In 2020, Japanese automaker Toyota, or more precisely its motorsport division Gazoo Racing (TGR), heated up the racing scene with the launch of the GR Supra GT4. Since then, the car has become a winning platform and continues to get better and better.
At the time of writing, TGR says there are just over 120 of these cars racing around the world. And in the four years that this has been the case, the model has built up quite the pedigree.
In the GT4 series and international racing, the Supra has reigned supreme in 11 countries and regions. The car has achieved over 500 podium finishes and has become the class champion in Asia, the United States and Europe.
All of this makes the car a pretty impressive platform, a track bully that you can't ignore if you want to. But as with any new racing machine, it wasn't the easiest to drive at first. That's why for last year's season Toyota made some changes to make it a little more user-friendly.
Previous updates focused on handling and engine performance, and the changes made have transformed the Supra GT4 into a beast suitable for multiple drivers of varying skill levels. And now, as teams prepare for the upcoming racing season, an even better version of the car has been revealed.
Enter the GR Supra GT4 EVO2, a track-focused beast designed for the 2025 racing season. It is expected to make its track debut in January, during the first round of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, a race that runs concurrently with the 24 Hours of Daytona. And it will debut with “improved performance, reliability and operability.”
Photo: Toyota
Technically speaking, the car is pretty much the same as ever. More specifically, its steel and aluminum body is pulled across the asphalt by a 2,998cc inline-six engine that powers a single twin-scroll turbocharger.
The engine draws fuel from a 32-gallon (120-liter) fuel cell system and is controlled via a modified ZF automatic transmission that features a paddle shifter. The engine’s 660 lb-ft of torque is sent to the ground via a Drexler limited-slip differential and a GKN Motorsport driveshaft.
The exhaust needs of the engine are handled via an Akrapovic racing exhaust system featuring a catalytic converter.
The car is fitted with 18-inch Oz wheels with Pirelli tyres and is supported by a suspension system consisting of a MacPherson strut at the front and a multilink setup at the rear, both supported by Kilogram adjustable racing shock absorbers. Stopping power is provided by Brembo hardware.
The Supra's interior is exactly as you'd expect from a race car, with a racing seat featuring six-point harnesses and a high-strength roll cage surrounding the cockpit.
All of the above are things that the racing Supra had before, but I said that TGR has made some changes for the upcoming racing season. They are more like tuning acts, but should make a difference for less experienced drivers.
Photo: Toyota
The first thing the engineers did was to fine-tune the abdominal muscles maps. This was done by testing the Supra on circuits in Europe and Japan with various drivers at the wheel. The modifications are designed to provide the best possible braking and cornering, taking into account track conditions, tyre type and tyre wear.
As for the transmission, the downshift time has been reduced (it is not clear by how much). A software update was used for this, which fine-tuned the rev-matching. This update should allow for better control during deceleration and higher cornering speeds.
Toyota has also modified the Supra's engine, brakes and transmission for improved cooling capabilities. The temperature inside the car has also been optimized to allow racing to be enjoyed even on hot summer days.
The Japanese are confident that these changes, although relatively minor, would make the car “easier to drive not only for professional drivers, but also for amateur drivers who ambitiously compete in GT4 races around the world.” This, in turn, should of course lead to more sales.
As for the price of the 2025 GR Supra GT4 EVO2, Toyota has only revealed how much it will cost in Europe. That would be €202,000, which in dollars at the time of writing translates to about $225,000.
For this, the teams get, as standard, a front splitter and a rear wing in natural fiber, traction control, ABS, a digital display and the indispensable racing data logger. On the safety and maintenance front, the GT4 offers a fire extinguishing system and an air jack.
There are, of course, pieces of optional equipment on the table that should drive up the price of the car. The list of such goodies includes a rearview camera, a tire pressure monitoring system, suspension travel sensors, and a hydration system.
Now that we know what to expect from Toyota in the upcoming racing season, we just have to wait and see what the competition comes up with. And we should hear about that very soon, with the next races practically around the corner.