Toyota's latest Gazoo Racing creation transforms the humble Camry into a wild 700-hp engineering experiment.
Toyota has unveiled a Camry unlike anything buyers will ever find at a dealership. Developed by Gazoo Racing, the one-off sedan packs two engines, an all-wheel-drive layout, and close to 700 horsepower. The unusual machine made its debut during the Super Taikyu 24-hour race, an event where Japanese automakers often showcase their more unconventional ideas.
At first glance, the car's widened fenders, aggressive bodywork, and side-exit exhaust hint that this is no ordinary family sedan. But the real story lies underneath.
Powering the front wheels is Toyota's familiar 1.6-liter turbocharged G16E-GTS three-cylinder engine, the same unit found in the GR Yaris, GR Corolla, and Lexus LBX Morizo RR. In this application, it produces 300 horsepower.
Behind the front seats sits an entirely different powerplant. Mounted where the rear passenger compartment would normally be, Toyota's new 2.0-liter turbocharged G20E engine sends roughly 400 hp to the rear axle. The result is an unusual combination of seven cylinders spread across two separate engines, effectively turning the Camry into an experimental all-wheel-drive performance machine.
Production plans aren't on the table. This is purely an engineering showcase, recalling some of the automotive world's more outrageous concepts, such as the Volkswagen Scirocco Bi-Motor and the Mercedes-Benz A38 AMG. For enthusiasts, the most interesting takeaway isn't the twin-engine layout itself, but what it suggests about the future of Toyota's GR lineup.
More importantly, the new G20E turbocharged engine is no longer just the subject of rumors. Toyota is now displaying the powerplant in a functioning vehicle, even if the presentation is intentionally over the top.
Toyota also brought a second Camry to the event—a black custom build inspired by Japan's bosozoku culture. According to Japanese reports, this version uses the new four-cylinder engine mounted up front, drives the rear wheels, and features a manual transmission.
Its interior is just as outrageous as its exterior. Designers fitted the cabin with a fur-covered dashboard, a glass shift lever, decorative cigars, and even a chandelier. These radical Camrys may never reach production, but sometimes the wildest concept cars reveal more about an automaker's future than its carefully polished production debuts.