FOUR-POT FURY
Toyota Gazoo Racing’s latest offerings are light on cylinders but big on action
SUPRA 2,0T
Having already wowed the motoring world with its daring looks and deeply rewarding dynamics – not to mention that wonderful straight-six engine – the Supra raised a few eyebrows with its R1 million price tag. Now, Toyota’s racing arm has revealed an entry-level, four-cylinder model that yet again draws its power from a Bmw-sourced engine. This time it’s the four-cylinder 2,0-litre turbopetrol that’s sending 190 kw and 400 N.m (the same outputs as its Z4 sdrive30i donor) to the Supra’s tail. Coupled with an eightspeed ZF transmission, this unit propels the Supra from 0-100 km/h in a claimed 5,2 seconds and on to an electronically limited 250 km/h top speed. ETA: Toyota SA Motors has no plans to introduce the four-cylinder Supra, saying the 3,0-litre model suits the market best
YARIS
As the chances of a four-cylinder Supra finding its way to our market are dead in the water, there’s a glimmer of hope for a smaller but no less charismatic pocket rocket from the GR stable. The new GR Yaris is essentially a homologation model for the team’s 2020 WRC entrant, sporting a 1,6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine developing 200 kw and 370 N.m, making it the most powerful production-series three-pot.
Power is channelled via a sixspeed manual ‘box to an AWD system incorporating a Torsen limitedslip differential. With its compact three-door body shape, aluminium bonnet and carbon fibre-reinforced plastic roof panel, the GR Yaris weighs just 1 280 kg and will crack 0-100 km/h in 5,5 seconds with a top speed of 230 km/h. ETA: Toyota SA has requested a local introduction of the GR Yaris, adding that it’s currently under study