- New Zealand is one of the first countries to launch GR as a separate brand under the Toyota umbrella.
- The brand will live in separate areas of select Toyota dealerships across the country.
- TNZ hope to make them 'hubs' for GR enthusiasts and will also offer a full range of performance parts and merchandise.
While Toyota's move to position its Gazoo Racing (GR) division as a distinct, standalone brand experience signals a major shift in how the manufacturer engages with its high-performance customer base, it raises significant questions about the practical implementation of this strategy.
How will these specialised vehicles be showcased, serviced, and supported, and what does this mean for the future of the dealership network?
To shed some light on these questions and provide clarity on the strategic direction of the GR brand, we sat down with Andrew Davis, Chief Strategic Officer for Toyota New Zealand, at a recent event held at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park for the launch of the GRF-70 racing car, where he offered some insight into how the company plans to balance this new, enthusiast-focused identity with its existing retail operations.
Davis started off by emphasising a customer-centric approach to the GR brand's growth - instead of a standalone dealership model, GR-focused hubs will be established within current Toyota stores.
"They'll be integrated within Toyota, and then we'll just see how we go for growth," he said.
"What we're finding is more customers want to experience the cars. How do they get demonstrators? We've got to make sure we've got facilities that can offer that, and have the right people that can talk to customers."
Davis said the strategy also considered the practical needs of GR vehicle owners, from routine maintenance to enthusiast modifications.
"If customers buy one, can they get it serviced? And what does an enthusiast do if they want to do work to their car? You've got to have dealerships that can accommodate that."
Interestingly, Toyota is not limiting the opportunity to major city centres. The company is taking a flexible approach, allowing passionate dealers in any location to participate.
"We don't necessarily want to limit the dealers based on just location," Davis said. "If you've got a really passionate, enthusiastic store somewhere in a more remote area, and they want to give it a go, why not? Because generally, what you find is they'll find customers."
While the high-performance GR models like the GR Yaris, GR Corolla and GR86 will be the focus of these specialised dealer sections, the more accessible GR Sport variants will remain available across the entire Toyota network.
A key part of the brand's evolution is the surprising success of GR Parts and merchandise, which allows fans to connect with the brand even if they don't own a GR car, something Davis is also very conscious of, and eager to capitalise on.
"We're offering GR parts now. It's quite surprising with the GR parts range what's selling. Whether that be steering wheels or it's even gearbox stuff, there's exhausts, there's software. If consumers want it, why not provide it? And if they want to connect with GR as a brand, that's cool too.
"Merchandise is something that's actually been getting bigger and bigger for us every year. And that's the sort of stuff that makes the brand more accessible to customers. When people get enthusiastic about a brand, they want to know how they can attach themselves."
Perhaps one of the most innovative offerings is a software update for first-generation GR Yaris models, a concept typically associated with electric vehicles.
This upgrade allows owners to enhance their car's performance characteristics with the latest developments presented in new models, demonstrating a commitment to continuous evolution and allowing current owners to adjust steering sensitivity, throttle response, and more, to tailor the car for different driving scenarios, such as track days or hill climbs.
"The thinking was twofold. One is don't leave customers behind necessarily with the car they've bought, and the other is keep evolving it, which is quite different," Davis said.
