1 week ago
Toyota’s GR GT Draws Buyers Before Sales Officially Begin
Toyota is building a very special sports car called the GR GT.
Many more people want one than the company plans to make at first.
Toyota says the car is not officially sold yet because it has not taken deposits or chosen specific buyers.
Instead, it is beginning a process to select owners.
The company wants people who will actually drive the car, not immediately sell it for more money.
The GR GT has a twin-turbo V8 engine, an electric motor and two seats.
Toyota says it is designed to be fast and enjoyable to drive, both on racetracks and ordinary roads.
Deliveries are expected to begin around 2027.
This unusual buying process has made people ask Toyota for permission to purchase a car that is still being developed.
Toyota says its initial U.S. allocation of 200 to 250 GR GTs is already oversubscribed, not formally sold.
More than 150 prospective buyers reportedly configured cars with Toyota representatives at The Quail during Monterey Car Week.
Toyota has accepted no deposits and has not matched buyers to cars; its formal selection process is beginning.
The company wants owners who will drive the car rather than store it or quickly resell it for profit.
Deliveries are expected around 2027, while global production figures and any Indian allocation remain undisclosed.
- Who
- Toyota, including Toyota North America executive Andrew Gilleland, and prospective GR GT buyers.
- What
- Toyota’s initial GR GT allocation is oversubscribed, but the company has not officially sold or assigned the cars.
- Where
- The initial allocation discussed is for the United States, with buyer interest also reported at The Quail.
- When
- The demand was highlighted during Monterey Car Week; deliveries are expected around 2027.
- Why
- Toyota wants to select owners who will drive the car instead of storing it or flipping it for profit.
Driver-focused selection
Engineered scarcity concerns
Choosing owners
Driver-focused selection
Toyota says it wants genuine drivers who will use the GR GT rather than keep it in storage or immediately resell it.
Engineered scarcity concerns
Critics can view the process as giving a mass-market manufacturer the exclusive, invitation-based purchasing power associated with brands such as Ferrari and Ford.
Limited supply
Driver-focused selection
Toyota’s limited production supports its aim of making the GR GT a distinctive driver-focused halo car and preserving its intended purpose.
Engineered scarcity concerns
Producing fewer cars than demand encourages scarcity and may create large resale premiums, potentially strengthening the flipping market Toyota wants to discourage.
“Sold out” claim
Driver-focused selection
Toyota had enough interested buyers to account for its entire expected initial U.S. supply, showing exceptionally strong demand.
Engineered scarcity concerns
The car was not technically sold: no deposits had been accepted, no names had been assigned and the formal selection process had only just begun.
Key facts
- Initial U.S. allocation
- Expected to be approximately 200 to 250 cars.
- Formal sales status
- No deposits have been accepted, and no buyers have been matched to cars.
- Reported interest
- More than 150 hopeful buyers reportedly configured cars with Toyota representatives at The Quail.
- Powertrain
- A twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 assisted by an electric motor, targeting more than 650PS and 850Nm.
- Performance target
- A claimed top speed exceeding 320kmph and a target weight below 1,750kg.
- Production and deliveries
- Deliveries are expected around 2027; global production remains undisclosed.
- Indian availability
- Toyota has announced no Indian allocation.
Sources
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