Toyota plans high performance sub-brand
Performance brand to launch range of new sports cars beginning with the Supra coupeToyota is primed to launch an all-new performance sub-brand that will rival Renault Sport and Volkswagen's famous GTI brand.
According to Automotive News, Toyota will introduce its new sports car division as early as next month at a special event in Japan.
The decision to create a new high performance sub-brand, says the US newswire, is an initiative within the Japanese car maker to make cars that are more "emotional and aspirational" rather than "reliable and utilitarian".
A global performance division will also tie together what Toyota is already doing in other markets, like the US-based Toyota Racing Development (TRD), which has already won over respect from performance-car fans.
That said, Automotive News reports it's still not certain the brand and its products will be offered in markets outside of Japan. The first car released by the new sub-brand will be the new Supra early next year.
The move to introduce a new performance car division follows the recent re-organisation of Gazoo Racing Co (GRMN) - Toyota's dedicated global motorsport brand.
It's already been confirmed by Toyota that in the future GRMN would continue to specially tune models in the car maker's line-up following the perceived success of the supercharged Yaris GRMN that's sold in Europe.
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