Toyota Gazoo Racing models we have and absolutely wish we also had in PH

April 14, 2022

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Toyota Gazoo Racing is the brand’s embodiment of “overcoming every limit to make ever-better” cars. Bearing the Gazoo Racing or GR badge is a testament to the specific model’s motorsport lineage. With Toyota’s commitment to never stop innovating, we’ve seen a lot of Toyotas sold in the Philippines branded as GR.

Alright, so Toyota Gazoo Racing is supposed to be synonymous with high performance. But as we speak, while there are a select few models in the Philippine lineup that truly are GR, there are also some with the more docile and aesthetically-inclined GR-S badge instead. Either way, they all bear the Toyota Gazoo Racing DNA, in a manner of speaking. In this list, we’ll look at what GR vehicles are being sold in the country, as well as those we wish also had in the Philippine market.

WHAT DO WE HAVE?

Table of Contents

Toyota GR Supra

“Smoke ’em” was a line that was instantly related to the Supra, thanks to the Fast and the Furious franchise. The model has come a long way though. Now in its 5th generation, the now 3-year-old Supra made its PH entry as an official Gazoo Racing model. Though wider, taller, and a little bit shorter than its predecessor (A80), the current A90 has lost none of its potency as a full-fledged sports car.

What got many people up in arms is that 1.) it is a clone of the BMW Z4, and 2.) it no longer has the legendary 2JZ engine under the hood. While it’s powered by the German derivative’s engine, it still puts out 335 PS and 500 Nm of torque. 0-100 km/h is achieved in only 4.3 seconds.

The GR Supra has a single variant, and pricing starts at PHP 4,990,000 for the Prominence Red paint, PHP 5,050,000 for Black Metallic 2, and PHP 5,090,000 for Ice Grey Metallic.

Toyota GR Yaris

Pocket rocket? Toyota Gazoo Racing has that as well in the GR Yaris. When it first hit Philippine shores, the Yaris was all but a pint-sized sub-compact that gets you from one point to another at an economical cost. The race-ready Yaris is a different beast now, and there was a major hype leading up to its release last year with all units already being reserved even before actual delivery.

Built more for rally stages, the Yaris has a 1.6-Liter three-cylinder turbo mill that makes about 261 PS and 300 Nm of torque. It runs on an all-wheel-drive system aptly named GR-Four, and it only comes with a 6-speed manual transmission. Just to add more fun, it also comes with a traditional handbrake lever. Going sideways (do it in a controlled environment, okay?) has not been this fun in a long time.

Pricing for the GR Yaris is set at PHP 2,740,000, and it comes in one variant and three colors: Super White II, Emotional Red, and Precious Black.

Toyota Vios GR-S

Remember the eyebrow-raising GR-S-badged models we mentioned earlier? This is the first of them. Racing and motorsport are what Toyota Gazoo Racing is all about, right? But what’s a Vios doing with a GR(-S) badge? This is simply Toyota’s effort to make Gazoo a more relatable and reachable brand.

Though it doesn’t come with high-performance parts and upgrades, the Vios GR-S still looks really good. Similar to the GR Yaris, the Vios gets a nicely designed body kit. It’s made up of a larger honeycomb grill, side air intakes, a front chin, side skirts, and a redesigned rear bumper complete with a diffuser. A wing and 16″ black alloy wheels complete the Toyota Gazoo Racing exterior makeover. The interior also got GR bits, albeit few. New seats, red stitching on the upholstery, and leather make for a unique and sporty vibe.

As we said, it’s all about aesthetics and the power plant remains to be the same 1.5-Liter engine that makes 107 PS and 140 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 10-speed CVT, and that’s the confirmation you need that this isn’t a track beast.

The Vios GR-S’ price is pegged at PHP 1,020,000 for the Black I and Super Red V colors, with an additional PHP 15,000 premium for White Pearl crystal shine.

