Toyota GR Yaris officially revealed

The highly-anticipated Toyota GR Yaris hot hatch has been officially revealed at today's Tokyo Auto Salon and its specifications are as exciting as expected, with a few exceptions.

Packing a 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with a formidable 200kW and 370Nm (delivering on Toyota's promise of at least 186kW/350Nm), the light-weight all-wheel drive Toyota GR Yaris brings a power-to-weight ratio of 6.7kg per kiloWatt.

In a coup for performance enthusiasts -- but a disappointment for those hoping for an auto version -- the single-scroll ball-bearing turbocharged 12-valve triple is tied solely to a six-speed manual transmission.

Toyota's hottest ever Yaris will arrive in Australian showrooms later this year while also serving as the official homologation model for Toyota’s new World Rally Championship contender. In Australia, the GR Yaris will crown an all-new city-car line-up that will launch in the first half of 2020.

Toyota will announce pricing for the new GR Yaris in the coming months. It is expected to hover around the $50,000 mark.

“Every aspect of the car has a performance focus: an all-new platform and engine, new suspension, lightweight construction, aerodynamic styling and a new GR-FOUR permanent all-wheel-drive (AWD) system,” Toyota says.

“With high power and low weight, it has all the credentials for competition success, and for delivering exhilarating performance as a super-hot hatch for the road.”

Although it wears a Yaris badge, the GR is inherently different from the donor car. Its three-door body is lower and wider, with bigger 18-inch wheels, extended wheel-arches, aggressive front air intakes and specially designed brakes with red callipers. The sporty look is punctuated by bulbous twin exhaust outlets.

It tips the scales at a city car-like 1280kg and while no 0-100km/h acceleration time is advertised, the 1.6-litre GR Yaris should hit the national highway limit in less than six seconds and is officially capable of a 230km/h electronically-governed top speed.

The Toyota GR Yaris rides on dedicated underpinnings that combine the front-end of Toyota’s GA-B architecture with the rear-end of the GA-C platform. The combination facilitates the car’s GR FOUR AWD system and double-wishbone rear suspension.

All told, the four-wheel drive system apportions 60/40 per cent front/rear in Normal mode, 30/70 in Sport and an optimum 50/50 split in Track mode for “fast, competitive driving on circuits or special stages”.

“The ingenious 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)," Toyota says.

"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.”

Meanwhile, braking power is ensured via 356mm front discs clamped by four-piston fixed callipers and 297mm rears with two-piston fixed callipers. The GR Yaris wears Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tyres.

The three-door body shell is made from lightweight materials including carbon-fibre polymer and aluminium.

In overseas markets, two versions of the Toyota GR Yaris will be available, including a Performance Pack model that gets Michelin tyres, revised dampers and mechanical limited-slip front and rear differentials.

Toyota Australia says it will only import the base model for our market, but will consider offering the Performance Pack if there’s sufficient demand.

Developed extensively on tarmac, gravel and snow roads in Japan, an ultra-cool 15-inch wheel and smaller brake package will be also be produced, but it’s not planned for export markets. The same goes for optional performance parts including strut braces and lighter components, which will be offered from launch in Japan.

As we've also reported, an even hotter GRMN-badged version of the Toyota Yaris is expected -- despite the fact the GR already offers performance to rival the Honda Civic Type R and outgoing Ford Focus RS, eclipsing similarly sized hot hatches like the Ford Fiesta ST, Renault Clio RS and Volkswagen Polo GTI.

Although nothing is confirmed, the Toyota GRMN Yaris could be up to 100kg lighter and deliver as much as 225kW/400Nm, which may send it to 100km/h in less than five seconds on its way to a 270km/h top speed, making it one of the world's quickest and fastest hot hatches.