Toyota’s Electric GR Sports Car Concept Targets Porsche 718, Packs a Dual-Motor Setup


While Toyota has not yet actually confirmed that a GR-branded electric sports car in the general shape of a mid-engined car is on its way, every new detail about the FT-Se concept suggests that we may see it on the road sooner rather than later. Its designer has already said Toyota is planning to see it built after 2026, and now we know that a production version would already have a target motor layout, direct competitor, and even ‘Ring time.

Those details come from a Top Gear interview with FT-Se chief engineer Fumihiko Hazama, who says the car counts the upcoming, all-electric Porsche 718 among its potential competitors. While most of the specific target specs were not shared, Hazama suggests a 0-62 mph acceleration time of around three seconds and a top speed of around 155 mph. That performance should come from a dual motor, all-wheel-drive setup, unusual for a Toyota sports car but quickly becoming an industry standard for a performance EV.

While he would not reveal the lap time, Hazama also says that Toyota’s performance targets include an ideal time at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. He says the team plans to take a prototype to the ‘Ring in the future, so our next look at the development of the car may come as spy shots from the Green Hell.

In addition to a final plan to actually produce the car, the FT-Se is still awaiting a name, price range, and design. That puts the car where the GR86 and fifth-generation Supra were when they were first shown as the FT-HS and FT-1 concepts in 2007 and 2014, respectively. Both took another five years to reach production, but the FT-Se’s timeline seems to be more accelerated.


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