Japanese magazine Best Car reports that the Yaris GR's turbocharged 1.6-liter engine will be massaged to produce precisely 300 horsepower, while torque will be rated at 370 Newton-meters (272 pound-feet). That would give it a 28-horsepower advantage over the Yaris GRMN, which will be unveiled in early 2022 as a Japan-only special edition limited to 500 units. This rumored GR Yaris would still be down on torque by 20 Nm (15 lb-ft) compared to the full-fat GRMN, which had 390 Nm (287 lb-ft).
That's apparently not the only change Toyota is planning, as the 2024 GR Yaris is said to get a newly developed eight-speed automatic transmission. This wouldn't come as a surprise, as a prototype was shown back in March 2022 at the Toyota Gazoo Racing Rally Challenge. The report states that it will come with paddle shifters and a new "lock-up system," so it will be a torque converter automatic.
2020 Toyota GR Yaris
Other hardware changes include revised suspension and brakes, as well as even greater body rigidity. The redesigned model will get new bumpers and a larger rear spoiler. Inside, an updated instrument panel borrowed from the larger GR Corolla is planned.
Of course, all these goodies will come at a price, as prices are expected to rise in Japan, where Toyota also sells a watered-down GR Yaris RS with just 118 hp, front-wheel drive and a CVT.
Source: Best Car
