You might not associate the Toyota Prius with athletic prowess, but the brand has unveiled a sporty version of its planet-friendly hybrid car.
Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) this week unveiled the Prius 24h Le Mans Centennial GR Edition concept vehicle at the Le Mans circuit, paying tribute to the famous endurance race which has its centenary this weekend.
Toyota has won the race for the past five years and the perked-up Prius forms part of a joint Japanese exhibit being held at Le Mans with Mazda, which won the 1991 Le Mans 24 Hour with its rotary-powered 787B.
Based on the latest, fifth-generation Prius launched late last year, the concept Prius is beefed up with aerodynamic and traction improvements by way of exclusive performance aerodynamic parts including side skirts, canards, large rear wing, and rear diffuser. It also sports a lightweight carbon-fibre bonnet, wide-track suspension and 235/50R18-inch tyres on exclusive aerodynamic wheels.
Completing the sporty makeover are multi-headlamps for improved night-time visibility. There are no drivetrain upgrades and the car runs on the standard 2.0l petrol-electric hybrid set-up pushing out 164kW, with an all-electric range of up to 69km.
What does a fuel-sipping Prius have to do with Le Mans racing? TGR has been honing hybrid technology at Le Mans and in other World Endurance Championship races since 2012 and the tech has been applied to production vehicles such as the Prius.
Toyota’s GR GR010 hybrid Le Mans racing car features a 3.5l V6 petrol engine powering the rear wheels, while the front wheels are driven by a 200kW electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery.
Toyota hasn’t said whether the concept Prius will make it into production.
Toyota Gazoo Racing unveils a sporty Prius
The beefed-up hybrid pays tribute to the Le Mans 24 Hour race which has its centenary this weekend
Image: Supplied
You might not associate the Toyota Prius with athletic prowess, but the brand has unveiled a sporty version of its planet-friendly hybrid car.
Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) this week unveiled the Prius 24h Le Mans Centennial GR Edition concept vehicle at the Le Mans circuit, paying tribute to the famous endurance race which has its centenary this weekend.
Toyota has won the race for the past five years and the perked-up Prius forms part of a joint Japanese exhibit being held at Le Mans with Mazda, which won the 1991 Le Mans 24 Hour with its rotary-powered 787B.
Based on the latest, fifth-generation Prius launched late last year, the concept Prius is beefed up with aerodynamic and traction improvements by way of exclusive performance aerodynamic parts including side skirts, canards, large rear wing, and rear diffuser. It also sports a lightweight carbon-fibre bonnet, wide-track suspension and 235/50R18-inch tyres on exclusive aerodynamic wheels.
Completing the sporty makeover are multi-headlamps for improved night-time visibility. There are no drivetrain upgrades and the car runs on the standard 2.0l petrol-electric hybrid set-up pushing out 164kW, with an all-electric range of up to 69km.
What does a fuel-sipping Prius have to do with Le Mans racing? TGR has been honing hybrid technology at Le Mans and in other World Endurance Championship races since 2012 and the tech has been applied to production vehicles such as the Prius.
Toyota’s GR GR010 hybrid Le Mans racing car features a 3.5l V6 petrol engine powering the rear wheels, while the front wheels are driven by a 200kW electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery.
Toyota hasn’t said whether the concept Prius will make it into production.
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