[AutoGuide.com]

Racing a Prius might sound like the start of a joke, until you see this. Unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon in Japan, this Toyota Prius is fully prepped and sporting its race livery. Significantly wider and lower than a factor model, this Prius is designed to compete in Japan's Super GT racing series starting this year.

Regulations in the series are loose, so there's little left of the original Prius here, although the original's sleek aerodynamic shape is still obvious. Also of note is that the car appears to retain a hybrid drivetrain with the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive logo on the back. Another hint is the massive sponsorship by Panasonic, which supplies the batteries for the road car.

Exactly how this hybrid racer will do remains to be seen and we'll have to wait for the first round of the Super GT series in March to find out.

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