Road vs. Race: An Explanation of the Aerodynamics in the Toyota GR GT and GR GT3

      Joel Feder

      

      

      

      

      

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      The Toyota GR GT is being presented as a street-legal adaptation of the GR GT3 race car, and in many surprising aspects, it truly is.

      On Friday at Fuji Speedway, The Drive had the opportunity to compare the new Toyota GR GT and GR GT3 side by side. The design similarities are strikingly numerous.

      This aligns with GR GT Project Manager Takashi Doi's statement to the press on Thursday, which noted that the road car and GT3 race car were developed concurrently from the beginning. However, the GR GT3 is derived from the GR GT street car, requiring the team to determine how to share and fully utilize as many common components as possible, according to Doi.

      Both vehicles utilize the same aluminum chassis, and share the design as well.

      The body panels share similar designs, particularly in relation to most aerodynamic features.

      Joel Feder

      The shapes of the front grilles are identical, although the race car features a somewhat more open, mesh-filled grille area compared to the street version. The hoods differ slightly, with the race car hood incorporating a large air extraction point to expel heat from the radiators. The street car, on the other hand, has a mail-slot intake to allow air under the hood and facilitate extraction over the hot turbo setup.

      Joel Feder

      The front fenders of the GR GT3 include louvers for air ventilation, which are absent in the street version. Each vehicle has a significant air extraction point positioned behind the front wheel; however, the race car has side-exit exhaust located just beneath this area in the side sill, while the street car does not include this feature.

      Both models feature similar shoulder lines along the sides of the doors, directing air towards rear fender-mounted intakes to cool the rear components. In the street car, this airflow cools the transaxle, whereas in the race car, it cools the transmission, which Toyota has yet to detail.

      Joel Feder

      The rear deck showcases comparable ducktail spoilers, though the GT3 race car is equipped with a large additional spoiler mounted on stanchions attached to the chassis.

      The shapes of the rear bumpers are similar, and the lower rear diffusers also share curvature lines, despite the street car featuring a quad exhaust configuration at the rear.

      The overall shapes, body panels, and aerodynamics between the two cars are remarkably alike, with both models sitting surprisingly low. It remains to be seen how much of the GT3 race car's additional aerodynamic features and design will be incorporated into a more powerful GR GT in the future, but the foundation is being established and refined on the track.

      Toyota covered travel, accommodation, and provided raw fish, which I definitely did not consume, to enable this first-hand report.

      If you have any tips about car design, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].