It is increasingly difficult to build a car for lovers. Environmental restrictions, autonomous driving, technology, are all important weights that must be placed on the scales of modern cars. Assumptions that seem to want to take the new models off the road, more… pure!
A purity that is increasingly given over to our imagination, to the classics, to what was and what never returns. Lancia Delta Integrale, Renault Clio Williams, Toyota AE86, you name it…Toyota assured us that this Toyota Yaris GRMN would be a return to its origins. We went to Barcelona to discover how far they weren't just promises.
Once upon a time, in a small garage...
Only the story of the development of the Toyota Yaris GRMN made an interesting article (maybe one day Toyota, what do you think?). But let's get to the main details.
For several months a small team of engineers and drivers, including Vic Herman, Toyota's master driver (a driver I had the opportunity to meet in this first contact), tested the Toyota Yaris GRMN on the Nürburgring and on the roads surrounding the mythical German circuit. It was just these men and one goal: to produce a "pocket-rocket" for true driving enthusiasts. Finally, an analogue sports car at the doors of massive electrification of cars.
I was impressed that in a brand the size of Toyota there is still room for almost personal projects, designed and executed by real people. petrolheads.
This small group spent months in a small garage, tuning the car according to the feedback they were getting from the drivers — it went on for days, nights, weeks, and months on end. In total, the project took two years to move from concept to production.
Vic Herman, test driver who helped develop the Toyota Yaris GRMN, told me that he drove over 100 laps of the Nürburgring at the wheel of this model, not counting the thousands of kilometers covered on public roads. According to Herman, it is even on the roughest roads that the Toyota Yaris GRMN reveals its full potential. It's a car for driving enthusiasts.
The technical sheet
Under the bonnet is the well-known 1.8 Dual VVT-i (with Magnuson compressor and Eaton rotor), delivering 212 hp at 6,800 rpm and 250 Nm at 4,800 rpm (170 g/km CO2). We can find this engine, for example, in Lotus Elise — this is what we are talking about. As for the transmission, we are served by a 6-speed manual gearbox in charge of delivering power to the front wheels.
"My Toyota Yaris has the engine of a Lotus Elise..." - for that alone it was worth buying the car. Estudásses Diogo, they are all sold out.
If the development process was complex, what about production? Toyota builds this engine in the UK. It then sends it to Wales, where Lotus engineers are responsible for the software. From there, it finally leaves for France, where it is installed in the Toyota Yaris GRMN by Toyota Motor Manufacturing France (TMMF), at the Valenciennes plant. To prove its exclusivity, a numbered plaque is placed on the block. Little? Only in size (and they still don't know the price…).
The other “normal” Yaris are assembled at the Valenciennes factory, but there is a team of 20 trained employees dedicated only to the 400 Toyota Yaris GRMN that will see the light of day.
We already have power, now the rest is missing. The weight, with liquids and without driver, is a reference: 1135 kg. A true featherweight with a power/weight ratio of 5.35 kg/hp.
The traditional 0-100 km/h sprint is completed in 6.4 sec and the top speed is 230 km/h (electronically limited).
Of course, with numbers like these, Toyota had to equip the Yaris GRMN with specific equipment. If things were interesting until now, now they promise to open our eyes with anticipation. They've already figured out that Yaris's only name is left, right?
Special equipment, of course.
On the Toyota Yaris GRMN we find an anti-approach bar mounted on the front suspension towers, a Torsen locking differential, sports suspension with Sachs Performance shock absorbers and Bridgestone Potenza RE50A (205/45 R17) tires.
Significant changes
It was necessary to pack the compressor, the refrigeration unit and the intake inlet in a single unit, due to the limited space available. In charge of the refrigeration are an intercooler for the compressor and an engine oil cooler, mounted in front of the radiator, together with a new enlarged air intake. A new fuel injection system was also installed, using components originally designed for a V6 engine.
The exhaust, whose exit is placed in the center of the body, as in the Yaris WRC, has been completely overhauled, always with the problem of little space available making the task of Toyota engineers difficult. In addition to the limited space, it was also necessary to manage the heat under the body. Those responsible for the project had to reduce the exhaust back pressure while ensuring control of emissions and noise — being rebellious these days is not easy. Toyota confessed to us that in the first tests the engine noise, inside and outside the cabin, was much superior, something that they had to revise until it was “in point”.
refined dynamics
Among the various changes made to improve the dynamic credentials, the chassis had to be reinforced to increase the rigidity of the body. A side brace was installed on top of the front suspension towers and there was still time to reinforce the rear axle.
Did you know that?
The Toyota Yaris GRMN is produced at the “normal” Yaris factory in Valenciennes, France. However, only 20 trained employees are involved in this process. The production of the Yaris GRMN is limited to a daily shift, where 600 copies will be produced at the rate of 7 units per day. For the European market 400 units of the Yaris GRMN and another 200 of the Vitz GRMN will be produced. The Toyota Vitz is the Japanese Yaris.
The suspension base is that of the “normal” Yaris, with the GRMN equipped with an evolution of the MacPherson front suspension and torsion bar rear suspension. The stabilizer bar is different and is 26 mm in diameter. The shock absorbers are by Sachs Performance and have shorter springs, resulting in a 24 mm decrease in ground height compared to the normal model.
