Almost a 12 months on from its reveal on the Tokyo Auto Salon, essentially the most hyped scorching hatch of the previous decade has lastly arrived in Malaysia. The Toyota GR Yaris has been launched, making it the second Toyota Gazoo Racing product to make its debut right here after the GR Supra.
Lower than 200 items might be made obtainable regionally, priced at RM299,000 on-the-road with out insurance coverage. For that, you get the top-of-the-line Efficiency Pack which, because the title suggests, provides a complete host of performance-enhancing goodies, which we’ll come to in a second.
For a restricted time, patrons may even obtain an Early Hen Bundle that features a helmet bag, a GR Yaris scale mannequin and a GR Yaris Driving Expertise subsequent 12 months. The pack is alleged to be value RM5,000, which presumably makes up the saving you get from a 50% discount within the gross sales and providers tax (SST). The three obtainable colors are Platinum White Pearl, Emotional Pink II and Treasured Black.
The GR Yaris is a homologation particular of types, enabling Toyota’s World Rally Championship (WRC) staff to bake in some essential hardpoints for the what was purported to be subsequent 12 months’s rally automotive. That automotive was sadly cancelled as a result of coronavirus pandemic, however the GR Yaris remains to be no much less fascinating.
The pocket rocket is the one variant of the European and Japanese Yaris to come back with three doorways, and its bespoke physique is 45 mm decrease than the common five-door. Extra importantly, the trailing fringe of the roof is a whopping 95 mm decrease, permitting for the fitment of a bigger and extra environment friendly rear wing on the WRC automotive.
Pronounced fender flares give the automotive a thuggish stance and add 60 mm in width. The large rectangular decrease grille feeds air into the engine, radiator and intercooler, whereas the vertical air intakes on both aspect cool the brakes. On the rear, you’ll discover a big decrease diffuser and twin spherical exhaust pipes. The entrance splitter, bumper nook lips, largely flat underfloor and rear spoiler assist improve downforce and cut back drag.
The dashboard has been largely carried over however with just a few element modifications. The 4.2-inch multi-info show will get a display that exhibits the workings of the all-wheel-drive system, the setup of which will be manipulated utilizing the rotary controller forward of the gearlever. Talking of which, the shifter has been raised by 50 mm, placing it nearer to the driving force’s attain and permitting for quicker shifts.
Additionally fitted are sports activities seats with elevated cushion padding and thinner backs, a three-spoke GR steering wheel and specially-positioned sports activities pedals. As for practicality, the GR has a a lot smaller boot at simply 174 litres, although you’ll be able to nonetheless fold the 60:40 split-folding rear seats for extra baggage house in the event you so want.
The bespoke componentry extends to the engine, a G16E-GTS 1.6 litre turbocharged three-cylinder. Touted as each the biggest and strongest three-cylinder in manufacturing in addition to the smallest and lightest 1.6 litre turbo round, it comes with D-4S port and direct injection, in addition to a single-scroll turbo built-in with the exhaust manifold.
We get the European-spec engine that produces 261 PS at 6,500 rpm and 360 Nm of torque from 3,000 to 4,600 rpm – 11 PS and 10 Nm down on the Japanese one. Even so, it will get from zero to 100 km/h in simply 5.5 seconds on its method to an electronically restricted prime pace of 230 km/h.
In what might be music to the ears of purists, the GR Yaris is just obtainable with a six-speed guide gearbox, full with a rev-matching perform. The GR-4 all-wheel-drive system has been developed particularly for the automotive – Toyota’s first such system in 20 years – and ditches the heavy centre differential in favour of a multi-plate clutch within the rear differential to distribute torque to the entrance and rear wheels.
Drivers have three completely different settings for the torque break up to select from. In Regular mode, the automotive sends round 60% to the entrance wheels and 40% to the rear, whereas Sport mode has a 30:70 break up so as to add some rear-drive dealing with traits. Observe mode dials it again to a 50:50 break up for max efficiency. The system additionally comes with a rear-axle disconnect perform that permits drivers to yank the guide handbrake (as a substitute of the digital parking brake in the usual Yaris) to slip right into a nook.
This all-wheel-drive system is the explanation why Toyota has spliced up two of its platforms for the GR Yaris. The entrance finish retains the identical GA-B underpinnings as the usual automotive, however the rear finish makes use of the C variant from the Corolla and C-HR as a substitute. This enables the fitment of double wishbones on the rear, making house for the differential and half shafts.
On the entrance, the MacPherson strut suspension has been retained however sports activities bolstered hub bearings, decrease arms and their related bushings, plus revised anti-roll bars and redesigned knuckles that improve unfavourable camber and optimise the automotive’s roll steer traits. The bespoke dampers have elevated response, whereas the steering has been retuned for better alacrity and suggestions.
Going hand-in-hand with the uprated chassis, the physique shell has been stiffened and lightened for this utility, with elevated spot welds and structural adhesive and a bolstered rear finish. A cast carbon roof and aluminium doorways, tailgate and bonnet shave round 27.5 kg and allow the physique to weigh round 38 kg lower than the earlier Yaris. All-in-all, the GR Yaris ideas the scales at 1,280 kg.
Bear in mind what we mentioned in regards to the Efficiency Pack goodies? Get some tissues to wipe up your drool, as a result of our GR Yaris will get Torsen limited-slip differentials on the entrance and rear to shuffle torque backward and forward. Additionally fitted are light-weight 18-inch BBS ten-spoke cast alloy wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, together with stiffer springs and anti-roll bars, retuned dampers and tweaked energy steering settings.
There are additionally GR-badged, red-painted brake callipers – the four-piston entrance stoppers clamp on 356 mm discs (even bigger than the Supra’s), whereas the two-piston rear callipers are matched to 297 mm discs.
Commonplace tools contains LED headlights, daytime working lights, fog lights and taillights, keyless entry, push-button begin, dual-zone computerized local weather management, a head-up show, a entrance dashcam, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a show audio system with a seven-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a reverse digital camera and 6 audio system.
Regardless of the efficiency bent, the GR Yaris doesn’t compromise on security, because it’s fitted with the total Toyota Security Sense suite of driver assists. These embody autonomous emergency braking with oncoming automobile detection, daytime bike owner detection and nighttime pedestrian detection, lane centring help, lane maintaining help and computerized excessive beam. Six airbags and stability management additionally come customary.
