- Final GRIP anime short film drops on YouTube with a new GR teaser.
- Ending scene and garage shots spark speculation about the next debut.
- Toyota confirms a V8-powered GR model will officially debut December 4.
Toyota has added another chapter to its GRIP anime saga on YouTube, slipping in a few sly clues about an upcoming GR-badged model. The short film centers on a shadowy sports car that seems to signal a new member joining Toyota’s Gazoo Racing family.
More: Something Sinister Is Coming From Toyota GR To Challenge Ferrari
The new GRIP Movie concludes three five-episode seasons released across 2024 and 2025. Unlike the brief, minute-long chapters, this one runs just over nine minutes.
The story follows protagonist Jae Kang in his GR Corolla, locked in combat against an army of AI-controlled autonomous vehicles. It also cuts back to sentimental flashbacks of Kang’s father behind the wheel of an AE86, grounding the digital chaos with a dose of nostalgia.
Hidden Messages
Beyond the storyline, what really stands out is how cleverly Toyota’s marketing team uses the film to build anticipation for its next model reveal. The biggest clue appears in the final scene: a computer screen types, “Hello? Hello? Confirming Gazoo Racing inventory: 1. GR Supra, 2. GR86, 3. GR Corolla, 4. GR ….”
The screen cuts to black before revealing the final name, leaving fans to speculate. For those noticing the absence of the GR Yaris, that’s because the anime series was created for a North American audience where the small hatch isn’t available.
The Fourth GR
The leading theory points to the upcoming GR GT3 flagship supercar, which will feature a new hybrid V8. Toyota has already confirmed it will debut on December 4, followed by its first public appearance at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon on January 10.
More: How Toyota Plans To Keep The GR Celica And Supra From Overlapping
Another moment, though, offers a different trail to follow. In a garage scene, a covered sports car sits beside a GR86. Its angular fenders and mid-engined stance evoke memories of the 2023 FT-Se concept, which many believed previewed a new MR2.
Recent reports suggested that the new Celica might adopt a mid-engined layout, serving as a spiritual successor to both the original Celica and MR2.
Echoes of MR2
Fans of the series might remember an earlier clue. In Season 2, Episode 1, a whiteboard in the background displayed a hand-written list of future GR models: Supra, Celica, MR2, GR86, and GR GT3—complete with sketches of a combustion engine.
Since then, Toyota has confirmed new generations of the Supra and GR86, along with the Celica’s revival and the halo GR GT3 project. That still leaves one name unresolved: the MR2.
You can watch the GRIP Movie below and form your own theories. The covered car appears briefly at 2:24 and again at 3:05, while the cryptic computer screen makes its appearance after the credits at 9:19.
