Toyota has surprised everyone by unveiling a sporty concept version of its popular hybrid car, the Prius GR Edition, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Prius 24h Le Mans Centennial GR Edition is a tribute to the iconic endurance race and Toyota’s success in it with its GR010 Hybrid race car.

The concept Prius features a number of modifications that make it look more aggressive and aerodynamic than the standard model. It has a carbon-fiber hood, a large rear wing, dive planes on the front bumper, and a rear diffuser. The track has been widened and the 18-inch wheels are unique to the concept. Toyota did not reveal any details about the powertrain, but we assume it has been upgraded from the regular Prius Prime’s 220 horsepower.

The Prius 24h Le Mans Centennial GR Edition is not just a cosmetic exercise, but also a showcase of Toyota’s commitment to developing high-performance GR-badged cars. GR stands for Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s motorsport division that also produces road-going models such as the GR Supra, GR Yaris, and GR Corolla. Toyota has hinted that it might add more GR models to its lineup, including a possible GR Camry.

Toyota is also exploring how to incorporate electrification into its GR range, as it believes that hybrid and electric technologies can enhance the fun-to-drive factor of its cars. Toyota is also experimenting with hydrogen-powered cars that use an internal combustion engine instead of a fuel cell.

The Prius 24h Le Mans Centennial GR Edition is unlikely to go into production, but it shows that Toyota is not afraid to challenge the stereotypes of hybrid cars and make them more exciting and appealing to enthusiasts.