Toyota Gazoo Racing has just made a go-kart called… the GR Kart
One of the easiest and most accessible ways for people to get into motorsports is via karting. Whether you’re a young kid who is raised in a motorsports family like Max Verstappen, or an adult who wants to feel the single-seater need for speed, almost anyone can just pop by their local race track and hop in one of these.
As part of Toyota Gazoo Racing’s aim to make motorsports more accessible to more people, they’re doing something quite unique by producing their own kart called the, er, GR Kart.
The GR Kart go-kart’s main draw is its affordability, with a suggested retail price of JPY 385,000, or around Php 156,262 as of this time of writing. It measures 1,820mm long, 1,160mm wide, 670mm tall, has a wheelbase of 1,045mm, and is designed to fit within a Toyota Noah or Voxy (basically Innova or Zenix-sized MPVs) for easy transport to and from racetracks.
It features a sliding pedal box and a tilting steering wheel that allow both children and adults to fit comfortably, alongside a weight box that can hold up to 15 kg and a mounting point for a transponder.
The 215cc, four-stroke engine uses a belt drive designed to make maintenance easier, reducing the need for chain oil contamination and tension adjustment, alongside a new diaphragm-type carburetor without a float chamber, making it less susceptible to fuel-level changes caused by G-forces when cornering or braking. The rear axle is made of stainless steel for rust resistance, and metal fuel tank piping for resistance to deterioration from gasoline.
Enhanced safety features include a bumper shape designed to prevent other vehicles from mounting your rear tires in case of an accident, a rear hub stopper pin to prevent hub detachment, a surface on the seat for you to place your hands when going in and out to prevent burns from touching the exhaust, and a secured accelerator cable to prevent it from getting stuck open.
The kart will be sold in select go-kart tracks and GR Garage locations within Japan, but more importantly, Toyota Gazoo Racing will have plans for gradual expansion, which doesn’t rule out the rest of the world since there aren’t many restrictions for go-karts.
If Toyota Motor Philippines and Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippines were to introduce this locally, this would make for an excellent entry-level addition to its Gazoo Racing Philippine Cup, which has been slowly expanding to include the likes of the Tamaraw and other classes, and to help pave the way for young racers to successful motorsport careers.
Photos from Toyota Gazoo Racing
