√2023 Toyota GR BZ4X electric performance SUV imagined

Toyota has invested significant time and money into both its Gazoo Racing performance division, and its upcoming BZ electric car range. What if the car giant was to combine the two?

The world’s largest car maker, Toyota, has committed to investing billions of dollars into the development of a new range of electric cars, with seven core ‘Beyond Zero’ (BZ) models to be joined by everything from utes to sports cars.

But unlike many other global car making giants, it’s also doubling down on performance car development through its Gazoo Racing (GR) division, from exciting sports cars and hot hatchbacks including the GR86 and GR Corolla, to further investment in endurance, sports car and World Rally racing.

However, it’s only inevitable these two efforts will cross – and a vehicle such as this could become the first in a line of GR electric cars, a mid-size performance SUV pitched at the Tesla Model Y Performance: the 2023 Toyota GR BZ4X.

Imagined by Drive Photoshop expert Theophilus Chin, our mythical GR BZ4X splits the understated, black-pack upgrades of the BZ4X GR Sport concept revealed earlier this year, and Toyota’s current GR Yaris and GR Corolla hot hatchbacks.

Blistered wheel arches hide wider performance rubber front and rear, which wrap around six-arm 21-inch alloy wheels with a design focused on aesthetics and cooling over aerodynamics.

The GR BZ4X’s unique front bumper, side sills and lower splitter are restrained in design – though the rear diffuser with a central Formula One-style brake lights evokes the flagship GR Supra coupe.

Backing up the sporty looks would be a significant performance upgrade over the standard BZ4X, offered with a choice of 150kW front-wheel-drive and 160kW all-wheel-drive layouts.

Above: The standard BZ4X, on 20-inch alloy wheels.

Picking from the Toyota/Subaru/Lexus electric parts bin would see another of the BZ4X’s 150kW front motors bolted to the rear axle, creating an 300kW all-wheel-drive super-crossover good for a 0-100km/h time under five seconds, down from the front-driver’s 8.4-second dash.

If developing new electrical components is an option, an output beyond 400kW would ensure the GR BZ4X holds bragging rights over its rivals – possibly from three motors, with rear-axle torque vectoring – backed by a larger circa-90kWh battery pack.

Either way, the power boost would be backed by adaptive sports suspension, enlarged performance brakes (possibly borrowed from the GR Supra or Yaris), and additional chassis welds for increased rigidity.

There’s no confirmation a 2023 Toyota GR BZ4X is on the way – though with Toyota vowing to ensure its electric cars aren’t “boring”, and previewing a sports car concept, it’s likely only a matter or time before a Toyota GR electric car reaches showrooms.

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