We all know Toyota – dependable, reliable, fuel-efficient and well, let’s face it, while vehicles like the Camry have been at the top of U.S. car sales figures for decades, the company doesn’t typically run in the same creative circles as Porsche, Ferrari or Aston Martin … until now.
Fresh off it’s somewhat dubious victory at the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans – dubious because there were no other vehicle makers running in its class – Toyota is going to use the lessons learned on that track to create a hybrid hypercar.
The new vehicle will combine the 2.4-liter V6 with electric assist used in the GR Super Sport concept unveiled earlier this year with a number of components from the TS050 that handled Le Mans, including the Toyota hybrid racing system. The end result is a car that can pump out 986 horsepower.
Despite having no competition, Toyota did complete the 24-hour endurance test that is Le Mans. And it was only the second time in the 95-year history of the race that a Japanese company won. The hybrid hypercar is seen as a way to memorialize the win and advance other racing aspirations – like the World Endurance Championship.
This WEC typically brings in similar supercar concepts from the cream of the automotive crop. So, Toyota could get a chance to mix it up with an Aston Martin Valkyrie or a Ferrari LaFerrari.
Given that these cars run in the $3 - $7 million range, the new hypercar probably won’t hit the sales numbers of a Prius, but the boost it offers Toyota’s image could be priceless.
