Toyota has opened the pre-order books for its GR Yaris performance hatchback series. The quantity is limited, so be sure to grab your copy soon if you are interested.
The fourth generation of the non-GR Toyota Yaris was introduced last fall and is scheduled to hit the showrooms throughout Japan in February. In the meantime, Gazoo Racing is already busy building GR versions of it.
As you may remember, Gazoo Racing had originally planned the reveal event for the Rally Australia in November, but the race was cancelled due to the rampant bush fires.
The GR Yaris series will be available in two variants: First Edition and High-performance First Edition. Both sport new bumpers, radiator grille, anti-fog lights, air intakes and extended wheel arches. Both ship with matte black side diffusers at the front end, as well as a matching rear spoiler, lower rear bumper, and forged wheels.
To reduce the weight, GR machines the hood cover and the doors from aluminum and installs a carbon-fiber roof. As a result, the entire car weighs in at just 1,280 kilograms (2,822 pounds). It measures 3,995 millimeters (13.11 ft.) long and has 2,558 mm (8.39 ft.) between the axles.
The performance series comes equipped with an AWD system called GR-Four, which supports different torque distribution ratios for different scenarios. Presets include Default (60:40), Sport (30:70), and Track (50:50).
Powering the GR Yaris is a humble 1.6-liter, three-cylinder engine, which the company turbocharges to 272 hp (203 kW) and 370 Nm (273 lb-ft). The transmission is six-speed manual, the sprint takes less than 5.5 seconds, and the top speed is capped at 230 km/h (143 mph).
You can leave your order online before June 30, 2020, as long as there are still cars remaining in the production queue.