Toyota GT 86 race car prepared by Gazoo Racing

Toyota GT 86 race car prepared by Gazoo Racing

Years in the making, long spied at test tracks around the world, and often displayed at auto shows, Scion’s new 2013 FR-S is now just weeks away from hitting showrooms along with being just a few weeks away from making its international racing debut.

The Scion FR-S, or more accurately, its Toyota GT 86 twin, will be competing in the arduous Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance racing taking place next month.

Two of the cars will be racing around the Green Hell, both of them fielded by Toyota’s motorsports partner Gazoo Racing.

Gazoo Racing is the same firm that has been racing the Lexus LFA supercar--in prototype and completed stage--in the Nürburgring 24 Hours since 2008 and this year it will field an LFA as well as the two GT 86 coupes. The GT 86s will be competing in the SP3 class, while the LFA will compete in the SP8 class. Both classes require naturally-aspirated, production engines.

Among the list of drivers will be the legendary Akira Iida, 24 Hours of Le Mans participant Masahiko Kageyama, Super GT GT300 champions Hiroaki Ishiura and Kazuya Oshima, and Toyota test drivers Yoshinobu Katsumata and Takagi real.

The 2012 Nürburgring 24 Hours takes place from May 17 to 20.

Lexus LFA race car prepared by Gazoo Racing

Lexus LFA race car prepared by Gazoo Racing