#Steeven.™ Posted November 24, 2020 Posted November 24, 2020 The wait has come to an end. Toyota already has the first units of one of the wildest products we have come across in recent years in circulation. If you have been attentive to our social networks in recent days, you will know that we have already been testing the new Toyota GR Yaris. Here, in the following lines, I am going to tell you everything about him. In addition to being a unique product on the market, this is a very sporty and efficient model. The Japanese brand has done well to meet us at the mythical El Jarama Circuit, where we have been able to do a few rounds. Without fear of going deep, a lot of security and being able to extract many driving sensations without risking the license. We started! The first thing to note is that Toyota has taken its needs to homologate the WRC car, and has reflected it in this GR Yaris street. Yes, even the design. For the homologation they must sell 25,000 units of this car, a figure that they will achieve without problems after what we have been able to experience. It is manufactured in Japan, at the Motomachi plant, with much more human labor (with more supervision and care for detail) and professional Rallye drivers have worked in its set-up, all being supervised and tested by the director, Akio Toyoda. Gross is an understatement, but with zero makeup I don't like to focus too much on aesthetics, but in this case we must do a bit of comparison with the conventional Toyota Yaris. Well, you should know that the only parts they share are the headlights, the taillights and the roof antenna. Nothing else! Toyota assures that every detail of the bodywork has its function; that is, there are no cosmetics. Unlike the normal Yaris, the Toyota GR Yaris has a three-door body and the windows are frameless. In case there is any doubt, it is a B segment car. On the front we come across a bumper whose air mouth is huge. This is to ensure that the most airflow reaches the cooling system, which features a large main radiator and an equally generous intercooler. The versions with the Circuit Pack (which has an extra cost of 5,000 euros) also leave some pipes open to ventilate the brake system. This package also includes 18-inch forged wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires and red brake calipers. All this on a visual level, later on we will "gut" the technical improvements. Continuing with the aesthetics, we have a specific hood to integrate the new front suspension, a carbon fiber hood, bulky rear wheel arches to improve aerodynamics at high speeds and a much more robust rear with double exhaust outlet. Wow, that is very easy to distinguish it from a hybrid Yaris. To focus on driving, a perfect posture Meanwhile, inside we are greeted by very sporty seats and an exquisite driving position. The leather steering wheel has the ideal thickness, size and feel, with the gear lever being very close to the rim to release the right hand from the steering wheel for as little time as possible. There is no lack of specific instrumentation with graphics to see the distribution of torque between the four wheels, turbo pressure, fuel consumption and other travel information. The speedometer and tachometer are analog, but large and easy to see at a glance. There are also aluminum pedals and red stitching to increase aesthetic sportiness. I should mention the rotary knob that allows us to change modes for traction management. It is in front of the gear lever and we have three modes to select, which are Normal, Sport and Track. Later I will talk in depth about them. For the rest, the seats hold very well in the curves and are not extremely hard, which is appreciated. Of course, I am not sure if large people will find them comfortable. In my case, at 1.76 meters tall and 68 kilos in weight, they fit me like a glove. Being a three-door vehicle, access to the rear seats is not comfortable. Once behind, the space is rather tight although sufficient for short trips. By the way, this Toyota GR Yaris is only approved for four seats. Better, this way we avoid that many people get attached by increasing the weight ... Regarding the cargo space, the boot has a much higher floor than in a normal Yaris. Logically, the all-wheel drive system, with its differential and bearings, as well as the specific rear suspension, take up space. The trunk volume is 174 liters. Enough to carry the circuit suit, helmet, booties and gloves. All the technique of the Toyota GR Yaris Before getting behind the wheel, we must do a good review of all the engineering of this model that is not small. Surely if you are passionate about the technique you will be very interested. The Toyota GR Yaris gives to write a book. We are left with the key points. Double platform So that this Toyota Yaris from Gazoo Racing could extract its full potential, the engineers decided to opt for a “double platform”. At the front, the TNGA-B platform -the one from the Yaris- is used, while from the B-pillar the TNGA-C -the one from the Corolla, C-HR and Prius- is used. This solution gives the GR Yaris a 50mm higher rear track width, which gives it much more stability at high speed. Regarding the suspension, in the front we have a McPherson system while in the rear part a multi-link scheme is used. We recall that the conventional Yaris has a rear axle with a torsion bar. However, the set-up is very different from that of conventional models, using specific solutions, materials and parts. The roof is also lower, reducing the center of gravity and improving its aerodynamics. At the front, its height has been lowered by 1.5 centimeters and no less than 9.5 at the rear. As mentioned above, the roof is made of carbon fiber. Toyota has also incorporated numerous reinforcement pieces to increase structural rigidity, high-strength materials, 14.6 more meters of structural adhesive and more than 250 extra weld spots. By the way, despite all this, the weight is reduced by 24 kilos, marked on the scale 1,280 kilos. Motor If we move on to the engine, we find a striking configuration. We have a block of three cylinders that cubes 1,618 cc. and that develops 261 CV at 6,500 rpm and no less than 360 Nm between 3,000 and 4,600. It complies with the Euro 6d standard and the WLTP approved consumption is 8.2 l / 100 km. Among its benefits we find a 0 to 100 km / h in 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 230 km / h. The specific power is 161 hp per liter of displacement. It is supported by a double injection system, which uses indirect injection for low loads and direct injection when we drive at high revs and / or press the accelerator a lot. For more details, it has 12 valves and turbocharging with ball bearings capable of blowing at 1.6 bar (it is integrated into the exhaust manifold). It is practically a super square motor, which allows it to reach 7,000 rpm. Its compression ratio is 10.5: 1. Continuing with the engine, it is built with very light materials, but without compromising reliability, according to the brand, and looking for the lowest internal friction losses. Notice that his weight is only 109 kilos. As a curiosity, the air filter box is so large (it can be seen in some of the images of the engine compartment) that the 12-volt battery has been placed under the floor of the trunk. This also improves the weight distribution of the car. GR Four traction Probably the "icing" on this Toyota GR Yaris is its traction system. It is the first sports 4 × 4 drive from Toyota in the last 20 years, but don't worry, they have not forgotten anything in this time. This drive has been dubbed the GR Four. It has an electronically controlled multi-disc center differential. This car has a lot of torque and is a sports car, so you need maximum precision and also a lot of speed. That is why, after several studies, they decided to increase the number of clutch discs to improve performance. Logically, we have a front and a rear differential, as in all all-wheel drive cars. In the case of the versions with the Circuit Pack, a Torsen self-locking is incorporated in each axle. With them, motor skills are greatly improved on slippery surfaces or when we ride to the limit on the track. In addition, the life of the brake system is also lengthened and overheating is avoided because the electronics (traction and stability control) intervene much less. 4
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