Currently reading: Toyota GR Super Sport hypercar makes public debut at Le Mans
First public outing for firm's new halo car, being developed in road and racing forms ahead of 2021 launch

The new Toyota GR Super Sport hypercar has made its first public outing in development form ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

A prototype version of the machine, which is based on the double Le Mans-winning TS050 Hybrid prototype, completed a lap of the French circuit ahead of the 2020 race. Driven by former Formula 1 racer Alex Wurz, the car appeared in the familiar camouflage livery of Toyota’s GR sports division and was used to 'return' the Le Mans trophy to race organisers.

The GR Super Sport road car was first shown in concept form in 2018 and will be used as the basis for a racing version that will run in the new Le Mans Hypercar class (LMH) in the race next year. Toyota has described it as “a hypercar with race car pedigree and performance.”

The LMH rules will allow for both race-honed versions of road-going hypercars and bespoke prototypes. Designed to offer considerable technical freedom, the LMH hybrid systems will allow for 268bhp electric motors on the front axles of cars, offering four-wheel drive. The LMH rules were finalised earlier this year and will allow for cars with a total power output of 670bhp with a minimum weight of 1100kg.

Toyota last detailed the GR Super Sport concept last year, before the LMH rules had been finalised, and said the car was being developed with a 986bhp twin-turbocharged V6 hybrid powertrain to match the initially planned maximum power output of LMH cars. It's not known whether Toyota will maintain this figure for the eventual road-going GR Super Sport or match it to the 670bhp maximum for the race car.

Former Toyota racer Wurz said: “I could already feel that the GR Super Sport has the potential for incredible performance."

Toyota will face opposition in the new LMH class from Peugeot, which confirmed its entry earlier this week. Racing teams ByKolles and Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus are also building machines for the new class.

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James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Acting magazine editor

James is Autocar's acting magazine editor. Having served in that role since June 2023, he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the world's oldest car magazine, and regularly interviews some of the biggest names in the industry to secure news and features, such as his world exclusive look into production of Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets. 

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Cenuijmu 21 September 2020

It does look tiny

And it looks like an MR2 mk 3 as said above.  Small and light, even with 670bhp it would be mental, with 980+  .. crazy.

It is a breath of fresh air compared to all the overly wide hypercars coming out. 

 

 

Lanehogger 19 September 2020

We’ve been here before

A rebirth of the late 1990s GT1 cars, pure bred racers masquerading as road cars. 

Peter Cavellini 19 September 2020

3/4 scale?

 Doesn't look very big, there's two guys in there and spilling out of it, the windshield looks too low, at best, it's a single seater for racing.

jason_recliner 19 September 2020

This will be BRILLIANT!

Finally, a smaller sports car. Toyota leading the pack yet again.
Peter Cavellini 20 September 2020

Mk3.

jason_recliner wrote:

Finally, a smaller sports car. Toyota leading the pack yet again.

A little bit like the. Last MR2 ?

Sonic 21 September 2020

jason_recliner wrote:

jason_recliner wrote:

Finally, a smaller sports car. Toyota leading the pack yet again.

Remember, it's a very limited-run homologated hypercar. It wont be common or affordable, but still awesome.