Toyota Prius GRMN Should Get Around 300 HP and Looks to Match the Extra Oomph

Rumors coming all the way from Japan hint at the arrival of a potential high-performance version of the Toyota Prius, which should get the GRMN (Gazoo Racing Masters of Nurburgring) tag.

The GRMN treatment would bring additional output, better aerodynamics, and road behavior, improved structural rigidity, as well as enhanced looks. A suspension setup for sharper handling should also be part of the plan. The Gazoo Racing engineers should also upgrade the braking system that would have to deal with the extra power the car is getting.

In terms of styling, we should be seeing what the Toyota Prius Centennial GR Edition Concept showed at Le Mans. Toyota has never confirmed that a potential production version would arrive any time soon, but design elements might be carried over by a Prius GRMN, in a toned-down version, though.

The concept car, a tribute to the competition, came with a carbon fiber hood, 235/50R18-inch tires, and exclusive aerodynamic wheels. On the GRMN version, we should, though, see redesigned front and rear bumpers, side skirts, and a rear wing for extra downforce. Larger wheels should also be on the menu.

The upcoming version should be powered by a modded 2.0-liter engine integrated in a plug-in hybrid system for a total of over 300 horsepower. The powertrain delivers 220 horsepower in the standard top-of-the-line version, 99 more than its predecessor.

But the GRMN-badged version should get at least 300 horsepower, which would be around as much as the RAV4 Prime comes with: 302 horsepower (306 PS). But the Prime is powered by a plug-in hybrid system that integrates a 2.5-liter engine, while, according to the reports coming from the Japanese media, the Prius will stick to its 2.0-liter engine. There is no information on whether the upcoming sports version will get front-wheel or rear-wheel drive.

The Toyota Prius rides on the TNGA architecture, and so would the GRMN version, but with a setup more appropriate for a sports car. Toyota has been working on the simulated manual gearbox technology, so that might also show up on the Prius GRMN. Originally designed for EVs, the system can also be fitted to ICE-powered cars.

If Toyota will indeed bring the GRMN version of the Prius, it should debut sometime in 2024 to give some time to the only one-year old fifth-generation model to have its own share of fun on the market. The Japanese carmaker will reportedly skip the GR version and go straight to the GRMN. The GR should, though, arrive at a later date, a strategy that Toyota also chose for the Yaris version.