Toyota GR Corolla: eight-speed development continues for Golf R rival

UPDATE: At the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla’s Australian release program, chief engineer Naoyuki Sakamoto was present to discuss all things Gazoo Racing.

The development of an automatic version of the GR Yaris became public knowledge in March last year, with the brand testing an eight-speed transmission in the Japanese rally championship.

“We are still seeking the possibility of an automatic transmission for the sports car, for the rally car – not for easy driving”, Sakamoto-san told Wheels.

Sakamoto didn’t specify what kind of automatic transmission was in development, but noted the improvements in autos over the years, referencing Supra’s excellent eight-speed ’box.

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“We don’t eliminate any options. But now, even the normal automatic transmissions are still not so bad compared to older transmissions. Even BMW is shifting to automatic transmissions [in performance cars]”, he said.

It’s safe to say an eight-speed torque-converter automatic is the most likely choice. It will likely be developed in tandem with Toyota and Aisin, for sporty characteristics.

We’ve seen stranger things, including Toyota swimming upstream with a manual Supra.

Sakamoto-san was keen to point out that an automatic transmission decreases the driver’s load, allowing them to concentrate on braking, lines, and going as fast as possible. He added that the gearbox will need to be “fun to drive”, this will be achieved with proactive gear selection and crisp shifts.

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Of course, it'll make GR Corolla faster in a straight line, too. With 221kW of power from a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder, its current 0-100km/h sprint is 5.29 seconds (claimed). With a close-ratio auto onboard, that would easily fall into the mid-to-high 4.0-seconds range for the 1485 kilogram Corolla.

“As long as automatic transmissions are good enough for the GR direction of fun to drive, and able to increase the sports driving performance, we will use an automatic transmission”, said Sakamoto.

Our original story, below, continues unchanged.

The story to here

March 22: GR Yaris automatic spotted testing in Japan Rally Championship

The Toyota GR Yaris could open itself up to a much wider audience, with news the company is developing an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission for the hot hatch.

The model is only available with a six-speed manual currently, though Toyota is expected to use the automatic in both the GR Yaris and the upcoming GR Corolla, with a report from Japan’s Best Car in January suggesting an automatic is being considered for a 2024 launch.

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Image courtesy of Japan's Car Watch.

In order to test the auto 'box to its limits, Toyota entered a GR Yaris into the Gazoo Racing Rally Challenge – an entry-level motorsport category catering for Yaris and 86 models in Japan – with Toyota’s Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors Shigeru Hayakawa piloting the vehicle.

"I'm told that it's okay to break it,” Hayakawa told Japanese publication Car Watch.

“I've already broken it once," he added.

Toyota has reportedly created an all-new conventional torque-converter automatic, using a planetary gear set rather than relying on a continuously variable transmission found across the brand’s current small car line-up.

The carmaker appears to be following BMW’s lead by developing a fast eight-speed auto, rather than going down the Volkswagen Group route of offering automatic dual-clutch gearbox.

While there are paddle-shifters fitted behind the steering wheel for manual gear selection, the engineers are aiming for the transmission to “shift quickly and comfortably, resulting in fun and rast running” when driven automatically in Drive, and all without sacrificing fuel efficiency.

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The centre console shifter in the rally car appears to be an early production prototype, using a slightly changed design from the standard auto Yaris to incorporate manual mode. The front spoiler has also been modified, with wider intakes to increase airflow to the transmission oil cooler.

It’s expected the 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive will remain unchanged.

Toyota has yet to announce an automatic for the GR Yaris or the upcoming GR Corolla, but all signs are hinting at a two-pedal option arriving in the future.