If Toyota followed Akio Toyoda’s taste, the only product lines would be GR Yaris and GR Corolla.
Top executives in the auto industry typically spend their days in offices, but Toyoda is not one of them. The company’s chairman, who goes by the pseudonym “Morizo”, has been racing as a second race since competing in the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 2007 for the Toyota Gazoo Racing team. Even at age 69, the former Toyota president and CEO is still very active.
While visiting Fuji Speedway for a test drive, Toyoda revealed an interesting bit of information to an engineer who will start working for Toyota this spring. When asked what Toyota considers a good car, the chairman admitted that if it were up to him, the company would only sell hot hatchbacks:
“If we only made things that I liked, they would be the GR Corolla and GR Yarise.”
Although he didn’t mention other GR brand models, it’s reasonable to assume that Toyoda will also include the 86, Supra and new GT in his dream team. Gazoo Racing is now its own entity and was recently spun off into a dedicated performance sub-brand. This shows Toyota is serious about maintaining a permanent lineup of sports cars. More may be on the way, as there are rumors of a new Celica, and US dealers have apparently seen the car privately.
In the same interview, the young engineer told the chairman that his dream was to create a new supercar like the V10-powered LFA. Akio Toyoda encouraged him and said there would be no obstacles to realizing this vision:
“Once you decide, don’t give up easily. Find people and colleagues you can resonate with, and you can build that car. There’s the freedom to do that at Toyota.
The new LFA is indeed coming, but only in name only. Lexus is developing an all-electric supercar, following on from an earlier sports concept car and recently unveiling a concept car of the same name. Toyota’s luxury division hasn’t set a release date yet, but we do know it will arrive eventually.
Toyota may also be venturing into electric performance with the FT-Se, an MR2-like concept reportedly set to enter production later this decade. However, Toyoda admits he prefers gas-powered cars. In an interview last year automotive newsThe chairman said frankly:
“For me, as a driving guru, my definition of a sports car is an engine that smells of gasoline and makes a lot of noise.”
Motor1’s point of view: Without the support of Akio Toyoda, the rise of Toyota sports cars would not have been possible. He was a true enthusiast and the driving force behind the company’s decision to sanction several GR products, ultimately leading to the creation of a separate sub-brand.
Of course, Toyota cannot survive with GR products alone. They are niche vehicles after all. Models such as the RAV4 and Corolla remain the mainstays of the range, funding the development of more exciting cars. These halo models may not sell in large numbers, but they boost the company’s image and draw people into showrooms, even if they end up buying a Camry.
