- The new racer is heavily based on the 2022 GR GT3 Concept.
- Toyota is aiming for a racing debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2026.
- This powerful new race car will spawn a Lexus for the road.
Update June 4: We have added new spy images and new videos of the prototype successor to the Lexus RC F GT3. The race car was filmed undergoing high-speed testing at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium ahead of its motorsport debut in 2026.
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Toyota has been working on the next generation GT3 car for some time now. The racer, currently known as the GR GT3, will likely be named Lexus and takes a lot of inspiration from the GR GT3 Concept that was unveiled in early 2022. It’s virtually identical in shape and size to that concept and, in the news, it’ll get enthusiasts excited, but it’ll spawn a road-going production model.
Watch: Is This a New Toyota GT3 Racer with a Twin-Turbo V8?
This prototype looks like a spotted test at the Fuji Speedway from twelve months ago. It is bathed in camouflage, but there is no hiding the enormous grille, the huge front splitter and the long hood. Other key aerodynamic elements visible include a wide-open rear diffuser and a rear wing with gooseneck pillars. Just like the concept, the prototype also has existing exhausts on the side. That brings us to the engine.
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The new race car is said to have a twin-turbocharged V8, and based on the sound alone, that seems to be exactly the type of engine this prototype has. The engine produces a throaty and bassy sound and must have sufficient power. Lexus is said to have started working on a new twin-turbo V8 as early as 2019.
When David Wilson, president of Toyota Racing Development, spoke about the car to SportsCar365 earlier this year, he said he would like to see the GR GT3 debut at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2026.
“The timeline (for the introduction of the new car) is still 2026, and development continues to progress well,” he said. “The credibility we have earned by racing the RC F here in North America and winning the first GT3 title for Lexus has allowed us to participate indirectly in the development of this new car, through many provide feedback and set performance goals.
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