Toyota is not generally a car company that touts its own out-of-the-box innovations, but this recently changed with announcement of the GR Super Sport. Developed by Toyota's Gazoo Racing (GR) division, the concept vehicle that may actually see production as Toyota shifts some of its focus towards high-performance sports cars. Developed by Toyota GR president Shigeki Tomoyama, the Super Sport is not hoping to be a production car, but a test ground for turning race cars into road-legal sports cars.
The GR Super Sport is currently based on the company's TS050 racecar and is powered by a lean-burn, 2.4-liter twin turbo V6 hybrid system. The drivetrain horsepower is being reported at 986 horsepower, placing it in competition with the company's endurance racer. The body of the car features wide fenders over the wheels, a large rear wing, narrow cabin and a plethora of vents. In short, the design is sleek and clearly made with performance in mind. While the performance is already there, the goal of the GR team is to make the car more driver-friendly. There is no immediate concern to win races, but instead to control the vehicle and produce a version for the consumer market.
Production-Testing Concept Cars
Toyota is Using Its New GR Super Sport to Test Future Sports Cars
Trend Themes
1. High-performance Sports Cars - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing production-ready sports cars with enhanced performance capabilities based on race car technology.
2. Lean-burn Hybrid Systems - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Exploring lean-burn hybrid technology for increased power and efficiency in sports car engines.
3. Race Car-inspired Design - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporating sleek and aerodynamic race car design elements into consumer sports cars for enhanced performance and aesthetics.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive Manufacturing - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Rethinking production processes to incorporate advanced technologies and design elements from race cars into consumer sports car manufacturing.
2. Hybrid Powertrain Technology - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Advancing hybrid powertrain systems to optimize power output and fuel efficiency for high-performance sports cars.
3. Automotive Design - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Utilizing race car-inspired design principles to create visually striking and high-performance consumer sports car models.