In Thailand, Toyota has launched the Fortuner GR Sport variant. It comes on the heels of the Toyota Hilux GR Sport, and is vastly different from the Fortuner GR Sport that was launched earlier in Indonesia. So what’s new with this Toyota Gazoo Racing-branded midsize SUV?
The new Fortuner GR Sport variant for the Thai market
Exterior
At a glance, one can see that the Fortuner GR Sport is based on the top-of-the-line Fortuner LTD. And like that variant, it comes with a two-tone color scheme. The new Thai-spec GR Sport variant however now bears a lower grille that looks similar to the Toyota GR Yaris. Furthermore, it also has gloss black emblems, and a set of black colored 20-inch wheels.
The Fortuner GR Sport from the rear
Interior
As with many GR Sport variants, the Fortuner GR Sport gets a predominantly black interior with contrasting red stitching. The front seats also have embroidered GR logos, and the steering wheel looks different with its perforated leather and GR logo on the lower spoke. The said wheel also gets a red 12 o’clock marker.
Moreover, the new Fortuner variant uses a smoked silver trim piece for the center console, as well as aluminum pedals. It also gets a gear shifter and interior door trim pieces that are clad in black leather and adorned with smoked silver trims.
Like other GR Sport variants, its seats also get embroidered GR Sport logos
And like the Vios GR Sport, the Fortuner GR Sport is likewise equipped with a new gauge cluster with GR Sport branding. Other than that though, it gets the same interior features as the Fortuner LTD.
Tech and Safety
Like the Fortuner LTD, the Fortuner GR Sport released in Thailand also gets an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also gets a nine-piece speaker system as well.
Its safety kit is also identical to that of the Philippine top-spec Fortuner. So this means that it is equipped with anti-lock braking with electronic brake-force distribution, hill-start assist, auto-dimming rear-view mirrors, seven airbags, stability control and traction control.
It retains the same interior arrangement as the Fortuner LTD
Additionally, it also has Toyota Safety Sense. This collection of driver-assist features includes lane departure alert, radar adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, a pre-collision system, among others.
Engine
While the Fortuner GR Sport gets a whole lot more aggressive in terms of looks, its mechanicals remain identical to the Fortuner LTD.
Under its hood is a 2.8-liter turbodiesel inline-4 engine, which can make 201 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque. It then uses a six-speed automatic transmission which sends power to all four of its wheels. And of course, the aforementioned tranny has a paddle-shifter controlled manual mode.
Would you like to see the Fortuner GR Sport in the Philippines?
So, is the Fortuner GR Sport coming to the Philippines? Well, it is highly likely since Toyota Motor Philippines already has the Vios GR Sport, and the Yaris GR Sport. So yeah, the only question now is when.
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