Japan’s Biggest Automaker Spins Up an Entirely New Brand to Live Alongside Toyota and Lexus

Toyota Gazoo Racing will now just be Gazoo Racing and serve as ‘Yota’s standalone performance division.

Close-up of a black honeycomb car grille with a "GR" emblem in the center, featuring a black and red background, set against a yellow car body.

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Published January 7, 2026

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Updated January 8, 2026

It’s official: Gazoo Racing is now Toyota’s performance subbrand. The automaker officialized the move ahead of its press conferences at the Tokyo Auto Salon.

Years in the making, Toyota’s motorsports division grew at a rapid pace, becoming a fixture and symbol of performance for Japan’s largest automaker. So yes, that means Gazoo Racing, or GR, is what NISMO is to Nissan, M is to BMW and AMG is to Mercedes-Benz (and so on).

What does this news bring? Well, for starters, that means we can expect an influx of fast and fun cars from the brand that was once seen as “the most boring carmaker.”

Just don’t call them Toyotas

Black and red "GR" blocks next to black and red text reading "GAZOO Racing" on a white background. — Toyota’s Gazoo Racing will now be solely referred to as just “Gazoo Racing.”

A little while ago, Toyota and Lexus shocked the world with the GR GT supercar and the LFA Concept. The automotive world first took note of the clues when the GR GT didn’t feature any Toyota insignias or badges anywhere.

For those who knew what this could mean, it was a sign. The new coupes were more than just a product and a halo car showcase.

In December 2025, Toyota held a massive press conference to reveal the GR GT and Lexus LFA Concept.

Toyota

For Toyota, it signaled a turning point that Gazoo Racing was going to grow even more. After finding success with the Supra revival and the second-gen 86, both of which are badged as GR models (GR Supra, GR86) the automaker chose to keep the momentum going.

Then came the GR Corolla, the GR Yaris in Europe and Asia. And now, the division says we can expect more fun models to be on the way. But fans and enthusiasts are also probably wondering, “what does this mean for Toyota Racing Development, or TRD?”

Well, we’re wondering about that too. But Toyota hasn’t really explained what GR means for TRD.

Blue Toyota Supra sports car driving on a racetrack with mountains in the background under a clear sky. — Gazoo Racing came into public view when Toyota launched the fifth-generation GR Supra revival.

TRD was once Toyota’s official performance division. But with GR likely replacing it, it’s safe to say TRD is probably falling to the wayside and into the pages of Toyota history.

More fun Toyotas…ahem…GR’s are on the way

Three sleek, modern sports cars in metallic gray shades on a reflective floor with a dark, smoky background. — The GR GT, with its absence of Toyota badges, was the first clue of Gazoo Racing becoming a standalone brand.

With the official establishment of Gazoo Racing as Toyota’s in-house performance branch, this, of course, means we can expect more fun, performance models in the near future.

Details are limited. However, the automotive world is anticipating several new arrivals. Such include a sixth-gen Supra, an MR2 revival and even a next-gen GR Corolla.

Gazoo Racing is Toyota’s fifth sub-brand, joining Daihatsu, Lexus, and Century.

Toyota

One thing all of these performance models will share in common is that they won’t be branded as Toyotas. To keep with Gazoo Racing’s ethos of being a standalone sub-brand, Toyota is treating the division as its own separate entity.

GR will operate similarly to Lexus and its other sub-brands, Daihatsu and the more recently established Century.

Rear view of a gray Toyota GR Yaris with a prominent black rear spoiler, dual exhaust pipes, and distinctive red tail lights, driving on a curved road with trees and guardrails in the background. — Although not for our shores, the rest of the world gets to enjoy the GR Yaris.

But GR won’t just be sticking to road-going production cars. It’ll continue to evolve as Toyota’s motorsports division, with plans to compete in all the top racing leagues, including the FIA World Rally Championship.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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