Toyota Go-Fast Brand Gazoo Racing is the latest global contender to admit it is time to explore a family hauler. So yet, the GR designation has only been applied to cars: the GR86, GR Corolla, GR Supra, and GR Yaris. GR CEO Tomoya Takahashi told Australian site Drive that “to spread the GR brand, maybe [SUVs] are also required.”
Gazoo has gotten halfway there in other markets. Some Toyota trucks and SUVs, including the European-market Hilux and RAV4, as well as the Australian C-HR, carry the GR Sport badge.
There’s no reason why the technique couldn’t succeed in the United States provided the automaker is ready to stick with it. Takahashi stated that because GR’s “limited resources” require a strict focus, breaking beyond perception here would necessitate its attention.
We believe GR would be better off focusing on the truck side first; a limited-edition GR Tacoma, either a pure street truck or a racy old-school Ivan “Ironman” Stewart desert racer (without or with TRD), could test the waters.
Meanwhile, what’s next from GR isn’t a family car, but rather a GRMN Supra with an engine from BMW’s M division that will be on sale next year.