To brake the Toyota Yaris GRMN, 275 mm grooved front discs with four-piston calipers, supplied by ADVICS, were installed. At the rear we find 278 mm discs.
The steering is electric, with double pinion and rack and was readjusted in this version, featuring 2.28 turns of the steering wheel from top to top. Speaking of the steering wheel, Toyota installed the GT-86 steering wheel on the Yaris GRMN, in which slight aesthetic changes were made to allow for a GRMN model to be identified. Both the steering software and the stability control software were modified.
Portugal will receive 3 units of the Yaris GRMN. Production (400 units) sold out in less than 72 hours.
Inside, simplicity.
While the Toyota Yaris GRMN's interior seems too simple these days, it was a pleasant surprise.
inside we find two buttons that change vehicle behavior : the START button customized with the abbreviation “GR” (which starts the engine…it was a joke…) and the button to turn off the traction and stability control (it really turns everything off). There are no Race or Sport buttons, driving modes for boys, etc. The Toyota Yaris GRMN is the most analog sport hatchback on the market and we love it.
Quality control
It wasn't just adding material to Yaris and creating this GRMN version. Specific quality control tests were produced for all different parts, additional welding points, braking system, chassis reinforcements, seats and even the application of stickers. At the end of assembly, renewed final inspection requirements were also introduced, which check engine performance, chassis behavior and braking, bearing in mind that this is a model with special features.
Banks are exclusive to this version (and what banks!). Produced by Toyota Boshoku, they offer, according to the Japanese brand, the best lateral support in the class. They are coated with Ultrasuede, ensuring excellent breathing for the body and comfort above the segment average.
The steering wheel, with a reduced diameter, is the same as the Toyota GT-86, with slight modifications in terms of aesthetics. The box has a short q.b stroke and is easy to handle, even in extreme situations where accuracy is critical. The quadrant is also specific to this version and the small color TFT screen has a unique startup animation.
Deep nail
When I get into the Toyota Yaris GRMN for the first time at the Castellolí circuit, the first thing I feel is the comfort of the seats. During the corners and against corners of the circuit and on the public road, they proved to be an excellent ally on two fronts: comfort and support.
Despite being a potential collector's piece, the Toyota Yaris GRMN right here manages to gather the first arguments to be a true daily drive. With almost 286 liters of luggage capacity up to the coat rack, they even have space for weekend bags…
The rest of the interior, simple, with everything in the right place, needs no introduction. It's basic, it doesn't have filters, it's what it takes to give us a good dose of fun.
“You have 90 minutes, have fun and respect the rules” is heard on the radio. It was kind of Good Morning Vietnam! petrolhead version.
At the door of the circuit was “our” Toyota Yaris GRMN which we had the opportunity to drive on (superb!) roads around Barcelona. With them were also the standard tyres, Toyota opted to place a set of Bridgestone semi-slicks in the Yaris destined for track tests.
In the first changes in depth, the sound of the engine that vigorously invades the cabin is anything but artificial, here there is no sound coming out of the speakers. The revolutions rise linearly up to 7000 rpm, the volumetric compressor ensures that power is always present, in a much wider regime than in turbo engines. It's impossible not to smile for the first few hundred meters.
The 6-speed gearbox is precise, well staggered and has that good mechanical feeling as you'd expect. The gearbox travel has the maximum height recommended by the ergonomics rules, due to the Toyota Yaris' slightly elevated driving position.
Yes, it's not all roses. It was not feasible for Toyota to change the steering column, which meant resubmitting the model to new safety tests and a series of mandatory procedures. The cost? Unaffordable.
to retain
Motor
1.8 Dual VVT-iE
Maximum power
212 hp/6,800 rpm-250 Nm/4,800 rpm
Streaming
6-speed manual
Accel. 0-100 km/h - Speed max.
6.4 sec - 230 km/h (limited)
Price
€39,450 (sold out)
So we are left with the driving position of the Toyota Yaris, which is what you would expect from an SUV, it is not the best for a sports car. Is it the Achilles heel of the Toyota Yaris GRMN? No doubt. All the rest of the package exudes passion for driving.
The Torsen Slip Differential does a great job of putting power to the ground as you exit corners. The chassis is balanced, very effective and, together with the shock absorbers, gives the necessary rigidity for the Toyota Yaris GRMN to present itself to curves with the correct posture. A lift-off here and there and we have a real driver´s car to remember that after all, those glorious times can still come back.
Forged 17-inch BBS alloy wheels help to reduce weight (2kg lighter than equivalent conventional wheels) while also allowing you to use bigger brakes. For brakes, Toyota opted for smaller but thicker discs, which are up to the challenge.
On the road, it is even more interesting and considering that this is where more than 90% of owners will use it, this quality could not be more important.
It is able to digest the imperfections of the floor well, while providing the sharp drive that we are looking for in a sporty proposal like this. The steering is communicative, the “normal” Yaris is envious of so much conversation that this GRMN is able to establish with its pilot.
Without adaptive suspensions, “mood changes” at the touch of a button or digital voice tuners, this is a great piece of Japanese engineering. The Toyota Yaris GRMN is analog, simple, like a pedigreed hothatch should be. Even if it's just for a few, and how lucky these “some” are.