Toyota Prius 24h Le Mans Centennial GR Edition is a hybrid in a racing suit

The modest Toyota Prius entered its fifth generation with a much more aggressive-looking design than its predecessors, and designers took advantage of the new look to give the hybrid the Gazoo Racing treatment. However, the model is a concept and the powertrain is unchanged.

Only the fastest and most powerful members of the Toyota range are given the Gazoo Racing (GR) badge; the Supra, the GR86, the GR Corolla and the GR Yaris sold abroad all fall under the sub-brand umbrella. It would have been utterly unthinkable five years ago to see the Prius join the ranks of GR models, and it shows just how far the hybrid segment’s poster child has come in terms of design.

The exterior gets the most modifications. Toyota added a carbon fiber hood to save weight, redesigned headlights and a full body kit that included canards on the front bumper, side skirts, a sizable rear wing (on a Prius!) and a rear diffuser. The 18-inch wheels sit further out thanks to a wider suspension system. We’re told these updates make the Prius more aerodynamic while improving traction.

Interior photos have not been released and Toyota didn’t have much to say about what the concept looks like inside. The company hasn’t published any tech specs either, suggesting (but not confirming) that it’s standard Prius fare under the sheet metal. If you’re waiting for an all-wheel-drive Prius powered by the GR Corolla’s 300-horsepower three-cylinder engine, you’re likely to be disappointed.

Power for the standard Prius comes from a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain (of course you already knew that) that consists of a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor. The two powerplants develop 194 horsepower, which is a big improvement over the last generation model’s 121 horsepower, but not enough to unlock a hot hatch-like power-to-weight ratio. All-wheel drive adds a second motor and boosts power to 196, while the plug-in hybrid Prius Prime offers a 220 horsepower powertrain thanks to a larger electric motor.

Toyota claims it developed the concept, whose full name is Prius 24h Le Mans Centennial GR Edition, to celebrate 100 years of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Plans to put the model into production have not been announced and we don’t know what the future holds for it.

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