The Toyota GR HV Sports Concept Is Wild!

Toyota has previewed two concept cars before their official unveiling at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. The more radical of the two is this: a heavily modified GT86 (the only sportscar in the company's lineup currently) with a targa top (a compromised convertible), a racing-inspired petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain and a manual gearshift.

The Toyota GR HV Sports concept is Japan personified, creatively brilliant with a strong twist of weirdness. While the concept has close semblance to the GT86, the design on the outside seems to have taken inspiration from many different Toyota cars. 

The front seems to be inspired by the Toyota TS050 Hybrid Le Mans Prototype racecar, while the front and side fenders seem to have taken inspiration from the abandoned 222D Group S rally car. The targa roof is a throwback to cars like the legendary Supra, while the rear-end design borrows heavily from the Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell sedan.

Inside, the GR HV Sports uses the basic design from the GT86 but continues with the weird twist theme from the outside. The instrument cluster is all-digital, and the aftermarket-like centre display doubles up to show various performance gauges. But the weirdest thing here is the gearshifter.

Toyota says that the GR HV Sports concept uses a hybrid drivetrain, with a petrol engine at the front and a mid-mounted battery, with power sent to the rear wheels via an automatic transmission. The weird thing is, Toyota has tried to cater to the enthusiastic driver by offering an H-pattern-shifting manual gearshift instead of paddle-shifters!

When driven normally, the gearbox can be controlled by the simple-looking buttons on the dashboard marked P-R-N-D. Press the button marked M and you can use the gearshifter to row through the gears. The gearshifter is not physically connected to the gearbox, neither is there a clutch pedal. Maybe Toyota is targeting the new age enthusiast who wants to shift gears like in a video game when he/she wants to.

While it is too early to become excited about this concept spawning a road-going version, the hybrid powertrain could be the answer to those complaining about the lack of power in the GT86. More details about the Toyota GR HV Sports are expected to be revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show which will be held from October 27 to November 5, 2017.

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