ON THE ROAD – IAN LYNAS PREVIEWS THE SECOND GENERATION TOYOTA YARIS GR

When Toyota’s motorsport-bred high-performance hatchback, the Yaris GR burst onto the scene it was widely praised and I must admit when I tested the first generation model like so many others I was blown away. Now news of a second generation model which features an in-line three cylinder 1.6 litre turbocharged engine with increased power to 280bhp, 206 kW, with a Torque of 390 Nm. This GR has a new eight-speed GAZOO Racing Direct Automatic Transmission option with competition-standard rapid shifting. The cockpit features a redesign, tailored with race car-inspired digital instrumentation and improved location of key controls and data sources and the engineers have delivered increased body rigidity and strengthened the suspension.

With the first Yaris GR came superb handling and lots of grip, again full-time all-wheel drive and new selectable drive modes. Single Circuit specification version to be offered in Europe, with powertrain cooling package as standard. Toyota Gazoo Racing engineers, the Master Drivers, and race and rally professionals have worked together in the spirit of constant improvement to enrich the new models essential character as a driver first car, one that is all about the special experience you enjoy from the moment you get behind the wheel and press the start button. The promise is that with the new Yaris GR everything that made the original such a success has been improved; it promises to set itself even further ahead of the competition. However, you will have to wait to get your driving hands on this newcomer as it will not be available across Europe until the summer.

This new benchmark in performance reaffirms the car’s supremacy in its class, increasing its advantage over the competition and delivering an authentic race car feel that reaffirms how Toyota has realised its ambition to build a rally car for the road. When I tested the first generation model, it was like stepping into a competition car and the amount of driver enjoyment delivered I have rarely felt in any car; for me, it was a winner right from the word go. Steps have been taken to ensure durability is maintained and again, the race track and the rally stage were the proving ground, with the engine tested to breaking point in the Japan Rally Championship and the Japanese Endurance Race series. Other details include a strengthened valve train, a new exhaust valve material and an increase in the D-4ST fuel injection pressure and new lightweight pistons with wear-resistant rings have been fitted and a new intake pressure sensor has been added. The number of gears are up from six to eight which allows the transmission to have closer ratios and benefits from a new torque control system and a compact, high-response linear solenoid. Using highly heat-resistant material in the gear-shift clutch and adjustments tuning of the control software have produced world-class shifting speeds. Shifting in the D-range is of competition standard and the predictive gear selection function aligns perfectly with the driver’s intentions. Cooling requirements are addressed with the installation of an automatic transmission fluid cooler as standard.

A new drive mode selection function is available to tailor the car for both sports driving and everyday use, with Sport, Normal and Eco modes engaging different settings for the electric power steering, air conditioning operation, throttle response and the driver’s instrument display. Versions equipped with the Gazoo Racing Direct Automatic Transmission, the gearshift feel and selection are also adjusted; shift feel is response-oriented in Sport mode and has a balance between shock and response in Normal and Eco modes. In Sport mode, response is prioritised in the D range, while using M range ensures the quickest shifting. You will find that working within the rev band from 4,900rpm to the 7,200rpm red line puts them at the heart of the action.

As with the current GR Yaris, optimum grip and traction are achieved with the GR-FOUR electronically controlled, permanent all-wheel drive system; this has been specifically developed for the car, this adjusts the balance of front and rear-wheel drive in three modes to suit the driving scenario, Normal, Sport and Track. Performance is matched by style, the GR Yaris is a three-door car and very much a model in its own right: only the rear light clusters, antenna and door mirrors are carried over from the standard hatchback and every element has been revised to achieve optimum downforces, aerodynamics and grip. At the front there is a new steel mesh for the lower grille, optimised for the best balance of thickness, strength and weight reduction and the side grille has a larger opening and lower bumper has a new split-construction that makes it easier and less costly to repair or replace. At the rear, an opening in the bottom edge of the lower garnish allows air from beneath the floor to escape, reducing drag, improving the car’s manoeuvrability and stability and dispersing heat from the exhaust system. This is a machine designed for road and track. Toyota will produce special editions of the new GR Yaris, named after two of its World Rally Championship drivers, the Sébastien Ogier Special Edition and Kalle Rovanperä Special Edition which are based on concept models shown at the 2023 Tokyo Salon and they will be unveiled at the Monte Carlo Rally, the opening round of this year’s FIA WRC, which takes place later this month.

Ian Lynas