Toyota Add Jalopnik on Google: Google Discover Getting a child on the path to Formula 1 seems way out of reach for most families, especially when the sport's top prospects are born with a silver spoon and a cradle mounted to a go-kart. But one automaker is hoping to make racing more accessible by producing and selling an affordable kart for families. Toyota launched the GR Kart last week for 385,000 yen, or just under $2,500. As the price point suggests, the kart is available only at seven GR Garage locations and 36 karting tracks across Japan. Toyota The GR Kart is the heart of an entire ecosystem that Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman Akio Toyoda hopes will make karting as common a participatory sport as baseball or soccer. The kart itself was designed from the ground up to be easy to use and maintain. The 215cc four-stroke engine is easy to start, with a built-in, self-charging battery and a primer pump that draws fuel into the carburetor before the engine starts. Instead of a chain, the kart uses a belt-drive system with an automatic tensioner. There are even internal metal fuel lines inside the fuel tank so owners don't have to worry about gasoline degrading plastic lines over time. These small details make the kart's maintenance much easier for novices. Not to mention, the GR Kart's adjustable pedals and steering wheel can accommodate anyone between 4'5" and 6'0" tall. Toyota wants the GR Kart to be easy to own Toyota Toyota even considered how families would store their karts and get them to the track. The Japanese automaker designed the GR Kart so it could be loaded into its JDM minivans, like the Noah and the Voxy, without disassembly. With the GR Kart weighing in at 183 pounds, two adults should be able to lift it in and out of a vehicle, or use a small ramp to push it in. Toyota is even selling securing fixtures to make it easy to transport in the back of its minivans. At-home storage is another aspect considered in the GR Kart's design. The 26-inch-tall kart can be stored upright thanks to an engine oil catch tank and a fuel filler opening designed to be tilted 90 degrees. Toyota Once someone buys a GR Kart, they need somewhere to race it. Toyota created a dedicated app for the GR Kart that includes a "driver's passport." Drivers must pass an online test, then a practical exam at a participating GR Garage or kart track to obtain a passport. The passport allows owners to drive their GR Kart at participating tracks. However, drivers will need a traditional license to compete in GR Kart races run by SL Kart, Japan's largest karting organization. I'm excited to see how this concept will impact motorsport in Japan. Who knows, maybe a future Japanese F1 driver will start their career in a GR Kart.
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