Toyota Yaris GRMN: giant killer!

Inspired by the Yaris from the World Rally Championship, Toyota launches a limited series of the Toyota Yaris GRMN with 212 hp and a price of €29,900.

In Toyota they drew inspiration from their car in the World Rally Championship to bring the new Toyota Yaris GRMN to the market. In Renault they have done the same, but looking toward Formula 1 to launch their new Renault Clio R.S. 18. Are we witnessing a resurgence of pocket-sized sports cars?

Be that as it may, the success of this small “giant killer” from Toyota comes as no surprise. In principle, Toyota is going to build 400 units of the Yaris WRX, and 200 for Japan, where it is sold as the Vitz. Only five come to Spain, at a price of €29,900. And it’s clear they have fallen short: they have sold out faster than a candy outside a school gate. What does the Yaris GRMN have?

212 hp engine and setup at the Nürburgring

Well, to begin with, we are looking at a concentrate of competition technology, developed by Toyota Gazoo Racing. Its 1.8-litre petrol engine, boosted by a rotary supercharger, delivers no less than 212 hp. An exclusive solution, since other small sports cars rely on a turbocharger to achieve high performance figures. The gearbox is manual, and the engine’s power reaches the tarmac through the front wheels.

The second key is its power-to-weight ratio, since the engine’s 212 hp only has to move 1,135 kg. Performance is assured: a top speed of 230 km/h and 6.4 seconds to go from 0 to 100 km/h are impressive figures.

To top it off, the Toyota Yaris GRMN has passed the tough test of the legendary Nürburgring. And if a car performs well on the Nordschleife circuit, it performs well on any track… and on any winding road. To that end, the sportiest version of the Yaris features high-performance brakes, Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tyres in 205/45-17 sizes, a reinforced chassis, thicker anti-roll bars and specific damping developed by Sachs Performance.

Design of the Toyota Yaris GRMN

As for its design, the best thing is to look at the photos, because the Toyota Yaris GRMN is full of details inspired by the Yaris WRC. The 17-inch alloy wheels are signed by BBS. The bumpers are exclusive to this version, and the centre-exit exhaust seems to want to break out of the diffuser. The racing colours of white, black and red from Toyota Gazoo Racing appear on the bodywork and roof to achieve a very racy look.

The same goes for the interior, with bucket-style seats as the main focal point. Completing the equipment for a car that has no time for straight roads are the sports steering wheel taken from the Toyota GT86, aluminium pedals and a specific instrument cluster, with the red zone of the rev counter starting at 7,000 rpm.

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackToyota Yaris9 versions · from 24,550 €