“Evolution never stops! The “”Evo”” machine of the GR Yaris! Test-drive the “”GRMN Yaris Rally Package”” on a dirt course!
Driving in Depth! I found myself forgetting work and wanting to “”drive more!
The “”GRMN Yaris”” made its world premiere at the “”Tokyo Auto Salon 2022″” held in January this year.
It is now a “”supercar! See 34 photos of the “”GRMN Yaris Rally Package,”” which also has an even greater sense of oneness between man and horse.
We have already reported on the test drive of the “”Circuit Package,”” and now we would like to introduce the “”Rally Package. We test drove the car on a special dirt course located in Sodegaura Forest Raceway in Chiba Prefecture.
Toyota’s “”Rally Package,”” a non-paved course version of the GRMN Yaris
To review the GRMN Yaris a little, it is a model based on the GR Yaris with quick feedback of knowledge/know-how gained through motor sports activities, and has a body (increased rigidity & weight reduction), engine (increased torque & response/responsiveness), drivetrain (cross-ratio & increased strength), etc. ), etc., with an eye toward harder driving.
The details of these features are explained in detail in the previous test drive report, so we will not go into them here. ……
The GRMN Yaris Rally Package includes items that are designed for driving on non-paved roads, such as rally shock absorbers and sway bar link sets, under guards, and roll bars (with side bars).
These items are sold as “”GR parts for competitors”” for the GR Yaris.
The exclusive items for the Circuit Package are factory-installed, but the exclusive items for the Rally Package are dealer-installed due to regulations.
Since this was a dirt race, “”Dunlop Direzza 88R + RAYS”” tires and wheels were installed.
The car was equipped with “”Dunlop Direzza 88R + RAYS”” tires and wheels.
The driver sits on a full bucket seat made by RECARO across the roll cage. The 5-point seatbelt is fastened and we are ready to start.
I had previously test driven a GR Yaris with the same items installed on the same course. My impression at that time was that it was a very controllable and enjoyable model to drive, but the GRMN Yaris goes above and beyond.
I was impressed by the level of “”4WD Jinba Ittai”” (4WD Jinba Ittai), which gives a strong sense of control.
Since non-paved roads have less grip than paved roads, driving forward while allowing the car to slide is required, and especially when entering a corner, it is important to make more active use of load transfer.
However, the author is not a professional on non-paved roads, so when test driving the GR Yaris, it was difficult to get a sense of the grip, resulting in unnecessary under/oversteer.
At that time, as a matter of fact, I was riding thinking, “”Is this what it’s like?”” However, when I drove the GRMN Yaris and entered a corner at the same speed and under the same maneuvers, the nose of the car pointed more toward the inside than the GR Yaris.
Also, when the car slides, the GRMN Yaris communicates clearly with the car and responds to its actions without any unintended and unnecessary movements, whereas the GR Yaris has a strong sense of taming a rampaging horse.
Even when the car makes a change in behavior, the movement seems slow (in fact, it is quite fast), which is probably due to the lack of abrupt movements and the high controllability.
In this area, in addition to the improved body rigidity (spot +541 points & structural adhesive +12m) that has increased responsiveness to operation and toughness to receive inputs, the evolution of the powertrain (increased torque & changed gear ratios) has made it possible to extract the necessary power exactly when the driver wants it. The synergistic effect of these improvements in various parts of the car is evident in the driving performance.
When you have a more trusting relationship with your car, driving becomes not only more enjoyable but also more challenging.
At first, I too was just exploring, but in the end I was able to drive like a dirt track driver, turning sideways as I entered the car. To be honest, I forgot about work and thought to myself, “”I wish I could drive longer! I was so happy to be able to forget about my work and just keep on driving.
Evolution never stops! The “”Evo”” machine of the GR Yaris! Test drive the “”GRMN Yaris Rally Package”” on a dirt course
GR Yaris is not finished! Evolution “”Continues onward””
It’s time to conclude our test drive impressions of the GRMN Yaris Rally Package.
It is said that it is easier to understand a car’s qualities on non-paved roads than on paved roads, but the GRMN Yaris is definitely at a level that makes me jealous as a GR Yaris owner.
I found myself forgetting about work and wanting to drive more! I was having so much fun that I wanted to drive more! Toyota “”GRMN Yaris “”Rally Package
I would like to say out loud, “”Please buy one,”” but the limited 500-unit lot is almost full (there is still time to order more due to cancellations by winners), so there is no way to order one now. ……
What is the meaning of holding this test drive event at such a time?
I think it means that “”this is not the goal.
I interpreted the message as, “”The evolution of the GR Yaris will continue in the future, and we want you to fully understand the process along the way.
In fact, a letter from President Akio Toyoda was sent to those who applied for the GRMN Yaris (I was one of them).
The letter is a long one, covering three sheets of letterhead, but I would like to introduce a small part of it.
The development is still going on. GR Yaris will never be completed.
Even though it will never be completed, I believe it is our responsibility at Toyota to deliver the ‘forged results’ to our customers from time to time.
We will continue to train the GR Yaris more and more, and you can look forward to its growth.
We look forward to your continued support for the GR Yaris and the GRMN Yaris.”