Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division has just unveiled an unexpected addition to their stables with the Prius hybrid, drawing inspiration from the illustrious 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is celebrating its centenary this week.
This formidable creation, dubbed the Prius 24h Le Mans Centennial GR Edition, exudes an aura of dominance, drawing cues from the victorious Toyota GR010 Hybrid hypercar, a champion of the Le Man’s race for the past two years.
Imbued with a track-focused demeanour, the Prius GR Edition boasts a captivating array of exterior enhancements. Its visage is transformed by an aggressive body kit, featuring a redesigned front bumper adorned with motorsport-inspired multi-headlamps flanking a larger honeycomb intake. Not stopping there, the front end proudly showcases a prominent splitter, twin sets of canards, and a lightweight carbon-fibre bonnet.
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The profile exudes a sense of purpose with its black fender flares, side sill extensions, and eye-catching “Racing Hybrid” decals. At the rear, the Prius inherits a fixed rear wing, a wide diffuser, and rear fender extensions inspired by the endurance racing realm.
This striking Prius GR Edition stands as a part of a special exhibition that commemorates Japanese triumphs at Le Mans. The display, crafted in collaboration with Mazda, the first Japanese winner of the event with their rotary-engined 787B in 1991, and artist Masahito Soda, explores a multitude of carbon-neutral solutions for the future of motorsport.
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Among these solutions are electrification, hydrogen power, and sustainable internal combustion engine (ICE) fuels, all paving the way towards a greener future.
Equipped with newly minted 18-inch alloy wheels enveloped in 235/50R18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, the hybrid concept embraces a “wide-track” suspension setup to elevate its handling prowess. While Toyota Gazoo Racing has not divulged any modifications to the Prius’ hybrid powertrain, they confidently assert that this captivating concept delivers outstanding driving performance, attributing it in part to the exclusive wheels and performance aerodynamic components inspired by the TGR’s GR010 HYBRID, a force to be reckoned with in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
The Le Mans exhibition, organized by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) in collaboration with Mazda and Toyota Gazoo Racing, serves as a platform to showcase motorsport-derived technologies from Japanese automakers. Accompanied by the artistry of manga artist Masahito Soda, the exhibit aims to communicate the shared objective of attaining a carbon-neutral society through electrification, hydrogen power, and carbon-neutral fuels.
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