Toyota GR Yaris Australian pricing revealed

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200kW homologation special to arrive in November priced from $39,950 drive away.

Toyota will throw open the order book on one of the most anticipated cars of the year at noon on September 23. The first 1000 Toyota GR Yaris units available in Australia will arrive with a special introductory price of $39,950 drive away. After the first 1000 units sell out, the cost will revert to the recommended retail price of $49,500.

Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, explained that the aggressive introductory pricing was a local initiative to help push the Gazoo Racing brand within Australia, believing that the potential for the brand is huge.

“This substantial local financial commitment for the first 1000 vehicles will advance our budding GR brand, accelerate the acceptance of GR Yaris on Australian roads and convert enthusiast customers into brand advocates,” Mr Hanley said.

“It is a smart local investment that will ignite the market with an attainable pure-bred sports car that would otherwise carry a recommended retail price of $49,500.

“Our no-holds-barred strategy will ensure GR Yaris appeals to an even greater number of fans as a genuine sports car that lives up to Toyota’s promise of making ever-better cars that are fun to drive.

Mr Hanley suggested that most Australian customers will be new to Toyota, but that he’s confident that the GR name will become as well known in Australia as it is in Europe and Japan.

“We believe that Gazoo Racing will be a market-leading performance brand within Australia,” exclaimed Mr Hanley.

Available for sales and servicing across the entire Australian Toyota dealer network, the GR Yaris is Toyota’s first homologation model since the Celica GT-Four ceased production in 1999. According to Sean Hanley, “the only similarity between this car and the Yaris hatch is the name.”

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“GR Yaris is the first all-Toyota sports car developed in more than 20 years – the car our global president Akio Toyoda dreamed of making,” Mr Hanley said.

“It was born from our success in the heat of motorsport – developed by Toyota Gazoo Racing in collaboration with Tommi Mäkinen Racing, our title-winning WRC team.

The three-door GR Yaris weighs 1280kg and boasts hugely impressive outputs of 200kW and 370Nm from its 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, that Toyota says is the world’s most powerful production triple. With a power-to-weight ratio of 156kW/tonne, the GR Yaris outpoints the VW Golf R (147kW/tonne), which, along with the Renault Sport Megane RS and Honda Civic Type R, was a rival mentioned by Mr Hanley.

Coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox and a permanent all-wheel-drive system, dubbed GR-Four, the diminutive but pugnacious GR Yaris will sprint to 100km/h in just 5.2 seconds.

A limited-edition GR Yaris Rallye will arrive in the first half of 2021, with circuit-tuned suspension, Torsen limited-slip diffs for both the front and rear axles, 18-inch forged alloy wheels from BBS, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres and red brake calipers. Demand will decide the ultimate numbers of the Rallye, but Toyota Australia is suggesting 250 units is the likely allocation for Australia. Pricing and final specification of the GR Yaris Rallye will be made available closer to its launch.

Production of the GR Yaris began three weeks ago in Japan and the first Australian customers are expected to take delivery of their new toy in November. At launch, the GR Yaris will be available in white, black or red.

Jesse Taylor

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