Toyota Yaris GR - born to please
Born
from a long history competing in the World Rally Championship, the Toyota GR
Yaris incorporates motor
sport technology and design directly to the road car.
The
GR Yaris is a model that benefits from the design and engineering skills of
Toyota Gazoo Racing and Tommi Mäkinen Racing, Toyota’s partner in the WRC. As
well as serving as the official homologation model for development of the next
Yaris WRC car, it also has all the attributes required for owners looking to
compete successfully in local rally competitions or track-day activities.
It
represents Toyota’s second global GR model, following the GR Supra.
“One
of Toyota Gazoo Racing’s commitments is to use motor sport to refine its know-how
and its personnel, with the aim of launching world-class production sports
cars. While the new GR Supra is a sports car developed through track racing,
the GR Yaris has been devised through our participation in rallies – something
that many of our fans have been waiting for,” says Gazoo Racing President
Shigeki Tomoyama.
The
new GR Yaris is Toyota’s first genuine all-wheel drive sports car and its first
homologation model for World Rally Championship competition since the end of production
of the Celica GT-Four in 1999.
The
WRC-skilled team of designers and engineers at Tommi Mäkinen Racing focused on perfecting
the aerodynamics, weight distribution and light weight of the new car – the
three qualities essential to achieving the best performance and drivability.
A
lower roofline improved the car’s ability to cut through the air, while
positioning the new 1,6-litre
turbo
engine further back towards the centre of the car and locating the battery in
the boot helped produce a better chassis balance for improved handling,
stability and responsiveness.
The
three-door body shell is made from lightweight materials including carbon fibre
polymer and aluminium, to deliver an impressive power-to-weight ratio, while
the new platform allows for a wider rear track and new double-wishbone rear
suspension system. The team also devised reinforcements beneath the side
members to ensure the suspension’s performance potential can be realised.
At
the front, cooling air is fed to the radiator, intercooler and engine
compartment through a large, rectangular lower grille with a wide honeycomb
mesh inset. The grille is flanked by large vertical inlets for the brake duct
and intercooler, with circular LED fog lights positioned at the far edges of
the bumper.
The
prominent lower spoiler has a downforce-generating shape, with a raised centre
section that controls the flow of air beneath the vehicle.
At
the rear, the tapering of the roof and rear pillars and the addition of the
deep, high-mounted spoiler, enhance downforce and aerodynamic performance.
Inside,
a twin-hooded binnacle frames easy-to-read analogue instrumentation which
features a 4,2-inch TFT colour multi-information display in the centre. The MID
features an all-wheel drive indicator showing the torque distribution, mode
selected for the GR-FOUR system and a turbo pressure monitor.
The
gear shift lever has a high position on the centre console, raised by 50 mm and
set close to the steering wheel, helping the driver make quick shifts. The
GR-FOUR selector control is placed just forward of the gear shift, for easy
changes between Normal, Sport and Track modes.
The
GR Yaris’s engine is an all-new, three-cylinder turbo-charged unit that
benefits from motor sport technologies to maximise performance, including
multi-oil jet piston cooling, large-diameter exhaust valves and a part-machined
intake port. Displacing 1 618 cc, it produces a maximum output of 198 kW at
6 500 r/min and 360 Nm of torque between 3 000 r/min and 4 600 r/min.
The
DOHC 12-valve engine features a single-scroll ball-bearing turbo and large intercooler
and Toyota's D-4S direct and port-injection system, is utilised for maximum
efficiency. Fuel consumption is listed as 7,6 l/100 km with CO2 emissions
registering 172 g/km.
The
1,6-litre 12-valve engine meets the World Rally Championship’s Rally 2 (formerly
R5) regulations, following Toyota’s negotiations with the sport’s governing
body to allow a three-cylinder format.
Atsunori
Kumagaya, who led the development project, explains: “We preferred this engine
due to its light weight and compact size making it simple to install, while the
lack of exhaust gas interference made it easier to obtain power.”
The
engine is matched to a six-speed manual transmission, engineered to accommodate
high torque levels.
