IndiaAIFounders — The GR Kart is Toyota’s latest grassroots motorsport offering

Toyota has officially announced detailed specifications on the GR Kart, an entry-level racing kart reported to be in development earlier in the year. The automaker’s goal with the kart is to leverage its experience with building cars to provide a more affordable and accessible entry point into motorsport, in line with the Gazoo Racing sub-brand’s mission of “making ever-better motorsports-bred cars.”

Consideration was also placed on making the GR Kart easy to live with. Common headaches associated with kart racing include recurring maintenance needs and storage and transport requirements—both of which add on top of the high initial cost.

PHOTO BY Toyota

The GR Kart measures 1,820mm long, 1,160mm wide, and 670mm tall and weighs 83kg. These dimensions mean it can be loaded in the back of an MPV. Toyota provides its Voxy and Noah minivans as examples of vehicles that carry the GR Kart. Although these models aren’t available in the Philippine market, it’s easy to imagine the Hiace, Liteace, and even the Tamaraw as good candidates for the job.

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Measures to simplify maintenance include a belt-drive system with an automatic tensioner and a built-in self-charging battery. The vehicle can also be stored upright without having to drain its fluids, thanks to specially designed internal tanks that provide a space for fluids to settle naturally without causing spills.

PHOTO BY Toyota

Plenty of safety measures have been engineered into the GR Kart, including a rear bumper that prevents other karts from riding up onto the rear tire during a rear-end collision and a dedicated surface to place a hand while getting on and off the kart that prevents accidental contact with a hot muffler.

The GR Kart also accommodates both children and adults from 135cm to 185cm tall. The pedals are mounted on a sliding rack, while the steering wheel has tilt functionality. Both are easily adjustable “with a single touch” for added convenience.

PHOTO BY Toyota

The GR Kart will be built at the Gamagori GR Kart Workshop in Aichi Prefecture, and will be sold at select karting tracks and GR Garage locations in Japan for JPY385,000 (around P157,000). No plans have been shared to offer the kart outside of Japan.

Would you be interested in GR Karts making their way to the Philippines to support grassroots racing? Let us know in the comments if you think the local motorsport scene has room for these karts.

More photos of the GR Kart:

PHOTO BY Toyota

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