Fresh from its win in the past weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans, Toyota has released a video teasing a tester for the race car being developed for the new Hypercar class set to replace the current LMP1 class as the top category of the World Endurance Championship.
Toyota hasn't told us the name of its new race car but the design was previewed a year ago with the GR Super Sport concept and then again last week with a teaser image of the actual racer.
Toyota is currently testing prototypes and on Saturday the automaker released a teaser video showing some of the development. In it, Toyota President Akio Toyoda hops behind the wheel to sample his company's latest baby.
Teaser for 2020/2021 Toyota World Endurance Championship Hypercar class race car
Toyota hasn't mentioned specs, but the GR Super Sport concept likely provides some clues. It featured a 2.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 mounted behind the cabin and sending drive to the rear wheels. An electric motor-generator was connected to this engine and also driving the rear wheels. A second motor-generator sat up front, thus forming an all-wheel-drive system. The combined output of the concept was 986 horsepower.
Per the regulations of the Hypercar class, Toyota will need to build road-going versions sharing powertrain components and additional elements with the race car. At least 20 road versions need to be built over a 2-year period.
There's still one season of LMP1 ahead of us as the Hypercar class is only being introduced for the 2020/2021 season of the WEC. In addition to Toyota, Aston Martin and Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus have both signed up and more manufacturers are expected to follow in the coming months.
