High on the list of sentences we never thought we’d write is this: Toyota is planning a sportier evolution of the Prius with modifications such as a performance-tuned suspension system, according to a recent report. The model could make its debut in Japan by the end of 2024.
While nothing is official yet, Japanese website Best Car claims Toyota’s go-fast division has a long list of modifications planned for the fifth-generation Prius. The GRMN-badged model will allegedly be based on the plug-in hybrid Prime, which stands out as the most powerful member of the range with 220 horsepower and a zero-to-60-mph time of 6.6 seconds. The publication learned from unnamed sources that increasing the electric motor’s output is difficult so engineers will focus on squeezing more power out of the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine.
How much? It’s too early to tell, but the Prius GRMN will reportedly be powerful enough to warrant a number of chassis changes. It will get a firmer suspension system to reduce body roll and improve handling and bigger brakes to keep the extra power in check, and weld-related modifications will make the body more rigid. The usual assortment of visual tweaks inside and out will set the GRMN apart from the Prime.
Toyota hasn’t commented on the report, and it hasn’t announced plans to build a Prius that feels at home on a track. If the report is accurate, the Prius Prime GRMN will make its debut at some point in 2024. There’s no word yet on whether we’ll see it in the United States.
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