Report: Automatic transmission-equipped Toyota GR Yaris, GR Corolla in the works

MANILA: Toyota appears to be increasing the appeal of its sporty hatchbacks. Toyota appears to be working on automatic versions of the GR Yaris and GR Corolla, according to the Australian automotive website GoAuto. Furthermore, Toyota has gone so far as to equip these vehicles with automatic gearboxes and put them through a battery of reliability tests.

Naoyuki Sakamoto, the GR Corolla's Chief Engineer, discussed the latest advances with GoAuto.

“We are testing an automatic transmission in the GR Yaris for the Japanese rally team. We have joined the rally series with a GR Yaris with automatic transmission, and with each rally if we find some issues, we improve it. Such kind of activity is the central idea of the GR company—always from motorsports development,” said Sakamoto.

Toyota may not proceed with manufacturing of these performance hatchbacks merely because it built automated prototypes. Given that the company's kin is an occasional racing driver and the new CEO formerly oversaw Gazoo Racing, the self-shifting GR hatchbacks should satisfy the higher-ups within Toyota to continue forward, which is a challenging task.

Rather, it is thought of as a sort of "feasibility study" for the automatic GR Yaris and GR Corolla.

Toyota GR Yaris

The Toyota GR Yaris is a rally-specification automobile that has been made accessible worldwide, including in the Philippines. The hot hatchback is equipped with a potent 1.6-liter gasoline turbocharged engine that drives all four wheels. It functions as a rally car on the road.

The Toyota GR Yaris is built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform from the Japanese automaker. The chassis has also been improved by Toyota Gazoo Racing (GR), who included a new set of suspension parts to make the car more capable of handling the demands of rally racing. It also has additional parts, like a limited-slip differential, as a homologation car to enhance its handling qualities. A 1.6-liter three-cylinder gasoline turbocharged engine with 272 horsepower and 360 Nm of torque powers the GR Yaris. A 6-speed manual transmission distributes power to all four wheels.

On the other hand, all-around 14-inch disc brakes provide stopping power. The GR adjusted circuit suspension, which consists of double-wishbones with stabilizers installed at the back and MacPherson struts with stabilizers at the front, further emphasizes the vehicle's already sporty nature. 225/40 series tires are used on 18-inch alloy wheels on the hot hatchback.

Toyota GR Corolla

The same three-cylinder, turbocharged G16E-GTS engine that powers the GR Yaris also powers the GR Corolla. A three-pipe exhaust system gives it 300 horsepower and a pleasant exhaust note without adding any additional engine noise. The tiny engine also gains from motorsport developments that improve performance. It features a 1,618cc displacement and a maximum torque of 295lb-ft for the Core grade and 273lb-ft for the Morizo Edition variant.

The GR Corolla's four-wheel-drive performance may be adjusted to suit the needs of the driver by simply twisting a dial. Drivers can set a 60:40 front-to-rear torque distribution under normal driving conditions. Balance can shift to the rear for sporty driving, with a 30:70 distribution for a fun-to-drive quality on twisting roads and circuits. A 50:50 configuration may be used for fast, competitive track driving on circuits or special stages for maximum stability. The torque balance will automatically change in each mode to the driver's inputs, vehicle behavior, and road conditions.

The front and rear Torsen Limited-Slip Differentials (LSD) on the Circuit Edition and Morizo Edition also manage the allocation of left- and right-hand drive torque on the front and rear axles, improving cornering performance and grip. AWD open differentials are standard on the Core grade, and dual LSD is an option included in the Performance Package.

Photos from Toyota

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