TOKYO — Toyota is transforming the humble Yaris subcompact into a fire-breathing 268-hp hot hatch as part of the brand's new effort to build fun-to-drive street cred.
The sporty new GR Yaris series won't be available in the U.S. anytime soon. But it could foreshadow Toyota's performance strategy for the U.S.
The GR line draws inspiration from Toyota's Gazoo Racing team, and the GR treatment in other markets could influence the direction of the analogous TRD line in the U.S. The GR moniker has been applied to Toyota's top-tier sports car in the U.S., the GR Supra.
The reimagined Yaris, which will be marketed in 70 countries, leverages lessons from the World Rally Championship, where the Toyota Gazoo Racing team competes with a high-performance version of the small car.
Toyota unveiled the full GR Yaris lineup this month with three grades based on the redesigned Yaris hatchback that arrived this year. But the GRs get three doors, instead of five. The base RS grade sticks with the original 118-hp, 1.5-liter, three-cylinder engine, continuously variable transmission and front-wheel drive, but it gets sporty tuning.
Things get more interesting with the high-performance RZ and RC grades. They boast a 1.6-liter, three-cylinder intercooled, turbocharged engine that more than doubles output to 268 hp. Their six-speed manual gearbox channels that power into a four-wheel-drive layout. The RZ's markets include Japan, Australia and some European nations.
The RC is a stripped-down, track-ready model that has the RZ's mechanicals but can be customized for racing.
The base RS and racing-oriented RC will be available only in Japan.
Toyota says it has booked 6,000 preorders for the GR Yaris in Japan and Europe.
