The 2019 Toyota Mark X GRMN is a classy-looking sedan with a powerful V6, rear-wheel drive and six-speed manual transmission. Hot damn. It’s like one of your favorite BMWs from the 1990s with today’s Toyota reliability. In other words, straight out of Jalopnik’s dream journal.
Evo drew the same conclusion reporting from the 2019 Tokyo Auto Salon, noting that “this generation of Toyota Mark X has been on sale for the best part of 15 years now.” The nameplate has been around since 2004, but it looks like the current second-generation actually launched in 2009. So it’s an ancient design any way you slice it, but it’s not exactly a well-known car in America since it has never been sold here.
Of this sweet GRMN version in particular, Toyota says it only plans to sell 350. Which is a real shame because I absolutely love the subtle design, chunky interior and spec sheet on this thing.
The car’s naturally aspirated 2GR-FSE V6 engine makes a claimed 314 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, which gets to the beautiful 19-inch BBS rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission and a limited slip differential. Unique springs and dampers, plus the decorative bits you see in these pictures, round out the package. Evo pointed out that versions of that same powerplant also reside in the Lotus Elise, Exige and Evora.
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So it can move when it wants to, under the right applications.
And oh yeah, it’s got a manual handbrake. HALLELUJAH.
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The Mark X GRMN’s curb weight stands at 3,439 pounds, and a carbon fiber roof you can add for ¥270,000 (about $2,500) is supposed to save another 22.
The car will list at ¥5.13 million, which is around $49,000 and actually sounds like a mostly OK price for Toyota’s take on the Chevy SS?
You can dive deeper into details on Toyota Japan’s Mark X site.
I think the Toyota Mark X GRMN looks cool as hell, and if we don’t get to see it on American streets, I hope we at least catch one in a Fast and Furious movie or a Japanese reboot of The Transporter.
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