The GR Supra GT500 entered its fifth Super GT season in 2024, running in a mature, evolution-spec form far removed from its 2020 debut. In the No. 39 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SARD entry, Yuhi Sekiguchi and Yuichi Nakayama carried SARD's decades-long Toyota racing partnership onto circuits from Okayama to Motegi, representing one of the most historically grounded GT500 programmes on the grid.
Introduced in 2020 to replace the Lexus LC500, the Toyota GR Supra GT500 borrows its bodywork lines from the A90 GR Supra road car but is built over a purpose-designed carbon-fibre GT500 monocoque that meets JAF GT500 regulations. Power comes from the NRE 2.0-litre inline-4 turbocharged engine — a standardised unit shared across all three GT500 manufacturers (Toyota, Honda, Nissan) with identical internal components mandated by the regulations to equalise performance across the field.
SARD, Number 39, and a Partnership Stretching Back to the 1990s
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SARD — Société d'Applications et de Recherches en Dynamique — has been a Toyota motorsport partner since the 1990s, making the No. 39 car one of the most historically continuous entries in Super GT. The 2024 livery continues the team's red, white and black corporate palette with DENSO among the primary sponsors, a partnership itself long embedded in Toyota's motorsport identity. Yuhi Sekiguchi, a dual competitor in both Super GT and Super Formula, brings significant single-seater and touring car experience to the SARD cockpit, while Yuichi Nakayama has raced alongside him in the GT500 class across recent seasons.
Spark Model and the 1:43 GT500 Range
French manufacturer Spark Model has built one of the most comprehensive GT500 replica programmes in 1:43, covering the series systematically since the mid-2010s. Their construction combines a resin body with photo-etched metal detailing — a method well suited to capturing the complex aerodynamic surfaces and sponsor graphics of GT500 cars. This model reproduces the No. 39 SARD GR Supra in its 2024 season specification, with Sekiguchi and Nakayama credited on the model.
In the Display Cabinet: Building the 2024 GT500 Grid
Spark's systematic season-by-season approach makes the No. 39 SARD entry a natural component of a complete 2024 GT500 grid set. It sits alongside companion pieces such as the No. 36 au TOM'S GR Supra and No. 14 ENEOS X PRIME GR Supra, all in 1:43. For collectors focused on Toyota's racing lineage, the No. 39 also connects directly to the preceding SARD Lexus LC500 entries, offering a clear generational narrative on the shelf.
Frequently asked questions
What car does this model represent?
The No. 39 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SARD Toyota GR Supra GT500, raced by Yuhi Sekiguchi and Yuichi Nakayama in the 2024 Autobacs Super GT Series GT500 class.
Who makes this 1:43 scale model?
Spark Model, a French manufacturer known for resin racing car replicas with photo-etched detail, with an extensive Super GT coverage running across multiple seasons.
What is the SARD team's connection to Toyota?
SARD — Société d'Applications et de Recherches en Dynamique — has been a Toyota racing partner since the 1990s. The No. 39 entry is one of the most historically continuous GT500 programmes associated with Toyota.
Which other models pair well with this one?
Spark's 2024 Super GT GT500 range includes the No. 36 au TOM'S GR Supra and No. 14 ENEOS X PRIME GR Supra, among others, allowing collectors to assemble a full 2024 GT500 grid.
