Toyota GR Super Sport hypercar previewed by GR010 Hybrid racer reveal
Toyota has finally pulled the wraps off its new Le Mans racer – and the brand has confirmed that the road-going version is on the horizon
This is the Toyota GR010 Hybrid hypercar. It’s the Japanese brand’s entry for the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship – and it’ll soon be joined by a road-going version, called the Toyota GR Super Sport, that’s based on the same mechanicals.
The Toyota GR010’s powertrain comprises a 671bhp twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 and a 268bhp electric motor. The petrol engine sends drive to the rear wheels via a seven-speed sequential gearbox, while the electric motor powers the front wheels.
As you would expect, the powertrain is supported by an arsenal of chassis technology, including a mechanical locking differential, independent double wishbone suspension, push-rod dampers and a set of carbon-ceramic brake discs with mono-block calipers.
However, as the new FIA regulations limit the car’s power output to 671bhp, Toyota has had to employ some electronic wizardry to keep the car legal. So, the ECU limits the petrol engine’s power according to the amount of assistance the electric motor can supply. When the battery pack has been depleted, the engine supplies its maximum output.
The FIA’s revised regulations also incorporate a new cost-saving initiative, which means this year’s racer is 162kg heavier and has 32 percent less power than its predecessor. It’s also a bigger car, being 250mm longer, 100mm wider and 100mm taller. As such, Toyota expects lap times to be around 10 seconds slower.
Toyota has also had to completely redesign its entrant’s panelling as the new regulations only allow for a single bodywork package and just one adjustable aerodynamic device. So, the racer will compete with the same specification on low and high downforce tracks, with the rear wing providing the only change to the car’s air flow characteristics.
Toyota hopes its latest hybrid racer will continue the winning streak started by last season’s TS050 LMP1. The series is set to start in March (coronavirus regulations permitting) – and Toyota will keep the same driver line-up as last season, with World Champions Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José Maria López piloting the No.7 GR010 Hybrid and Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley racing the No.8 car.
What do you make of the new Toyota GR010 Hybrid and the GR Super Sport road car? Let us know in the comments section below…
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