- Gazoo Racing is dropping the Toyota name to go fully solo.
- Rebrand starts with the GR GT and wraps by January 2027.
- Expect GR Celica and GR MR2 to skip Toyota badging entirely.
Toyota’s performance arm is finally stepping out from the corporate umbrella. What was once an internal motorsport project is now officially a standalone brand. Toyota Gazoo Racing is dropping the Toyota name and will go by Gazoo Racing, or simply GR, a move that’s been widely anticipated since the debut of the GR GT supercar.
More: Toyota Targets Rolls-Royce And Ferrari, But This Time It’s Dead Serious
What began as a race-focused sub-brand has gradually developed into a distinct high-performance arm, complete with its own production lineup. Structurally, Gazoo Racing now sits above the economy-minded Daihatsu and the core Toyota brand, but still below the premium Lexus and the flagship Century in both positioning and price.
New Identity with a Familiar Mission
Toyota says the rebranding is part of a return to Gazoo Racing’s roots, aimed at streamlining the relationship between motorsport engineering and street car development. At the same time, it sees the move as a way to speed up talent development and create a more direct flow of technology between the track and the road.
Despite the shift, Gazoo Racing will still handle customer racing programs, rally entries, and performance road cars. More specialized efforts like factory endurance racing are being spun out into a distinct operation under the name Toyota Racing.
The first model to leave the Toyota badge behind entirely is the GR GT supercar. A competition version of the same car is also in the works and is slated to enter GT3 racing series.
We expect the updated branding will carry over to future versions of the GR Yaris and GR Corolla hot hatches, along with the eventual replacements for the GR86 and GR Supra sports cars.
New Models On The Horizon
In addition to the vehicles already mentioned, Toyota has officially confirmed that a new GR Celica is coming, marking the return of a nameplate that’s been dormant for two decades. Meanwhile, recent trademark activity and teaser campaigns have fueled speculation about an all-new GR MR2, reportedly with a mid-engined layout.
More: Akio Toyoda Teased A Mid-Engined Two-Seater, And MR2 Rumors Are Flying
According to Toyota, the full “logo transition” will be phased in gradually, with completion targeted for January 2027. This timeline gives the company enough room to roll out updates, facelifts, and refreshed model years that replace the Toyota emblem with a more prominent GR badge across the lineup
