Toyota’s Electric Crossover Goes Full Race Mode with the bZ Time Attack Concept

Toyota has a habit of appearing unexpectedly, and the 2025 SEMA Show in Las Vegas is no exception. Amidst the roaring clamor of customized muscle cars and the brilliant glimmer of chrome everywhere, the automaker just unveiled the bZ Time Attack Concept, a battery electric crossover built for the track. Toyota created this vehicle to slice corners on time attack circuits and power up challenging hillclimbs.

The concept is based on the 2026 all-wheel drive bZ and does not travel far from its roots. Even the base bZ has 338 horsepower and accelerates to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, making it quick enough for everyday driving but unsuitable for tight turns. Toyota’s Motorsports team literally stretched the foundation to its limits. They flared out the body six inches on each side, increasing the track width by a foot and allowing the tires to dig in without rubbing against the wheel wells. And then they dropped the ride height another six inches, so the car is now skimming along barely above the pavement, almost as if the road is hissing at you. All of this is covered in a pearl white base with metallic black accents and red highlights, which will undoubtedly draw attention when people approach to take a closer look.

The true details are where the in-depth technology and some old-school know-how come into play. Along with the complex computer software, it was the hands-on approach of some of the company’s brightest that brought this thing together – mapping every curve of the body with lasers and then creating the parts with 3D printers, hand sanding them smooth to achieve that perfect fit. The Add Lab in Kentucky took care of the prototype work, allowing the team to trade ideas and move forward in days rather than weeks. A front splitter slices the air like a hot knife through butter, side skirts and a rear diffuser smooth out airflow beneath the car, and a wing casts a shadow across the trunk from behind. The fenders have vents punched into them that direct cold air into the batteries and engines, preventing anything from overheating during a hot lap. Step up close to this beast in a garage and you’ll spend hours just tracing the lines of the unique parts, each one telling a story of trial and error in order to make this speed machine go.

Power lies at the center of why this concept grabs you and won’t let go. Dual electric motors, one up front and one in the back, transfer torque to all four wheels via that ‘Through the road – all-wheel drive’ business. Toyota experts have remapped the electronics to produce over 400 horsepower, a significant increase that will likely bring the 0-60mph time closer to four seconds flat. There’s no word yet on how far it’ll go on a single charge, but the heat and weight management system appears to have the potential to change the rules of electric racing. This proprietary engine control software manages the surge, ensuring that power flows smoothly and relentlessly without the drama of a slipping clutch. When you combine it with the broader track, things begin to get fascinating because you can see how a family run-around transforms into something after racing records.

Grip is the next step; raw power without control is essentially spinning wheels in circles. The business end of suspension is handled by TEIN coilover shocks and springs, which absorb bumps while keeping the body flat in the corners. These are the exact same settings that Toyota uses in their own racing; they allow the car to lean into its limits without folding under strain. The brakes come straight from the same playbook, with Alcon calipers clamping down on rotors and Hawk pads that have been tested to destruction in the 86 Cup and Corolla touring car races. Even after repeated hard braking, there is no sign of fade; only firm, reliable braking that builds your confidence lap after lap. Then there’s the 19-inch BBS rims, each 11 inches wide to match the stance and dressed in 305/30 Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 rubber. Those tyres aren’t simply huge; they’re designed to withstand the kinds of lateral forces that can change a straight line into something you’d rather forget.

When you step inside, you feel a shift in your gut. The ordinary family car’s soft seats and silent carpets are no more. An FIA-approved roll cage of 4130 chromoly steel is welded across the cabin, transforming the frame into a sturdy fortress while adding no weight. Up front, you’ll discover OMP HTE-R buckets that will keep you in place, along with six-point harnesses that click home like a vow you’d make to stay safe. There are no back seats, trim, or sound deadening, so the car is lighter and easier to focus on. The dashboard remains, but the unusual push-button shifter has been repositioned to allow for more elbow room – while the remainder of the cabin is focused on the driver. The gauges light with data on speed, temperature, and battery status – and that’s it – no distractions whatsoever. Sit there, and the world outside slips away; it’s just you, the wheel, and the next turn demanding your name.
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