Toyota unveiled the GR86 Rally Legacy Concept at the SEMA show in Las Vegas, as an innovative tribute to the brand’s legendary rally heritage.
This dynamic concept vehicle, based on the Toyota GR86 Performance Package, demonstrates Toyota’s commitment to performance, nostalgia and the future of rally racing, as well as Toyota’s legendary motorsport history.
Drawing inspiration from the legendary ST185 and ST205 Celica GT-Four rally cars, the GR86 gets a complete powertrain swap via the 3-cylinder turbo GR-Four AWD drive from the GR Corolla.
“The goal is to evoke memories of the legendary rally car that enthusiasts have admired in rally scenes and in popular racing video games,” said Paul Doleshall of Toyota Motor North America.
“That idea led to a formative conversation about how cool it would be to create a modern interpretation of such an iconic car.”
The project began with two different sports cars from the GR family that were merged into a vision, so that a contemporary version of the legendary Celica GT-Four could appear. The biggest challenges involved modifying the GR86 chassis to accommodate the GR Corolla’s taller, transversely mounted G16E-GTS engine and GR-Four AWD drivetrain.
Converting the GR86 into a four-wheel drive vehicle also required significant modification to the front suspension. Additional adjustments were made to the GR86 steering rack.
Out back, the team replaced the stock GR86 rear end with a GR Corolla differential and housing to maintain the factory gear ratios, electronics functionality and power distribution.
Although the Toyota GR86 Rally Legacy Concept retains the GR Corolla’s original specs of 300 hp and 370 Nm, there is potential to increase these numbers with further tuning.
The concept features a striking Halo White exterior with a heritage-inspired red and green color palette, integrated with modern Toyota and Toyota Gazoo Racing logos. Notable exterior features include large red fenders, a modified exhaust system and a spoiler inspired by the Celica GT-Four, which complete the rally look.
Inside, this concept vehicle features a roll cage, painted in white, as well as racing seats with red 6-point racing harnesses, which are coordinated with the Toyota Gazoo Racing color scheme.
The GR86 Rally Legacy Concept exemplifies Toyota’s strategic approach to blending heritage with innovation. It was exhibited at SEMA 2024 from November 5 to 8 in Las Vegas at the Toyota booth.
Prepared by: Ivan Mitić – Autoblog.rs
Source: autoblog.rs
