2024 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:13
The new Toyota Yaris will hit the market in Germany in late summer. Now the Japanese show the Gazzo Racing (GR). It's still a prototype.
In order to shorten the waiting time until the arrival of the fourth generation of the Yaris a little, Toyota's dynamics department Gazoo Racing (GR) is now whet the appetite for more: In the future there will also be a really sporty GR Yaris.
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After the new Supra, the small car is the second fun-maker from GR. Unlike the “sporty” Toyota models that have the GR abbreviation after their name, it is placed in front of these two well-trained athletes. Sounds complicated, but it's not much different from BMW, for example: The Munich-based company also offers a genuine M5 and a 5-series with an M package.
Two doors less
To earn the GR spurs, the Yaris had to go to the gym, and for that he needs the right clothing. So the designers painted two doors, lowered the edge of the roof just under ten centimeters and widened the body properly. But that alone does not turn a harmless city runabout into a racing machine; this also required major interventions under the sheet metal.
The substructure has been heavily modified, the GR Yaris gets the double wishbone axle from the Corolla, revised suspension, stronger brakes and above all: all-wheel drive. The four-wheel technology not only ensures perfect grip for the Japanese, but also a unique selling point. Regardless of whether it is a Ford Fiesta ST, Mini John Cooper Works or VW Polo GTI - they all only drive up with front-wheel drive. And even with the compact athletes one class higher, 4 × 4 is far from being set.
Intended as a WRC rally car
Of course, Toyota is not only developing four-wheel drive for small cars to make athletes' hearts beat faster. No, the new GR Yaris is to serve as the basis for the homologation of the future WRC rally car. It is clear that he needs a powerful engine for this: In accordance with the WRC regulations, Toyota uses a 1.6-liter engine, but with only three cylinders! Exact data are not yet available, but the lively unit should develop over 250 hp.
In addition, the engine should be one of the lightest of its kind, and together with other diet measures such as the carbon roof, the GR Yaris should weigh significantly less than 1,300 kilograms.
Torque of 350 Nm
The combination of low weight and high performance promises a lot of driving pleasure, and the first test lap with a prototype still camouflaged confirms this assumption: the engine hangs well on the gas, revs up willingly and pushes emphatically with more than 350 Newton meters, the gear changes with the The short, crisp six-speed gearbox is fun, the substructure guarantees stable road holding and the steering directs the Yaris precisely around the corner.
And then of course there is all-wheel drive, which provides the necessary traction and increases the driver's confidence and courage in equal measure. But even if - like us, on the wet Estoril racetrack - you approach it a little too briskly and the Yaris comes into understeer or oversteer, the driver has the feeling of being in control of the situation and can do the four meter long Catch the racing dwarf again without any problems.
There is the track mode especially for the racetrack, which ensures the greatest possible neutrality with equal power distribution. If you want, you can also get the GR Yaris with a performance package that makes it a little sharper, and optional limited-slip differentials on the front and rear axles. This is not necessary for maximum fun on the road, here the normal sport mode is sufficient, which sends 70 percent of the power to the rear and thus gives the Toyota an extra portion of dynamism; In normal operation, the force distribution tends to be front-heavy.
Bad rear view
Speaking of the road: If you want to get the GR Yaris for everyday use, you have to be prepared to see hardly anything of your surroundings when you look through the small window over the shoulder - and soon to know every pothole and every bump on your way to work personally. The substructure doesn't think much of ironing that out. Otherwise, however, the GR model is definitely a daily driver. On the one hand, the Yaris sounds surprisingly tame and certainly doesn't scare all of the neighbors.
On the other hand, as far as the prototypes suggest, Toyota does without an overly purist interior: the instrument cluster, dashboard and infotainment system are familiar from the normal Yaris, and the seats are surprisingly comfortable. It is true that they should be mounted a little lower for the sports version; But that doesn't work because otherwise there would be no space for the folding mechanism, which is necessary on the three-door. In the end, however, that will deter significantly fewer customers from buying a GR Yaris than the price: It is not yet known, but will probably be around 35,000 euros. Fortunately, there is still a little time left to save, because the Rennsemmel will only be on the market towards the end of 2020. (SP-X)
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