be built in partnership, as the current one was with BMW, or like the GR86 with Subaru BRZ, remains undecided. David Christ, general manager of Toyota's U.S. division, said he'd love to be involved in planning a new Supra, but admitted the decision lies with Toyota's global leadership in Japan. There's also the issue of prioritization. Toyota is currently overhauling its core lineup, including the recently revealed 2026 RAV4, which debuts a new electric platform, multimedia suite, and safety tech. With more than 30 Toyota and Lexus models in the U.S. alone, the company's resources are stretched. It's hard to argue that the Supra has carved out a loyal niche. Since its return, Toyota has leaned hard into enthusiast models under its Gazoo Racing (GR) sub-brand - from the GR Corolla to the GR86 - and a next-gen Supra would only bolster that identity. "We'll just have to wait and see," Ericksen said. "My goal is to get a great next-gen product that our enthusiast crowd can fall in love with again." So yes, the Supra is leaving, but not for good. The wait might be frustrating, but at least this time, it won't take 20 years. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Auto Express
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Toyota GR Corolla to be built in the UK, but British buyers still can't have one
In an effort to keep on top of increasing demand for the hot GR Corolla, Toyota has announced the car will be built at its Burnaston plant in Derbyshire. There had been hopes the GR Corolla would become the fourth fully-fledged GR product to go on sale in the UK, after the GR Supra, GR86 and the GR Yaris, but Toyota has given no indication that it'll be added to the line-up. Advertisement - Article continues below The decision to bring GR Corolla production to the UK makes more sense when you factor in the car's long waiting lists in the US, plus increasing dealer mark-ups as a result of strong demand. The GR Yaris and GR86 both experienced high demand during their initial launches in 2022, with spots on waiting lists being sold for sums that reached four figures. Taking the slack off Toyota's Motomachi plant in Japan where the GR Corolla, GR Yaris and GR86 are manufactured, the Burnaston factory already exports 85 per cent of its production overseas and recently celebrated its five millionth car – a Corolla GR Sport Hatchback hybrid. The GR Corolla has had hot hatch enthusiasts excited since it was revealed in 2022. It uses the same three-cylinder 1.6-litre turbocharged engine as the 276bhp GR Yaris, but tuned to 295bhp. Like the GR Yaris, power goes to all four wheels through a torque vectoring system, and there's even been a choice of automatic or six-speed manual transmissions. Toyota says that preparations for the hot hatch's production line have been in place since 2024, although we expect the GR Corolla will be made on the same line as the standard car with new tooling added for the changes in bodywork and powertrain. Toyota says the first UK-built GR Corolla will roll off the factory floor in 2026. Commenting on the GR Corolla's production move, Yoshihiro Nakata, CEO of Toyota Motor Europe said: 'We are proud that TMUK, our first plant in Europe, has also been selected as the first overseas Toyota plant to produce GR vehicles in securing this expansion project for TGR worldwide. 'We really appreciate the historical support and recognition of the United Kingdom and would like to continue to contribute to UK society as a 'Best In Town' company.' Latest Toyota Corolla deals Now take a look at the best hot hatchbacks you can buy in the UK...
Otago Daily Times
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
4th Generation driver displays skill up north
A fourth-generation Timaru racing driver is continuing to add to his family's motorsport legacy. At 18 years old, Corban Sprague is following in the wheel tracks of his great-grandfather Ernie, grandfather Wayne and dad Peter after completing his first race of the Toyota TR86 Trophy Series. To compete in the series Sprague outperformed 40 applicants and won a hotly-contested eight-man shootout last month to secure himself a scholarship and a seat in the CareVets TR86 car. The series opener took place on May 9-10 at Hampton Downs and Sprague quickly demonstrated his ability. He finished fourth in qualifying, followed by a third place finish in race one which was then promoted to a second due to a jump start up front and an unfortunate fifth place in the final race after his car was used as a "brake marker" by a fellow driver leading to him spinning out. Sprague said that racing was just in his blood. "I've grown up around it since I was a toddler, so it was always going to be a matter of when I start, not if. "It's pretty special to carry the family name in motorsport and there's not many people that can say they are a fourth-generation racer in New Zealand. It's pretty cool." He said there was a bit of pressure from his family name but it did not really bother him. "I'm a pretty relaxed person to be fair and I just get on with the job that's at hand." Before receiving the scholarship for the Toyota series, Sprague had made a name for himself racing in the Mazda Pro 8 New Zealand series. He said heading into the first round of the Toyota series, it was the least prepared he had been for a race meeting. "The scholarship was really late in the piece, which didn't leave us any time to get up there and do some testing in the car. "My first proper go in the car was the Friday of the meeting and it was raining." He said his first dry run in the car was Saturday's qualifier. "I did all my preparation outside the car with the fitness side but on the driving side I was a little less prepared than I would have liked but it is what it is. "I just kept chipping along and got on with it." It was a positive start to the series, he said. "I think going forward I learned a lot over the weekend. "I've got a great crew coaching and mentoring me through it and I'm happy with how I went. "I enjoyed it, I'll just keep working behind the scenes and we'll do the best we can going into Taupo in five weeks." He said he did go into it with high expectations, but he felt getting a podium in his first race was pretty good. "I just thought if I could be in the top three, top five I'd be happy and we did that. "It's all time and mileage, I think we're looking pretty good." The goal was to win the series, he said. "There's quite a big prize up for grabs, which is a potential opportunity to jump up to the inaugural GR86 championship next season. "Whoever wins the series will have the same scholarship deal that I've got for this series getting into the GR86. "You can't win it in the first round, so I've just got to keep chipping away and putting my best foot forward and hopefully we'll come out with a good result." He said his ultimate goal was to get over to Australia and make it into the V8 Supercars competition. "But at present time I'm just going to keep doing th best I can in the series and car that I'm racing and see where I end up." Sprague said he was very appreciative of everyone who had helped him get to this point. "I'm just very grateful for this opportunity and I can't, can't thank everyone enough that's helped me get to this point. "It doesn't happen without the help of those people." The four round series continues with round two at Taupo International Motorsport Park on June 21-22, followed by a trip to Manfeild on July 5-6 and a return to Taupo for the final round on July 26-27.
