Track-honed Toyota Yaris GR Rallye sticker shock

When the Toyota Yaris GR Rallye arrives in Australia in the first half of 2021, taking the high-performance all-wheel drive GR Yaris to new heights, it won’t be cheap and it won’t be discounted like the standard hot hatch.

Limited to just 250 units initially for Australia, the Toyota Yaris GR Rallye Special Edition is expected to attract a premium of about $5000, which would take the final price up to the circa-$55,000 mark.

Although it doesn’t get a powertrain upgrade, meaning the 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine continues to belt out 200kW and 370Nm, pumping through a six-speed manual for a 230km/h top speed and a 5.2sec 0-100km/h sprint, the GR Yaris Rallye does get a number of track-ready chassis upgrades.

The 18-inch cast alloy wheels by Enkei are swapped out for lighter, stronger forged alloy BBS rims of the same diameter, which will reduce unsprung weight and improve handling, as will grippy Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres.

The GR Yaris Rallye also features stiffer track-tuned suspension and a pair of Torsen limited-slip differentials for both the front and rear axle, improving power delivery at full noise, while the brakes are unchanged (save for red-painted callipers) with all-ventilated discs measuring 356mm up front and 297mm at the rear.

Already on sale overseas under different names, the circuit-tuned Toyota GR Yaris Rallye is expected to lob in Australia sooner rather than later in the first half of 2021, after the company this week told interested customers it was “coming soon at full speed”.

Unlike the first 1000 examples of the Toyota GR Yaris that sold out in less than a week priced at $39,950, representing a saving of $10,000, the apex-slaying special edition is highly unlikely to be discounted or part of a promotional deal.

Toyota is expected to confirm pricing of the Rallye Special Edition once the second tranche of 100 GR Yaris cars priced at $44,950 drive-away are sold. This will potentially lead to the final recommended retail price of $49,950 sticking for regular models and a circa-$5000 premium for the Rallye version.

While Toyota Australia has confirmed the GR Yaris Rallye will be limited to 250 vehicles, a spokesperson said: “It doesn’t mean we can’t get more stock in future, hence the Special Edition, not Limited Edition name.”

After confirming the introductory price back in September, Toyota has this week released more details on equipment levels for the Australian-spec GR Yaris via its official website.

The lower, wider Yaris features specially shaped GR sports seats wrapped in ‘Ultrasuede’ and synthetic leather with white stitching.

Other key parts of the package include a 7.0-inch touch-screen infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a heated and leather-accented sports steering wheel, keyless entry and engine start, aluminium pedals, a head-up display beamed onto the windscreen and a 4.2-inch multi-info display bisecting the instrument cluster with turbo boost, AWD and gear-shift data.

The handbrake will also be manually operated.

Elsewhere, standard kit runs to KYB dampers, dual exhaust outlets, Dunlop SP Sports Maxx 050 tyres and a carbon-fibre reinforced polymer roof.

There’s also an eight-speaker JBL stereo system, LED headlights with automatic high beam and LED fog lights.

While the GR Yaris is all about driver engagement on challenging roads and race tracks, a variety of advanced active safety systems are also on board, such as intersection turn assistance, lane trace assist, autonomous emergency braking, road sign recognition and adaptive cruise control.

It’s understood Toyota is also working on an even more intense version of its pocket rocket, the GRMN Yaris. A top-secret test vehicle was recently spied hammering around the Nurburgring with aggressive aero body work, bigger wheels and advanced performance measuring equipment.

As Toyota seeks to establish its burgeoning high-performance sub-brand, just as Hyundai N did a handful of years ago, more Toyota GR models will be rolled out, including the highly-anticipated GR Corolla.

The Volkswagen Golf GTI rival is expected to be launched in the US but Toyota Australia has already said it wants to sell the hot hatch here.

Stay tuned for more details.