Toyota hasn't even unveiled the new Supra road car yet, but the company has already started evaluating the racing version. This prototype for the track-spec machine competed in a recent event at the Nürburgring, and spies were one hand to take plenty of photos.

Toyota wasn't aiming to take a victory but instead focused on developing the car. According to the spies, this meant that the car made plenty of trips into the pits, and the engineers weren't trying to hide the machine's mechanical bits from the camera.

Gallery: Toyota Supra Race Car Spy Shots

38 Photos

This prototype is still closely related to the road-going Supra rather than gaining the parts to go GT3 or GT4 racing. For example, elements of the production model's interior are still in place, and this provides an undisguised look at the center stack (above). A wide infotainment screen sits on top. Then, there is a strip of vents, and the radio controls underneath them. At the bottom, there are two dials and the HVAC controls. The console looks straight out of a BMW, including the gearshift, rotary controller, and drive mode buttons.

These shots also offer an undisguised look at the Supra's engine bay (above), and it's an absolute mess in there. At a minimum, expect the production version to have a plastic cover to hide this rat's nest of wires. Since this is a prototype, Toyota's engineers might be able to clean things up before putting the car on sale, too. The current layout isn't nearly as clean as the fourth-gen Supra (below), though.

The road-going Supra launches at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, in January. We don't yet know about when the racing version makes an official competition debut. In addition to this one, there will be another competition variant specifically for the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Source: Automedia