Toyota is launching a factory for racing go-karts to inspire young drivers, with prices starting below $2500. The plant will produce affordable built-to-order karts, with the automaker targeting costs below $2500 per kart.
If you're a fan of racing, particularly of the open-wheel or sports car formats, you're probably aware that go-karts are generally considered the entry point to motorsports. The folks over at Toyota are well aware of that little tidbit, which is part of why the automaker announced on Friday that it will open a racing-kart factory, according to Nikkei Asia.
View Price on AmazonThe karts will be branded GR and carry Toyota's Gazoo Racing logo on them. According to Nikkei, the carts will be sold at various kart tracks as well as at dedicated GR car dealerships.
Toyota is planning to price the karts below $2500, with pricing expected to range between $2180 and $2400. The new factory will be built near Toyota's headquarters near Nagoya, Japan, and will utilize the auto goliath's production technologies and low-cost materials to keep pricing down. When it first opens, the plant will produce between 1000 and 2000 karts per year, with every model built to order.
The automaker hasn't given any tech specs regarding the GR karts, though the brand seems to be targeting more approachable karts first. "We'll build entry-level karts and hope to see kids move up to more advanced models," Tomoya Takahashi, president of Toyota's motorsports division, said to Nikkei Asia.
Toyota hasn't given an exact timeline for when the karts will become available, but the automaker will reportedly consider selling the GR karts in international markets.
Source: caranddriver.com
