Toyota GR Yaris

[Irace86.2.0]

Originally Posted by Ohio Enthusiast

The Corolla GR is coming to the States...

Corolla GR =/= Yaris GR

[Galerion]

Here is a short video of Daigo Saito having fun in his car. Besides the bodykit and the fitting wheels it's still stock.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFRWjdLJpfa/

[Galerion]

So in the morning I went to see one live. Still a pre-production car without the circuit pack and in pearl white. And what shall I say? A beast indeed.



I'm 1,85m and I had plenty of room. The seat still had a way to go so I think taller folk can get comfortable too. Seating position is good. It's not as low as a Civic Type R if I remember that right but it is lower than the Yaris GRMN for example. Two other guys who were roughly as tall as me tried to sit behind each other and it worked. Don't know how comfortable it was though.



Obviously I took a few pictures of it and was given a brochure too. It's nothing that hasn't been seen before though.



That's also my part of my verdict. Everyone who is interested really has to see one in the flesh. All the videos and pictures can't do it justice. It has a presence that just needs to be experienced.



And in terms of driving well one of the bosses told me demonstration cars should arrive at the end of October/early November.

[nikitopo]

Originally Posted by Irace86.2.0

Corolla GR =/= Yaris GR

They are saying Corolla will not be all wheel drive.

[Irace86.2.0]

Originally Posted by nikitopo

They are saying Corolla will not be all wheel drive.

It won't be anything like the Yaris, including yes, no AWD, hence the not equal sign: =/=

[Galerion]

Ah something I forgot to mention. It was a bit obvious before but I really noticed it when I took a seat and looked around. Visibility was sacrificed in the name of sportiness and looks. The car does have some relatively big blind spots. You won't really see much if anything on your back right for example. The rear window is also tiny. If you take a look at your rear-view mirror you will only see out with the half of it. The rest will just show you the sloping roof.
I don't mind it personally. As a matter of fact I actually really like it this way but I thought it was good to mention anyway. I know that there are people who dislike the visibility aspect of the current Camaro for example.

Also I just might as well post the pictures I took. Im not a good photographer and I was busy with seeing things with my own eyes so they aren't the best. Also what I said is still true. Pictures just can't quite capture the presence or aura that is has in the flesh.

[Galerion]

Originally Posted by Irace86.2.0

It won't be anything like the Yaris, including yes, no AWD, hence the not equal sign: =/=

I wouldn't go that far. Toyota spent a lot of R&D for the engine and AWD system and opening up a new production line and they will never recoup those costs with the Yaris alone. So im pretty sure the Corolla or whatever the next GR car is will end up with the same engine and AWD system.

Now still I don't think those cars will be as special as the Yaris because they probably won't use aluminium and carbon fiber like the Yaris does and will be heavier and bigger so they will be slower and not as agile. A lot of things about the Yaris came to be because of racing after all. The potential other GR cars won't have that.

[Irace86.2.0]

The visibility out the rear isn’t really an issue in rally racing. Cars will pass other cars, but it is a staggered time trial. Just saying.

The GR Corolla will probably get a turbocharged 2.0 I4. That is all anyone is reporting/speculating. AWD with open diffs could happen. Think WRX—not STI.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Irace86.2.0

The visibility out the rear isn’t really an issue in rally racing. Cars will pass other cars, but it is a staggered time trial. Just saying.

The GR Corolla will probably get a turbocharged 2.0 I4. That is all anyone is reporting/speculating. AWD with open diffs could happen. Think WRX—not STI.

The one in the current IS300 that makes less horsepower/torque than the 1.6L I3? The only 2.0L turbocharged engine they make?

I guess they could tune the 8AR to make modern horsepower, actually make this thing a Type R or STI competitor, but that's a lot more effort then just shipping the design that's already complete, doubt they'd save/make any more money then the Yaris GR would.

[Irace86.2.0]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

The one in the current IS300 that makes less horsepower/torque than the 1.6L I3? The only 2.0L turbocharged engine they make?

I guess they could tune the 8AR to make modern horsepower, actually make this thing a Type R or STI competitor, but that's a lot more effort then just shipping the design that's already complete, doubt they'd save/make any more money then the Yaris GR would.

Yeah whatever is in there it’ll be a half ass attempt to steal some notoriety from the GR Yaris without any of the actually gusto.

[spike021]

Originally Posted by Galerion

Ah something I forgot to mention. It was a bit obvious before but I really noticed it when I took a seat and looked around. Visibility was sacrificed in the name of sportiness and looks. The car does have some relatively big blind spots. You won't really see much if anything on your back right for example. The rear window is also tiny. If you take a look at your rear-view mirror you will only see out with the half of it. The rest will just show you the sloping roof.
I don't mind it personally. As a matter of fact I actually really like it this way but I thought it was good to mention anyway. I know that there are people who dislike the visibility aspect of the current Camaro for example.

Also I just might as well post the pictures I took. Im not a good photographer and I was busy with seeing things with my own eyes so they aren't the best. Also what I said is still true. Pictures just can't quite capture the presence or aura that is has in the flesh.

[pics]

Dang, that white is such a great color on that car.

The red one I saw in Osaka back in February looked great, but I think it hid the car's lines a bit more.

[why?]

Originally Posted by Ohio Enthusiast

The Corolla GR is coming to the States...

and like always Toyota USA will probably take absolutely everything out of it that made it an interesting fun car. There is a reason it takes a direct order from the CEO of Toyota to get the USA any cars that are actually fun to drive.

[Irace86.2.0]

Exactly. Probably a detuned version of some turbo engine, open diff FWD/AWD, no lightweight components, lots of fake vents.

[spike021]

Originally Posted by why?

and like always Toyota USA will probably take absolutely everything out of it that made it an interesting fun car. There is a reason it takes a direct order from the CEO of Toyota to get the USA any cars that are actually fun to drive.

Toyota USA still doesn't sell any performance-related parts for the 86 (and A90 for that matter) either. Last time I was in a major regional dealer (Milpitas) IIRC the most they had were steering wheel or seat covers and other comfort bits. That's it. You're lucky if maybe they carry a different shift knob.

I've said it before on the forums and I'll say it again, until Toyota USA decides to do at least a partial approximation of the GR Garage dealer shop in Japan, they won't be able to prove they care about their performance portfolio here.

As mentioned previously, at GR Garages you can find the high-spec showroom cars like the GRMN 86, TRD coilover and BBK systems running thousands of dollars, other suspension/alignment bits, aftermarket exhausts and suspension bits, etc. Special gauge pods you put in the passenger dash panel, etc.

The mindset is totally different there, and it shows here. We may get the GR Corolla but fat chance that it's anything remotely like what Japan and literally every other Toyota sales region are getting.

Edit:

And FWIW when I visited and made friends with the 86/BRZ groups there I told them all about this and they couldn't believe it. Performance vehicles there are considered their own segment with its own culture. Even the salesman who would've let me test drive the new A90 (91?) 4-cyl Supra earlier this year (if I hadn't forgotten my IDP at the hotel: () couldn't believe that the USA Toyota dealers don't sell or market performance parts. They have fancy catalogs (a couple of which he gave me and make cool souvenirs). Good luck finding anything like that in the US.