2016 Toyota Prius GT300 Racecar
The New Prius actually
has some racing pedigree in its blood, having competed in Japan's GT300
championship. On the back of the
latest-generation Prius debuting, the GT300 variant has just been revealed at
the Tokyo Auto Salon.
Developed by APR Racing, the all-new
Prius GT300 uses some technologies from the new road car and mates them to
systems from the, now retired, previous-gen racer.
Toyota says that the electric motor of
the new GT300 is derived from the one of the production model but, at this
stage, no further details about the electric motor have been released. A naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter
V6 from many other Toyota racing cars, including the outgoing Prius GT300.
Unlike that model which has its engine
mid-mounted, new GT300 regulations stipulate that the engine must remains in
its standard factory position.
The new GT300 car draws on the
road model in its design with the same spaceship-like headlights and
intriguingly shaped front grille and air intakes. The factory taillights have
also been retained. Other than those elements, the track-only model is adorned
with bespoke body panels and aerodynamic aids, including a massive rear wing
and rear diffuser.
