Hot homologation Yaris in pipeline
IN other news, Gazoo boss Tomoyama has confirmed a homologation special of the next Yaris will bring the hot hatch to a wider market than the current GRMN model.
The hot Yaris GRMN is expected to trickle through to the UK in tiny numbers. No more than 100 examples are anticipated, and each one will cost more than £26,000.
However, the man in charge of Toyota’s high-performance division has told Auto Express that a more affordable and less exclusive successor is already planned.
The next hot Yaris will offer advantages to Gazoo Racing’s World Rally team. To comply with rallying rules, at least 25,000 examples will have to be made in one year. The car – likely to be badged GR instead of the full GRMN – will cost around £20,000.
Shigeki Tomoyama said: “For the next generation of rally Yaris we will prepare a homologation road car. We have to commit to producing 25,000 of them in one year, so it won’t be a limited edition like GRMN.”
Tomoyama declined to provide details on what would be changed, although he admitted: “There will be some differences in the suspension pick-up points, because suspension travel is a big factor in WRC. Also we would be lighter in some areas.”
A new generation of the rally car, due in 2020, would tie up with what’s likely to be a replacement for the current road car.