Toyota RAV4 Gets Sporty GR Model

If you live in the United States, you've probably heard of Toyota Racing Development (TRD), Toyota's performance brand responsible for building sporty and off-road versions of the company's vehicles. Toyota has recentlyexpanded the TRD lineupwith new models while also introducing the US to its other performance arm, Gazoo Racing. Gazoo Racing is Toyota's performance arm in other markets and the racing division played a major role in developing the newSupra.

Toyota has already confirmed toCarBuzzthat theGR branded models are not comingto the US but a recent rumor from Japanese magazineBest Carhas us hoping the company will change its mind. According to Best Car, Toyota is currently working on a sporty GR version of theRAV4crossover.

Best Car says the RAV4 GR would abandon the base model's off-road focus to increase on-road performance. As seen in the rendering (pictured above), this would involve lowering the ride height and changing the appearance with body-color fenders rather than grey plastic ones. The rendering also depicts a GR-specific front end, new wheels, a rear spoiler, and plenty of Gazoo Racing badges, making the already attractive RAV4 look even better.

Information out of Gazoo Racing hints that development of the RAV4 GR has already begun with a release set for 2021. Japan already receives the Harrier GR Sport - a smaller crossover below the RAV4 - so a RAV4 GR makes a lot of sense in that market.