GR Super Sport Makes Dynamic Public Debut at Le Mans

Sep 21, 2020 10:24 JST

Source: Toyota Motor Corporation

Toyota City, Japan, Sep 21, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - The GR Super Sport hypercar returned to its spiritual home today to drive in public for the first time, as part of its ongoing development process, shortly before the start of the 88th Le Mans 24 Hours at the Circuit de la Sarthe.

Fittingly for a vehicle based on the two-time Le Mans-winning TS050 HYBRID race car, a customized GR Super Sport development model, customized as a convertible and in GR camouflage livery, completed a demonstration lap, before participating in the ceremony to return the Le Mans trophy for this year's race. The car was driven by Alex Wurz, the former TOYOTA GAZOO Racing driver.

Soon after the ceremony, this year's postponed Le Mans 24 Hours began with two TOYOTA GAZOO Racing TS050 HYBRIDs challenging to win the race for the third successive year. The TS050 HYBRID has created history at Le Mans since its debut in 2016, earning Toyota's first victory at La Sarthe as well as setting the fastest-ever lap and the current race lap record. Those performances are the inspiration for the GR Super Sport, a hypercar with race car pedigree and performance.

The GR Super Sport epitomises TOYOTA GAZOO Racing's commitment to use motorsport to make ever-better road cars for the enjoyment of customers, and it symbolises the ever-closer relationship between TOYOTA GAZOO Racing race and road car products.

Alex Wurz:
"It was an honour to drive this development version of the GR Super Sport for the first time in public, and especially at a circuit like Le Mans which is so closely connected to this car. The GR Super Sport was born at Le Mans so this felt like a homecoming. This was my first time to drive the car, so a demonstration lap doesn't allow me to push the limits but I could already feel that the GR Super Sport has the potential for incredible performance. I could feel the similarities between the GR Super Sport and the TS050 HYBRID in terms of performance, particularly the four-wheel drive and the hybrid system. But the engineers tell me this was only a small taste of the GR Super Sport's true performance so I am super excited to drive it again one day in the near future."

About Toyota Motor Corporation

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is the global mobility company that introduced the Prius hybrid-electric car in 1997 and the first mass-produced fuel cell sedan, Mirai, in 2014. Headquartered in Toyota City, Japan, Toyota has been making cars since 1937. Today, Toyota proudly employs 370,000 employees in communities around the world. Together, they build around 10 million vehicles per year in 29 countries, from mainstream cars and premium vehicles to mini-vehicles and commercial trucks, and sell them in more than 170 countries under the brands Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.

Source: Toyota Motor Corporation
Sectors: Automotive