Toyota teases Gazoo-fettled Yaris

TOYOTA Gazoo Racing has teased a high-performance Yaris light hatch prototype called GR-4, which will make its global debut on November 17 at the World Rally Championship (WRC) stage on the Coffs Coast.

No details have been released on the Yaris GR-4, however a single teaser image shows the rear driver’s side of the car, which looks to feature wider, more muscular haunches, suggesting a wider wheel track for more agile driving.

A badge reading GR Yaris is seen on the tailgate, while the camouflage used on the Yaris is the same pattern and colour used on the A90 Supra before its official reveal at the start of the year.

While Toyota is yet to announce whether the prototype will preview a rally car or production model, it is possible a hi-po Yaris is on its way to local showrooms.

Toyota has tinkered with the Yaris before, revealing the Yaris GMRN in March 2017, however the pint-sized pocket rocket was never slated for an Australian launch.

The Yaris GMRN was powered by a 1.8-litre supercharged petrol four-cylinder engine producing 156kW/250Nm, allowing for a zero-to-100km/h sprint time of 6.6 seconds.

It is not yet clear what the ‘4’ in GR-4 means, suggesting the possibility of all-wheel drive, which would tie in neatly with a reveal at the WRC event.

This could also denote a four-cylinder engine, with three-pot mills set to underpin the regular Yaris range.

The all-new, fourth-generation Yaris generation was revealed last month ahead of a local arrival in mid-2020. It is stiffer and has a lower centre of gravity than its predecessor, seemingly making it more appropriate for a performance version.

Regular Yaris variants will be powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine, with hybrid variants set to also be offered with the same engine.

The Japanese brand has promised a raft of new products under its Gazoo Racing performance arm, with the 86 coupe set to receive its own GR variant in the near future.

Toyota Australia will reveal more details on the Yaris GR-4 when it is revealed during the Wedding Bells rally stage later this month.

With two months left in 2019, the company has managed 7916 sales of the Yaris, down 2.9 per cent on the 8156 it managed to the same point last year.

It is currently the second best-selling model in the sub-$25,000 light-car segment, behind the Hyundai Accent (9499).