The GR KART was created out of a desire to make motorsports more accessible to children in hopes of inspiring a new generation of car lovers.
Toyota Times covered the GR KART this past July, showcasing its features and goals as an entry-level kart for children and adults alike.
It all started with a team of about 10 people hand-building each kart one by one in a corner of Toyota’s Motomachi Plant. This was followed by nationwide test runs, then, last year, a parent-child demo race at Suzuka Circuit. Toyota Times News presenter Yuta Tomikawa joined in as well despite just one day of kart experience, spinning twice but enjoying every bit of the fun.
The GR KART finally went on sale in September 2026. The Gamagori GR KART Workshop, a production site dedicated to these karts, was also completed in Gamagori City, Aichi Prefecture. Here, GR KARTs are built using production techniques developed through Toyota’s monozukuri and the principles of TPS.
Visiting the finished workshop, Morizo told the team, “I believe people who love cars will support the auto industry in the future, and I think karting is the entry point to that.”
How did the GR KART come to be? This 41-minute video traces the GR KART’s journey from development and sales launch to the completion of the workshop.
