Latest news with #GRGarage
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Watch Toyota's GR Garage Restore a Third-Gen Supra and Make It Like New
Toyota currently offers many hard-to-find replacement parts for its iconic vehicles. With new parts on the way for 2025, the automaker's GR Garage restored a third-generation Supra to show what's possible. This car, torn apart to a bare body shell and then built up again, is basically a brand-new 1992 Supra. Toyota first announced that it would be making replacement parts for its heritage vehicles back in 2019, at the launch of the then-new fifth-generation Supra. Earlier this year, it expanded that program to include more parts for older Land Cruisers, the third- and fourth- generation Supra, and even the scrappy little AE86 Corolla. As you'd expect for something aimed at enthusiasts, the program is run through the Gazoo Racing division as GR Heritage Parts. In an effort to promote this work, Toyota brought a third-generation Supra into GR Garage, and restored it from the ground up. Factory restorations are almost commonplace for European marques like Jaguar Land Rover or Ferrari, but are a relatively new phenomenon in Japan. You can probably thank Mazda for the trend, as it was one of the first to offer in-house restorations, as well as reproducing new parts, initially for the NA Miata. According to the Mazda employees who set up that replacement parts program, some of the first phone calls they received after the announcement were from Nissan and Honda, curious about how they might also set up heritage parts efforts. Thus, Honda now offers an NSX restoration program in Japan (and has said that a U.S. effort is under consideration), while Nissan offers parts for older Skylines under its NISMO brand. Further, Mazda has expanded its factory restoration program to the FD-chassis twin-turbo RX-7, though there have been some delays to rolling out those plans. For the GR Garage restoration, a Supra model not sold in the U.S. was used: a 1992 Supra 2.5 GT. Fitted with a twin-turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-six, this car made the maximum, unofficially mandated 276-hp cap in the so-called "gentleman's agreement" among Japan's automakers. While not quite as legendary as the fourth-gen Supra that followed it, this generation of Supra has plenty of fans on both sides of the Pacific. The car looks to be in pretty good shape initially, but some careful examination turns up a few bodged repairs and rust. GR technicians cut, disassemble, and take the Supra completely down to a bare body shell before welding in replacement steel and respraying the entire car. The whole process took two technicians six months, and the result is basically a brand-new 1992 Supra. It's now flawless. The video below shows the process (sorry, no English subtitles). If you're a fan of golden age Japanese machinery, whether because of the cars of your youth or just hours spent playing Gran Turismo, seeing this Supra brought to concours quality is incredibly satisfying. There are any number of individual specialist shops doing this kind of work, but having the weight of an OEM manufacturer on board makes a huge difference. It's nothing but good news that Toyota is following through on preserving its heritage. [/image] You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
NDTV
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Volkswagen Unveils 3 New EV Concepts- ID. ERA, ID. EVO, And ID. AURA
At the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show, Volkswagen revealed three new electric vehicle (EV) concepts, ID ERA, ID. EVO, and ID. AURA is crafted for the Chinese market. These models showcase Volkswagen's "In China, for China" approach, focusing on local design and innovation. The three showcased concepts include two SUVs, one conventional and one youthful, and a sedan. ID. ERA: Three-Row Electric SUV The ID. ERA, designed by SAIC Volkswagen, is a large, three-row electric SUV that combines classic looks with modern technology. Its boxy shape, split headlights, and dark glass give it a strong presence. The SUV offers up to 300 km of electric range, and with an internal combustion engine as a range extender, the car can travel about 1,000 km in total. Also Read: Third-Gen Toyota Supra Restored By GR Garage- Here's What It Looks Like ID. EVO: Sporty SUV The ID. EVO, designed by Volkswagen Anhui, is a large SUV concept designed for younger buyers. It features a stylish front with unique LED headlights. With its 800V architecture, the ID. EVO delivers strong performance and fast charging, catering to tech-savvy drivers who enjoy performance. ID. AURA: Compact Electric Sedan The ID. AURA, created by FAW-Volkswagen, is a new compact electric sedan that uses Volkswagen's Compact Main Platform (CMP). It has a sleek design with sharp lines and standard lights, mixing modern style with practicality. The ID. AURA is designed to provide an affordable and advanced electric option for city drivers. Volkswagen plans to launch 30 new models in China by 2027 as part of its "In China, for China" strategy. Amongst these, 20 cars will be classified as New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), including pure electric, plug-in hybrid, and range-extended electric vehicles.
NDTV
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Third-Gen Toyota Supra Restored By GR Garage- Here's What It Looks Like
The name Toyota Supra is a name revered by the motorheads. Similarly, there are other names in the Japanese brand's arsenal that have a place in the hearts of enthusiasts. To keep all such loyalists happy, Toyota announced in 2019 that it would begin making replacement parts for the heritage parts. Over time, the automaker expanded the program to include third-generation and fourth-generation Supras, Land Cruisers, and other vehicles. As part of a promotional scheme, the automaker restored a third-gen Supra at the GR Garage. The work was taken care of by the motorsport division, Gazoo Racing. The GR Garage's restoration efforts were focused on a Supra model that was not sold in the US market, i.e., a 1992 Supra 2.5 GT. Seeking power from a 2.5-litre twin-turbocharged inline-six engine, the power of the vehicle was capped at 276 hp. This was done to keep it under the terms of the "gentleman's agreement" among the Japanese car makers. Although the car lacks the popularity of the fourth-gen version of the vehicle, it still has a huge following. Also Read: Ferrari Burned To Ashes After 1 Hour Of Driving, Pictures Go Viral While inspecting the car before initiating the process of restoration, the GR technicians found rust and a few bodged repairs on the car. Hence, they picked up their tools and took apart the car down to the shell before welding the replacement parts and painting the car to restore its former glory. This took the efforts of two technicians for over six months. As one might expect, the result was a brand-new 1992 Supra. Here's a video to view the process. Inspiring Toyota and other manufacturers in the Japanese market, Mazda was one of the first manufacturers to initiate the trend of offering in-house restorations along with the production of new parts for old cars. The first car to go through the process was a Miata. Later on, Nissan and Honda jumped on the bandwagon, and this resulted in the NSX restoration program and parts for Skylines under the NISMO brand, respectively.
