Toyota Considers Welcoming Fun Back Into Its Fleet With New Performance Division
Toyota is pondering using its Gazoo Racing unit as a performance brand for future road cars, not unlike BMW’s M Division and Mercedes-AMG.
The timing couldn’t be better, as it was really starting to seem like Toyota was intentionally trying to make itself the least-exciting brand in the world. The Supra vanished in North America by 1998, the MR2 followed suit after 2005, the underwhelming seventh generation Celica came and went with no replacement, and Toyota Racing Development seemed unhealthily fixated on the off-roading capabilities of the Tacoma.
Thankfully, it looks like the company is finally coming to its senses.
Gazoo motorsport oversees Toyota’s World Endurance Championship program, World Rally Championship team, and Dakar Rally group. The company also has gotten involved with consumer products by way of the limited-production Gazoo Racing Masters of Nürburgring (GRMN) version of the GT86. The company is also responsible for the Toyota G’s lineup of semi-sportified passenger vehicles.
Speaking to Autocar, Gazoo Racing chief Koei Saga said he intends to expand into road cars, drawing a link between that side of the Toyota business and its racing activities.
“In Europe, the challenge is bigger because we have more competitors here, and it is also an issue of cost,” he said. “However, I am very much working on that so we can have a brand like the [BMW] M brand.”
Saga wouldn’t commit to questions about the upcoming Supra or Z5, suspicions on the company’s involvement remain. While the G’s vehicles tend to be modest, image-enhanced cars, GRMN limited editions included a lightened Mark X sedan, turbocharged 150 horsepower Vitz/Yaris, and the aforementioned track-enhanced GT86 coupe.
The rumor-mil has it that the first Gazoo model produced in any number, would be a spiced-up subcompact. Toyota’s top brass have hinted at a performance Yaris and Gazoo already has a World Rally Championship version in the works. Knowing what we know about the WRX, it would be silly not to see a turbocharged Yaris on sale someday — especially if the WRC car does well.
[Images: Toyota]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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There was nothing particularly "underwhelming" about the last Celica, at least as long as you bought the GT-S, with the proper engine. It was one of the last of the sport compacts, and just faded away because no one was buying those anymore. See also: RSX.
Seriously, I own a 2000 Celica GT-S (6 speed) AND a 2016 GTI (6 speed). While the GTI is faster and has actual torque, the Celica is way, way, way, way more engaging to drive. The engine screams to (and beyond) the 7,8000 RPM redline, it sounds awesome and you can shift by ear whereas the GTI just drones a constant drone, the steering is world's better than the GTI with actual feel, it has no computers isolating you from what the tires are doing, it is just a much more satisfying driving experience. When I go out for a back-road blast in middle of nowhere PA, 8 times out of 10 I take the Celica. That car is so underrated. Also, mine has 342,000 me-only miles and runs great, my hopes for the GTI are not nearly as high.