Toyota Fortuner GR Sport: The highly anticipated specie of GR Sport has finally been unleashed by Toyota on behalf to make already capable SUV more off-roading hard.
Inspired by the works of Toyota’s Gazoo racing arm, the custom-built special edition is said to be the toughest and fastest seven seater produced.
Expectation from industry experts is this aitis launch by Toyota as part of the strategic response to heavy demand for factory-chisel off-road vehicles by adventurers.
Substantial mechanical modifications, as opposed to merely cosmetic touches make the off road capability of this exclusive type of vehicle hard core and not just called that.
Toyota engineers worked closely with long-time off-road pro-shop owners to build a hardware-only package that makes the family SUV truly tough off-road.
Explorer Toyota Fortuner GR Sport Exterior: Unashamed Aggression
Fitness of the highly off-road serious-minded GR Sport exterior elevates substantially further from standard Fortuner models via significantly raised ride height, and more aggressive stance on all sides.
Function, not trend-settling fashion have been the priority by Toyotas designers with every exterior modification to the GR Sport being useful for off road capabilities.
Black hooded black honeycomb grille with wider vents to aid engine and transmission cooler airflow in the harshest low-speed battles.
Redesigned with an aggressive old school front and rear bumpers remove a maximum of 11 degrees on approach, 20 off departure — sizeable improvements for hills.
To help in factory-installed body protection rock sliders with steps to protect vulnerable rocker panels and not affect ground clearance such they are part of the factory spec.
Mechanical Upgrades – Stuff That Is Not For Show
At the core of the Fortuner GR Sport is an engine that is no stranger to many Toyota vehicles around the globe, now tuned to 204 horsepower and nice n’y torqueful 500 Nm from the 2.8-liter turbodiesel.
To help the six-speed automatic transmission keep pace with this level of torque in unfavorable off-road conditions, major reinforcements have been carried out to its components.
This is to give Lowspeed control even more benefits with a throttle map (calibrated for this little work) that is intended to modulate the throttle very precisely on rocks and steep descents.
The transfer case gets shorter low-range gearing (2.57:1 instead of the stock 2.27:1 for an easier way to push torque multiplication, improving over the obstacles.
Front and rear differentials are now active with electronic locking, allowing drivers forward motion as standard limited-slip will let up power in situations where not possible.
Engage the Impossible, Suspension-City!
Highest improvements in the suspension with GR-spec monotube shocks and external reservoirs for increased cooling provided by you going off-trail for a long while.
The spring rates are finely tuned to maximize increased articulation for the track day while keeping acceptable on-road manners in daily driver scenarios.
Wheels will be kept on the road thanks to an increase of front 30mm/ and rear travel 40mm — making it possible for the vehicle to ground contact despite extreme terrain.
The front stabilizer bar has been re-tuned for off-road use, with an automatic disaccociating that works when extreme roll angles occur.
Toyota Fortuner GR Sport to wheel and tires: facing every terrain on land
As standard, the Fortuner GR Sport comes with a 17” forged aluminum wheel in its standard outfit that puts performance ahead of style – an intelligent choice if you’re planning on doing serious off-road.
True beadlock wheels have been tailor made for these applications; such tires can run at unbelievably low pressures without risk of the bead coming loose while under lateral load.
It is more than a little bit scratch resistant and abrasion proof, as well, as dark matte work provides extra scratch resistance that would see more polished surfaces dulled within minutes of initial contact with dirt.
Tires: Standard rubber 265/70R17 BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 (175mt/85mt) — chosen for their mid-pack performance on specific terrains (mud / rock etc)
Its aggressive sidewall design even includes puncture resistant protection lugs protecting the tire from rocks when riding over rocks.
Features: Practical Comfort For Adventures
The GR Sport has a different feel to it inside with water-resistant synthetic leather seating surfaces that combie durability with comfort for long journeys.
Soft Red stitching and GR logos on the headrest perform a savy reminder of vehicles sporty background.
Featured in the instrument cluster is a custom off-road information display that shows live data information such as real time axle articulation, differential lock status and incline angles.
Tech boost: Aluminum pedals come with rubber inserts to ensure you retain control, an important consideration for the mod throttle required through technical sections.
The steering wheel should feel thicker and has been added more red mark at 12 o’clock to give clear orientation during those challenging movements.
Toyota Fortuner GR Sport Technology Package: All Tech, No Compromise Designed for Intensity and Capability
9″ touchscreen infotainment gets further off-road tech: legal topographical data; trail locations for more remote areas.
Toyota adds some extra mud, sand and rock mode tuning to the Multi-Terrain Select system that has been beefed up with modes adapted specifically for those conditions.
A 360-degree 3D Safety Dynamic Monitor view ensures the Multi-Terrain Monitor camera system provides full visibility around the vehicle, important when coping with restricted trails and approaching objects nearby.
Adjustments have also been made to the performance of Downhill Assist Control for slower descent speeds, helping to keep an even descent on almost pitch black hills.
Modern for it’s non-road speeds and purpose Crawl Control serves as a cruise control in the off road woods, allowing a vehicle at low speed to move throughout bumpy terrain without the driver needing to apply control or brakes.
Wilderness protection goes well at home
Toyota spared none on GR Sport and its purpose-stamped hardtails have access to the all tools of Toyota Safety Sense as a result.
Pre-Collision System has been tuned for better operation at lower speeds as off-road driving usually translates to slower speeds.
Features such as Dynamic Radar Cruise Control has an off road mode that keeps the vehicle safe while driving together on dirt.
Extra underbody protection shields the fuel tank and transfer case / differential housings from impact damage.
Market Segmentation: There is Banking Worth Having
The Fortuner GR Sport shows itself to be a real off road competition to special purpose 4×4’s such as the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and Land Rover Defender
The GR Sport aside, performance capabilities notwithstanding: not even the warranty included but Toyota has their full network behind it.
It is aimed at serious enthusiasts who want true factory reliability and priced at a premium at $84,990 before onroad costs.
Compared to more off road-focused brands that are less represented at the dealership level, Toyota has a large network of dealers across its extensive dealer network and offers great service access.
Seven-seater configuration keeps family utility that purpose built off road vehicles sacrifice for specialist capability.
Driving Mode: Capability Inspired Confidence
In the driver’s seat, an immediately recognizable speciality of the GR Sport becomes apparent with its high seating position and excellent outward visibility.
Steering: The exactitude demanded from off-road work and desire to be able to smoothly whip the wheels around with any degree of day-to-day driving ease gives steering feel an impressive balance.
Not to mention, the impressive acceleration time of 0-100 km/h in 9.5 second is respectable for a diesel SUV with this kind of purpose-built off-road packages.
Low gear lasting without much intervention is not a problem thanks to the recalibrated transmission logic that keeps the gears where they should in both ascent and descent.