Toyota Corolla GR-S

The Corolla nameplate has been a staple and household name in the Philippines for decades. As one of Toyota’s top-selling models, of course, it also got the Gazoo Racing package, but only as a GR-S.

Earlier this year, it made its regional debut in Thailand, and now it’s finally in the country. Based on the range-topping V variant, the Corolla GR-S gets the same bumper and grill redesign, plus skirts all around the body. New 17″ alloy wheels and black side mirror caps have also been added. As for the interior, red stitching is abundant as with the Vios GR-S, and there’s also no shortage of Gazoo Racing emblazoned on different panels and the upholstery.

Under the hood sits a 1.6-Liter four-cylinder Dual VVTi engine that makes 121 PS and 153 Nm of torque that’s mated to a CVT. What makes the Corolla GR-S is the addition of the Toyota Safety Sense suite. But of course, that along with the badge and kit come at a price.

The Toyota Corolla GR-S retails at PHP 1,302,000 with an additional PHP 15,000 on top if you choose the White Pearl paint.

Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S

Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S
Photo from: Toyota San Fernando Official FB Page

This particular GR-S model is a bit of an oddity. It’s not included on the various Toyota dealership websites, but it is available in the country. The confirmation of its availability comes by way of this photo from Toyota San Fernando, and yes, that is the Toyota Gazoo Racing take on the Corolla Cross hybrid. And yes, it’s a GR-S.

As before, GR-S models get body kits as standard, as well as other aesthetic upgrades both in and out. Other than the large honeycomb grill, the roof has been painted black, adding to the floating roof design, and the 18″ black alloy wheels are giveaways that this is the Gazoo-fied Cross.

In Thailand, it also gets a suspension upgrade. Just to make it a little bit sportier, upgraded coils and dampers were fitted into the Cross. The good news is that the PHDM release also gets it. Kudos to Toyota for making that happen!

Being a hybrid, it has a petrol engine that makes 98 PS and 142 Nm of torque, along with an electric motor that gives an extra 72 PS and 163 Nm of pull.

The Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S has a price tag of PHP 1,774,000, much higher than the 1.8 V Hybrid variant that tips the tag at PHP 1,665,000. Is it worth it? If Toyota gives us a Review unit, we’ll let you know right away.

Toyota Fortuner GR-S

At first, many thought that the LTD will be the top-of-the-line variant of the Fortuner. Imagine our surprise when Toyota Gazoo Racing laid its hands on this SUV. If you thought that the LTD was already a handsome beast, you’re in for a treat with the Fortuner GR-S.

A redesigned front bumper with a glossy honeycomb grill, blacked-out foglight frames, a rear spoiler, a glossy black rear diffuser, black 18″ wheels, and color-keyed fender arches are the cues you need to look out for to know that this is no ordinary Fortuner. And for the eagle-eyed folks out there, you’ll see red brake calipers behind the wheels, complete with the GR logo. The interior has the same GR-embossed/labeled bits, but the upholstery of choice is now a leather and suede combination. But perhaps the biggest selling point of the Fortuner GR-S is the inclusion of Toyota Safety Sense.

No changes were made to the engine between the Q, V, and GR-S variants. It still houses the same 2.8-Liter turbo diesel engine that puts out 204 PS and 500 Nm of torque.

The price of the Fortuner GR-S is PHP 2,509,000.

Toyota Hilux GR-S

Much like its 7-seater SUV counterpart, Toyota Gazoo Racing saw fit to upgrade the Hilux pickup as well. As subtle as the front-end updates were on the Fortuner, the Hilux goes for a beefier look.

We really missed the tastefully made full-name badges on front grills, and Toyota nailed it with the Hilux GR-S, along with its mesh-type lower grill. That and the body-colored grill frame, fender flares, the redesigned bumper, and front foglight housings set it apart from the range-topping Conquest. It also gets the same black wheel and red GR brake caliper combo as the Fortuner GR-S.

It doesn’t have the Toyota Safety Sense package, though, and that may be off-putting for some. But it does come with a new panoramic View Monitor, though. Far from an entire safety suite, but we’ll take it.

