Toyota GR app makes your car go faster
New app unlocks anti-lag device and improves cooling for Toyota GR Yaris and Lexus LBX Morizo RRToyota Gazoo Racing will introduce a new must-have app for 2024 Toyota GR Yaris owners who love to track their cars.
It launches on August 21 in Japan and adds a whole host of performance-enhancing features.
Available for owners of the latest Toyota GR Yaris built since April 2024, the new Circuit Mode app also works with the latest Lexus LBX Morizo RR SUV, which uses the same turbocharged three-cylinder engine.
Previewed by Toyota at the launch of the refreshed GR Yaris unveiled back in January this year, the Circuit Mode's full range of performance enhancements are only unlocked when your smart phone's GPS location determines you're on a track or authorised proving ground.
It's then the turbocharged 1.6-litre three-cylinder petrol, that produces 221kW and 400Nm, engages its new anti-lag feature.
Toyota doesn't explain how the tech works but it is said the turbocharger’s boosting characteristics are tuned to ensure more torque is deployed earlier for higher cornering exit speeds.
Other changes include added configurable shift lights that help the driver optimise gears shifts in the heat of an on-track battle.
The JDM-spec GR Yaris also has its mandatory 180km/h speed limiter temporarily removed.
Other useful changes include maximising the engine cooling fan's output to keep engine water temperature as low as possible and improve thermal dynamics.
From its introduction, Toyota says that the app can be used at 34 different racetracks in Japan, including the Fuji Speedway, Suzuka and Sodegaura Forest Raceway.
For now, the Circuit Mode app for the Toyota GR Yaris and Lexus LBX Morizo RR is limited to just Japanese owners but if there's enough demand, it's thought the tech could be rolled out to other regions including Australia, Europe and North America.
The turbo-boosting app could also be integrated with the bigger Corolla GR, of which the more powerful facelifted version arrives in Australia later in 2024.
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