THESE NEW WRC-INSPIRED SPECIAL-EDITION GR YARIS ARE JUST ABOUT PERFECT.
The updated GR Yaris was only recently revealed, and in true Toyota fashion, there’s already a pair of amazing limited-edition tribute cars out there. These new cars don’t have anything more under the hood, both still employ the latest incarnation of the compact turbocharged 1.6 litre 3-cylinder that’s rated at an almost unbelievable 224 kW with 400 Nm of torque. A few years back you’d never have pegged such a small capacity motor to be able to make that much power in a series production car. Even more impressive is that in the aftermarket world, these small 3-cylinder powerplants can be seen with in excess of 300 kW on tap. Luckily all that power is used properly thanks to a cracker of an al-wheel drive system. To celebrate the new car, WRC and the drivers, Toyota Gazoo Racing has created a pair of limited-number special editions to promote the cars, the drivers and the team’s exploits in the World Rally Championship. The cars were developed with personal input from Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team champion drivers Sébastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanperä, which explains why they’ve been called the Ogier Edition and the Rovanperä Edition and the reveal coincided with the opening event in the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship at the start of Rallye-Monte Carlo. Their creation was inspired by the desire of Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman and Master Driver Akio Toyoda to express his respect and gratitude to the drivers “who hone and grow our cars in rallies” and to the teams, the rally organisers and the sport’s fans. Making the cars special is custom drive modes tailored to each driver’s preferences. This means that owners of these cars can drive them in the specially-created drive mode and mimic what the actual race drivers prefer. Would mastering a drive in these modes mean you can drive like a rally star? Probably not but it’s cool to think about. Besides the drive modes, each car has a unique look to it. The Ogier Edition is the tamer of the two, but it’s still very nice to look at. The Rovanperä Edition has a much more race-inspired look to it and is definitely the one we’d choose if we were in the position to choose one.
Ogier Edition
The Ogier Edition GR Yaris has two new AWD control modes: Morizo and Seb. Morizo mode was developed by Morizo (Akio Toyoda) through his rally driving experiences and is calibrated to help deliver consistent race times under acceleration, partial acceleration and braking. The Seb mode, developed by Ogier, uses the front and rear Torsen limited slip differentials and all-wheel drive to distribute torque to the rear axle so that the back of the car can be swung out more easily to give the driver a sense of being fully connected with the car and should help them achieve quicker times with high-speed driving body control. The Ogier Edition’s bodywork has a Matt Stealth Grey paint finish and features the French national flag on the radiator grille and the BBS wheels and WRC commemorative stickers are added to the front wings. The stand-out details include a new-design carbon fibre rear spoiler and blue-painted brake callipers. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing decals have been added to the doors with an Ogier Edition logo on the hatch. Inside you’ll find a WRC victory commemoration plaque on the passenger side of the instrument panel as well as contrasting blue, grey and red stitching to honour the French flag on the steering wheel. Grey stitching is used for the shift and parking brake gaiters and the seat upholstery.Rovanperä Edition
The Rovanperä Edition has a unique Donut Mode that was created for the WRC’s youngest champion who has a knack for drifting and throwing out tyre-shredding donuts. The new mode allows for easy driving and “door turns” with a constant, strong torque flow to the rear wheels. This GR Yaris version also features Kalle Mode that uses a constant-velocity rear differential and front and rear Torsen limited-slip differentials to produce linear handling characteristics so the back end of the car can be easily kicked out as it enters a bend and allows the front to be pulled forward on the throttle on the exit. The car has an exclusive three-tone paint finish, applied as a series of painted motifs by the designer of Rovanperä’s race helmet and it looks absolutely stunning! WRC victory stickers were added to the front wings and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing decals are found on the doors and rear bumper with a Rovanperä Edition badge on the hatch. This one also wears BBS alloys and is fitted with a forged carbon variable rear wing spoiler as seen on the special edition GRMN Yaris. A main feature is the constant-velocity rear differential gears. Inside this one, the stitching is in blue and grey for Finland and the special plaque commemorates TGR’s WRC victory.
Take a look at the YouTube video from the recent unveiling of these special edition GR Yaris cars that take inspiration from the world of the popular World Rally Championship with a nod to well-known drivers Sébastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanperä. The Ogier and Rovanperä special editions are just brilliant, but don't take our word for it GR Yaris Special Editions Reveal at Rallye Monte-Carlo | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing
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