The familiar 2.8-Liter engine sits under the hood of the Hilux GR-S, and it sells for PHP 1,985,000.

Toyota Raize GR-S

It might not come out of the factory with the Toyota Gazoo Racing DNA, but at least local Raize owners can still get their GR-S aesthetic on.

About a month ago, the GR-S body kit parts were made available at Toyota dealerships in the Philippines. The kit consists of 5 parts and they’re priced as follows.

Front Skirt = PHP 17,800
Rear Skirt = PHP 21,500
Side Skirt (left and right) = 20,500
Visor = PHP 6,400
Stripes (for either light or dark-colored Raize units) = PHP 4,600

You know what Filipinos say: “If you can’t perform, japorm”. That’s not to say that the Raize is not a performer because for what it is and what it offers, it’s definitely a more-than-adequate sub-compact crossover. That kit just costs a whole lot of money, don’t you think?

WHAT DO WE WISH WE ALSO HAD?

Toyota GR Corolla

The newest addition to the Toyota Gazoo Racing stable is the Corolla GR hatchback. Unveiled just two weeks ago after a slew of online teasers, it’s finally here. No, not here in the Philippines, but in North America. Too bad, so sad.

If the GR Yaris was a looker, the GR Corolla may make you gawk a few more times. A massive honeycomb lower grill dominates the front end, while air inlets flank the bumper. It comes with a (very) wide body kit out of the factory and boasts of optional parts like a much bigger rear spoiler and rear bumper-integrated diffuser to make it look fast and run faster. Oh, those two parts come with the limited Circuit Edition of the GR Corolla.

Powering this hot hatch is a 1.6-Liter 3-cylinder turbocharged engine that’s good for 304 PS and 370 Nm of torque available at just 3,000 RPM. It’s the same motor found on the GR Yaris but it’s been upgraded for the Corolla, and like the Yaris, it’s mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.

Toyota GR86

Track proven. Street ready. This is how Toyota describes the GR86. Like the Supra, this Toyota has a twin from another manufacturer: the Subaru BRZ. Despite having (almost) the same looks, Toyota Gazoo Racing has injected its own touch into the 86.

As the successor to the famous tofu-delivering Japan mountain drifting AE86, this Hachiroku in GR trim is just as, if not more capable. Wide fenders are found in the front and rear. Its low, horizontal underbody and narrow rear cabin combine to underline the breadth of the vehicle and its low center of gravity, thus making it an agile sports car.

The GR86 has a 2.4-Liter engine sitting under its hood, and it churns out 228 PS and 249 Nm of torque. In what may be an unexpected choice, Toyota offers the GR86 with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission? Sacrilege? That might be a bit too much of a statement, but this is probably a way to appeal to more of the “masses”.

Do you think it’s still fun to take for a spin? We think so.

Toyota LC 300 GR-S

Toyota LC300 GR-S

Who could forget about the big daddy of them all, the LC 300. No model escapes Toyota Gazoo Racing and this is another GR-S model that we wish we had here.

Along with the other GR (and GR-S) models, the gaping honeycomb grills along with the badges are the first ID marks of this special LC 300. We don’t exactly need to outline the off-road prowess of the Land Cruiser, so we’ll go ahead and get to its best selling point: Toyota Safety Sense 2.0. The LC is no doubt a big vehicle, and this updated safety suite helps you both and even off-road.

The engine of choice is a 3.5-Liter V6 twin-turbo diesel engine that pumps out 309 PS and a lot of torque at 700 Nm. It’s mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission and has full-time four-wheel drive.

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And there you have it (or don’t). We do have a lot of Toyota Gazoo Racing models to choose from. From high-performance to aesthetically-driven vehicles, it seems that every single vehicle segment has already been covered. Now comes the question as to whether our wish list remains just that – a list – or if Toyota Motor Philippines picks it up and gets the full GR and GR-S lineup into the country.