It seems pretty much everyone is keen to take on the likes of BMW M and Mercedes-AMG these days. The latest? Toyota…
The Japanese automaker’s motorsport arm, Gazoo Racing, currently plies its trade in racing series such as WEC and Dakar, and is set to take the Yaris into the 2017 WRC season, too.
And now, in an interview conducted by Autocar, Gazoo boss and chief of Toyota’s powertrain division, Koei Saga, has revealed that he is keen to offer Gazoo Racing performance cars for the road, even if the market in some parts of the world appears somewhat saturated.
“In Europe, the challenge is bigger because we have more competitors here, and it is also an issue of cost. However, I am very much working on that so we can have a brand like the M brand,” he told Autocar.
Gazoo has already created a slightly tweaked GT86 with power, suspension and aerodynamic enhancements. Some 100 units were produced (exclusively for Japan) and sold out swiftly. Back in 2012, the brand also developed a twin-charged Sports FR concept, which delivered 235 kW from its 2,0-litre engine.
A Gazoo performance arm would be yet another possible competitor for the Germans, with the likes of Volvo’s Polestar and Hyundai’s N divisions also seeking a slice of the pie.
