Toyota has registered the GR GT logo, and Mazda is continuing production of the Mazda6 despite its withdrawal from the Japanese market. This information was reported in today’s AM Drive, a daily review of automotive news that is worth checking out before getting in your car.
In January 2022, Toyota surprised everyone by unveiling the GR GT3 concept at the Tokyo Auto Salon. Patent images of this sports car were also discovered in the European Patent Office in the same year, suggesting the existence of a production version without a large spoiler. At that time, Toyota had already confirmed that work on the project had begun.
Moving to January 2024, the same EUIPO website now shows an interesting GR GT logo. Our colleagues from Auto Guide discovered this trademark, which was registered on January 19th. We have attached it here to the patent image of the GR GT3.
The million-dollar question is: Does Toyota plan to use this logo for a sports car? There are other possible scenarios, one of which suggests that it is a designation for an upcoming race car. Last year, the Director of the Toyota WEC team, Rob Leupen, stated in an interview with our partner site abczak.pl that the GR GT3 will participate in the WEC in Europe from 2026. During the same interview, he also confirmed that the date (2026) aligns with the plan for a road car that follows Toyota’s philosophy of having a car built based on motorsport. “It’s developing at this moment,” he said. He also confirmed that the road car is likely to be branded as a Lexus, so it is unlikely that it will be named the Toyota GR GT. Of course, this is subject to change if the decision-makers alter their plans.
The most exciting possibility that comes to mind is the potential introduction of a production version of the GR Super Sport hypercar with over 1000 horsepower. However, this car has already been around for five years since its debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon in 2018. Regardless of how it turns out, we can expect a duo of sports cars from Toyota and Lexus, one aimed at track driving and the other for the road.
Meanwhile, the Mazda6 refuses to die. After ending production for the United States in 2021 and the United Kingdom in 2023, Mazda is withdrawing the Mazda6 from the Japanese market but will continue production for export markets. According to a company spokesperson quoted by Car Expert, the production of the Mazda6 will also be continued in Vietnam. The Mazda6 is one of the oldest cars available on the market, with the third generation of this model existing since 2012. Despite surpassing 12 years, while the normal lifecycle of a car is around 6-7 years, this model will still be produced for some time. Mazda’s Australian division has confirmed that the Mazda6 will remain on the Australian market.
As for the next-generation Mazda6, Mazda rules out using a new rear-wheel-drive platform. When the end of production for the Mazda6 in Japan was announced last week, the company stated that the gap left by it would be filled by cars from the CX lineup. However, many of us know that this is not true because there are people who would prefer to have a sedan or wagon.
The source of the article is from the blog mendozaextremo.com.ar