From track to road
Toyota has updated three of its high-performance Gazoo Racing (GR) sports cars, which will be released in January.
They are the petrol-powered GR Yaris, pictured, GR Corolla and limited GR86 Hakone Edition.
Andrew Davis, Toyota NZ vice-president, says: “The GR programme started in motorsport and has shifted into roadgoing products with the GR Yaris, continued with the revived GR Corolla and more recently the revamped GR86.
“The development of our GR models appeals to customers who want to see improvements and tuning enhancements that make them more fun to drive.
“For 2025, all three models have been improved with advancements ranging from an increase in power, advancement in drivetrains, engineering and design.”
Davis, who is also responsible for Toyota Gazoo Racing in New Zealand, says the series and GR models are an important part of the marque’s presence here because they showcase product design, technical expertise and manufacturing capability.
The GR Yaris and GR Corolla were born from the brand’s World Rally Championship experience and technology, while the GR86 was co-developed with other makers of performance cars.
The GR Yaris has been improved for next year with a focus on on-road performance. Its three-cylinder engine has been uprated with another 21kW of power and 30Nm of torque.
In addition to the six-speed manual, an eight-speed direct-shift automatic has been added to the GR Yaris line-up. The automatic version also receives launch-start control for powerful acceleration from stationary, and a water-cooled and air-cooled automatic transmission fluid cooler.
Both variants have three-piece front bumpers with larger cooling apertures added along with an engine sub-radiator, cold-air intake and intercooler spray. Front ends have been stiffened to improve stability through corners.
Inside, the GR Yaris has a new instrument panel and audio display angled towards the motorist to improve visibility and operability. The driving position has been lowered by 25mm and a 12.3-inch full-colour meter added.
The GR Corolla, which boasts the same powertrain as the GR Yaris, has been upgraded by adding an eight-speed direct-shift automatic transmission. The three-cylinder engine has an extra 30Nm of torque.
With its name deriving from a legendary Japanese forest road with multiple switchbacks, the GR86 Hakone Edition “blends heritage with race-ready prowess”.
It has the same 2.4-litre, petrol-powered real-wheel-drive powertrain as the GR86 GT and is wrapped in “rich ridge green” reminiscent of British racing greens. It has bronze-painted alloys.
Inside, the front seats are treated with ultra-suede and leather accents, and have tan accents, tan-contrast stitching and black perforations. The stitching is carried through to the steering wheel, shift-lever boot, door arm rests and parking-brake lever.
The GR86 Hakone Edition will be available hgere in “exceptionally limited” numbers, only a few of which will feature a six-speed manual gearbox.
“More than half of our new vehicles sold today have a hybrid or electrified powertrain,” says Davis.
“Our multi-powertrain approach and focus on hybrids means we can satisfy customer needs for high performance or off-road functionality while meeting our commitments under the clean car standard and voluntary carbon-reduction targets.”