The
body shell is constructed predominantly from lightweight materials, including a
new carbon fibre polymer for the roof that can be compression moulded (a first
for Toyota). Aluminium is used for the bonnet, doors and tailgate.
As
a result, the GR Yaris has the power of a C-segment performance hatch but the
weight of a B-segment machine (kerb weight of just 1 280 kg). Its
power-to-weight ratio of 0,154 kW per kg helps deliver a 0-100 km/h
acceleration time of 5,5 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 230
km/h.
The
GR Yaris’s performance is supported by a new GR-Four all-wheel drive system where
distribution of torque between the front and rear axles is governed by a
high-response coupling.
The
system uses slightly different gear ratios for the front and rear axles and allows
for a theoretical range of front/rear torque balance from 100:0 (full
front-wheel drive) to 0:100 (full rear-wheel drive). This flexibility gives a
performance advantage over AWD on-demand systems that use twin-coupling or
permanent AWD systems with a centre differential. The GR-Four system is also
considerably lighter in weight.
The
driver can adjust four-wheel drive performance to suit their preference or the
driving situation using a 4WD mode dial switch. In normal mode the base
front/rear torque distribution is 60:40; in Sport mode the balance shifts to
the rear, with a 30:70 split to achieve a fun-to-drive quality on winding roads
and circuits; and in Track mode the base setting is 50:50 for fast, competitive
driving on circuits or special stages. In each mode, the torque balance will
automatically adjust in response to the driver’s inputs, vehicle behaviour and
road or track conditions.
Where
the standard new Yaris uses a torsion beam rear suspension, the GR Yaris has a
double wishbone set-up and a MacPherson strut system is used at the front.
All
models ride on 18-inch alloy wheels, with 225-40-R18 rubber at all four
corners. Depending on model, the GR Yaris is fitted with either Dunlop SP Sport
MAXX 050 or Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres.
The
performance braking system features large, 356 mm grooved front discs with
four-pot callipers and the front brake discs are larger than those fitted to
the GR Supra.
Two
derivatives of the GR Yaris are on offer; the GR Yaris and GR Yaris Rally. The
GR Yaris features all the core performance items, and is aimed at the regular
user with an 'on-road' bias. The Rally suffix indicates the addition of the Circuit Pack.
This
equips the car with a Torsen limited-slip differential on both the front and rear axle, performance-tuned
suspension, revised power-steering assistance and an upgrade to 18-inch BBS
forged alloy wheels - shod
with Michelin Pilot Sport 4s tyres.
In
addition to the mechanical upgrades, the Rally model also boasts combination
leather/Alcantara sports seats in the
front with enhanced bolstering, leather rear seats, Heads-up Display (HUD), the
Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) active safety suite and Active Noise Control. Active
Noise Control amplifies the engine sound by cancelling out opposing frequencies
- adding a vocal soundtrack.
All
models have keyless entry with push start, LED-headlamps with Daytime Running
Lights (DRL) and auto function, LED foglamps, heated and power-retractable
exterior mirrors, plus rain-sensing wipers. On the inside, an auto-dimming
rear-view mirror, dual-zone climate control, Multi-Information Display (MID),
12-volt power outlet and a tilt-and-telescopic adjustable steering column
deliver on convenience.
A
6-speaker touchscreen audio system is standard on all models, and features
Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality for smartphones as well as Bluetooth
and USB inputs.
A
full suite of active and passive safety features includes anti-lock braking,
EBD, Brake Assist (BA), VSC and Hill Assist Control (HAC). A four-wheel tyre
pressure monitor system acts as both safety and performance feature.
On
the Rally model, the TSS-package adds Pre-Collision System (PCS), Automatic
High Beam (AHB), Lane Trace Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control.
Pricing
Toyota
GR Yaris - R 606 600
Toyota
GR Yaris Rally - R715 600
All
GR Yaris models are sold with a 9-services/90 000 km service plan (intervals
set at 10 000 km) and 3-year/100 000km warranty. Customers can also purchase a
variety of service and/or warranty add-ons at their local dealership.
