Well This Certainly Doesn’t Look Like a Prius

Toyota's GR HV Sports Concept ain’t your mama’s hybrid

October 12, 2017 9:00 am

It’s clear from the jump that the GR HV Sports Concept is not your average Toyota. Why? We’re admittedly going to judge a coupe by its cover here, but it simply doesn’t look like one.

Maybe it’s the peacock-ish matte black paint job. Maybe it’s the menacing recessed front grille. Maybe it’s the fact that drivers can transition from automatic to manual transmission at the flip of a switch. Whatever it is, the concept is a stunning new take on the hybrid from the company responsible for the decidedly unsexy (if wildly successful) Prius.

Looking vaguely like a stealth bomber on four wheels, the rear-wheel-drive’s hybrid system shares DNA with the refined engine that is deployed in the TS050 hybrid racer that competes in the World Endurance Championship. It comes with plenty of other sporty standard features as well: LED headlights, aluminum wheels and targa top that’s also used with Toyota convertibles.

Toyota (3 images)

But despite the thunder under the hood, Toyota assures that the concept has all the “the environmental friendliness of an eco-car.” 

Set to debut at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month, the only other true tech specs we have are that its transmission is a six-speed and its heavy-duty hybrid battery is mounted in the center of the vehicle in order to improve performance.

Will some version of this car come to market? (Jalopnik points out that it bears an uncanny resemblance to the new Toyota 86.)

Who knows? But if it does, we imagine a few Prius owners are gonna be begging for a trade-in.

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