Toyota GR Yaris specs officially revealed

Toyota has revealed official specs for what is perhaps the most anticipated car to ever wear a Yaris badge, the 2020 Toyota GR Yaris.

Though MOTOR has sampled the prototype for this model (read all about it in the January 2020 issue of MOTOR magazine - out now), Toyota remained mum on its specifics. We now know that its 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo engine produces 200KW and 360Nm.

Toyota Australia initially reported a 192kW output, but later received confirmation the Japanese version of the GR Yaris with 200kW would be the one headed to Australia.

12

Compare this to the 147kW/290Nm of a certain Blue Oval rival and it’s clear Toyota wants the GR Yaris to be the big dog in small hatch land.

In fact, with a new all-wheel drive system dubbed ‘GR-FOUR’, it should be able to rival bigger, more powerful hot hatches. Toyota claims a 0-100km/h time of “less than 5.5 seconds,” and says it’s limited to a top speed of 230km/h.

Good news for purists, the GR Yaris comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, the only transmission option for the car.

With design and engineering input from Toyota’s Gazoo Racing brand and from its WRC partner Tommi Mäkinen Racing, the GR Yaris is to be the homologation model of its next WRC racer.

Exclusive video of the Toyota GR Yaris being tested in the Australian Outback

12

Toyota says the little hot hatch is built on a completely new platform, with its engine bespoke to the model (for now, at least) and will remain the top-spec version of the Yaris.

Locally, the car won’t be able to be specced with a GR Yaris performance pack which offers Torsen limited-slip diffs at both front and rear, Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres, and altered suspension settings to account for these changes.

Still, the standard car’s use of carbon-fibre and aluminium for the body and panels keeps kerb weight down to 1280kg, and its ventilated disc brakes (356mm front with 4-pot callipers/ 297mm rears with 2-pots) can take advantage of its low weight for what should be strong braking performance.

12

These brakes are hidden behind 18-inch wheels, which are wrapped in 225/40 Dunlop SP Sport MAXX050 tyres.

Toyota Australia expects the GR Yaris to arrive ‘late this year’, but has not yet confirmed pricing for the local market.