Currently reading: Toyota reveals hybrid sports car
GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept unveiled at Tokyo Auto Salon

This is the GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept - the clearest indication yet of Toyota's avowed intention to make its cars fun to drive again.

Unveiled at today's Tokyo Auto Salon, the two-seat, four-wheel drive hybrid is based on the outgoing MR2 platform, and is powered by a mid-mounted 3.3-litre V6 plus Toyota's THSII hybrid system. The net result is is 'more than 392bhp' according to Toyota.

See the GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept spy pictures

The V6 drives the rear wheels, while the electric motor propels the fronts. It can drive in silent EV mode in the city, with the V6 firing up when called upon.

The car weighs 1500kg, and unofficial reports suggest it travels from 0-60mph in under 4.5sec.

Insiders suggest a car based around the concepts of the GRMN Sports Hybrid could go on sale as soon as 2011, and that some of the motivation behind putting such a car into production is to stop Honda's CR-Z - which has comparatively moderate performance - stealing the limelight as the world's first sports hybrid car.

GRMN stand for Gazoo Racing Master of Nurburgring. Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda races for the Gazoo Racing Team, including entering recent Nurburgring 24 Hour races at the wheel of a Lexus LFA.

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nomzam 24 July 2012

Toyota Rock ! and make this

Toyota Rock ! and make this car for us.

Peter Cavellini 16 January 2010

Re: Toyota reveals hybrid sports car

Come on Toyota prove it!, make the car available to the motoring press.

artill 16 January 2010

Re: Toyota reveals hybrid sports car

beachland2 wrote:
Now that they have seen what honda has produced i expect they will just have a prius drivetrain version. 1.8 130bhp petrol + the electric power motor, easy victory over honda.

Its not that easy. Honda knew no sports car can have a cvt box, hence the manual in the CR-Z. The toyota hybrid system has the electric motor in the gearbox, so it has to be an auto. The Honda system has the motor on the fly wheel so it can have any gearbox.

But you are right that the current prius drive train would provide more performance than Honda have given the CR-Z, sadly.