Auto Car
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
The new Toyota RAV4 is here: boxy looks, tech upgrade, GR Sport variant and PHEV-only in UK
Toyota has lifted the covers off the sixth-generation RAV4, with the family SUV bringing a striking new look and a generational upgrade in on-board tech. The car's dramatic styling is said to reference the off-road credentials of earlier RAV4s, with a boxier – almost Land Cruiser-like – silhouette and chunkier wheel arches. The new hammerhead lights front and rear bring its looks into line with those of the latest Prius and C-HR. Inside, the RAV4 gets a new 12.9in infotainment touchscreen that is the first to run on Toyota's new Arene operating system. Like Google's Android or Apple's iOS, it is a standard platform that will be rolled out across all future Toyotas, to enable quicker and easier development of new features. This, Toyota said, will allow it to develop new and more powerful safety and entertainment systems and introduce new functions through over-the-air updates rather than requiring prospective buyers to wait for a new model generation. At the RAV4's launch, for example, the Arene platform will arrive with new safety features, such as a rear-approach monitor devised to help drivers merge onto motorways. In the longer term, the brand has mooted functionality such as downloadable performance packs that replicate the performance and feel of different Toyotas: drivers could, for example, choose a GR86-inspired chassis set-up for a spirited drive, before switching to more Lexus-like damping for the journey home. The new RAV4 will be offered exclusively with plug-in hybrid powertrains in the UK. Exact specifications have yet to be confirmed, but in Europe there will be a choice of 264bhp front-wheel-drive and 300bhp four-wheel-drive powertrains. The most powerful PHEV is capable of sprinting from 0-62mph in 5.8sec, and it can drive under electric power alone for up to 62 miles. Its 22.7kWh battery can be topped up at up to 50kW on a DC connection, taking 30 minutes to go from 10-80%, or at 11kW on AC.
USA Today
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Toyota's 2026 GR86 Yuzu Edition: A bold new look for the iconic sports car
Toyota's 2026 GR86 Yuzu Edition: A bold new look for the iconic sports car Show Caption Hide Caption Self-driving tech coming to personally owned vehicles Waymo & Toyota have announced a partnership to co-develop autonomous vehicle platforms, aiming to integrate Waymo's self-driving technology into Toyota's POV's. Cheddar Toyota's GR86 sports car is still around, and still without a (factory) turbocharger. That quick razz out of the way, the GR86 is being kept fresh — or at least fresh in the minds of customers — by way of yet another special-edition variant for 2026. Following similar efforts in past years such as the GR86 Trueno Edition and last year's Hakone model, the 2026 Toyota GR86 Yuzu special edition wears its name on, well, its entire body: "Yuzu" is denotes the blazing yellow paint that comes standard. Lest you think this special-edition GR86 has all the depth of that coat of paint, just wait. This specific yellow hue has a history tied to Toyota's 2+2 sports car — it dates back to the 2015 Scion FR-S Series 1.0 release. (Remember: The GR86 was preceded by the Toyota 86, a name- and badge-swapped variant of the Scion FR-S that carried on the lineage after Toyota's affordable and youth-focused Scion brand was buried in the backyard in 2016.) Seeing as how time these days seems to stretch on forever, 2015 feels like a different era altogether, seemingly so far back that we'll give the Yuzu revival credit for being "retro." Electric vehicles on the horizon: Toyota teases smaller, cheaper compact EV SUV Not-so-mellow yellow The yellow theme continues beyond the sheetmetal, with yellow accents brightening the stitching on the steering wheel, handbrake handle and door padding. Yellow is also used on the otherwise black sueded seat upholstery. The black-and-yellow contrast is further set off by the 18-inch matte-black wheels. Every Yuzu Special Edition GR86 comes with the GR86's Performance package standard, which means up-sized Brembo front and rear brakes and SACHS-brand shock absorbers. This setup is available as a dealer-installed kit on other GR86s, so its factory inclusion here is matched only by the 2024 GR86 Trueno special edition. Toyota says Yuzu buyers can also add an accessory cat-back exhaust and even a body kit, seemingly for extra cost. 2025 Toyota SUVs: What's new with RAV4, Highlander, 4Runner and Crown Signia Mechanically, the Yuzu is otherwise identical to other GR86s. A 2.4-liter flat-four engine lives under the low hood, making 228 hp and 184-lb-ft of torque, and doing its work through a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Don't get us wrong, the GR86 is huge fun to drive, but it's merely satisfyingly quick — it is not fast. It'll be rare Toyota will only ship 860 GR86 Yuzu Special Edition models to the U.S. market, making it sure to be a pretty rare sight on American roads. Hey, when was the last time you noticed a Scion FR-S Series 1.0? At least the Yuzu paint will make those rare sightings pop a bit more. Expect the 2026 GR86 and Yuzu versions to go on sale by this fall, near the end of 2025; final pricing, option availability and other details will be revealed closer to the launch. Photos by Jofel Tolosa and manufacturer
