Toyota has reintroduced the GR Yaris to the UK market with an aggressive new special edition – and discontinued the eight-speed automatic gearbox option.
Toyota's website previously stated that GR Yaris order books had been closed in the UK due to "exceptional demand", but the arrival of the Aero Performance car means that they're open once again.
However, it will not be available with the auto that was introduced when the hot hatch was facelifted last year, because the majority of buyers opted for the manual, a Toyota spokesperson confirmed to Autocar.
Moreover, the Aero Performance variant will be sold in "strictly limited numbers".
Priced from £48,995 (£2950 more than the regular GR Yaris), it brings a more aggressive look all around, with new ducts and vents to improve the car’s aerodynamic performance.
Up front, it gets a subtle new chin spoiler, developed by Toyota-backed outfit Rookie Racing, that is said to reduce lift.
The bonnet gets a larger vent to improve engine cooling and a flat floor has been fitted to smooth the flow of air under the car.
At the rear end, it gets a larger and adjustable roof-mounted spoiler.
New ducts have been cut into the front wings and the rear bumper to improve brake cooling and to further reduce turbulence under the car.
In addition to the aerodynamic tweaks, the Aero Performance gets a rally-style vertical handbrake lever.
The special edition is available to order now, exclusively from Toyota GR Centres. Deliveries will begin next March.
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As a gen 1 GR Yaris owner. I happy to see the GR Yaris still available whilst still being enhanced. The price of the Gen 1 was probably too low (for toyota) at launchIf you factor in inflation the price of a Gen 1 circuit pack from 2020 is now £43k without considering other taxes etc. The car has been gradually refined and if you consider all the changes made I would argue that the price is fair. Since the supply of the gen 2 cars sold out at £46k the buyers seem to agree.
Couldn't agree more. £49k is eyewatering, but if people are prepared to pay it, then why wouldn't Toyota pitch it at that price? If demand exceeds supply then it's a cheap car.
Of course the real price is cost to change. I bought a Yaris GR, the 5dr hybrid version, which listed at £31k. Given the size an quality of the car, arguably that's more eyewatering. However the reality is, it was one of the cheapest cars I've bought in the past 40yrs. It's all relative.
List price means nothing other than to the taxman, who's looking for that extra £425 VED each year.
So they're bringing it back with a limited edition and charging the best part of £3K for the pleasure, moddders have already built faster better cars and yes maybe charged more but at least you were getting something significantly better,and when it's all said an done, your paying a lot for not a lot of car.
£50k for a Toyota Yaris (however entertaining)? You cannot be serious. Let's hope that the UK GR Corolla makes it onto our streets at an affordable price. 90% of Yaris fun for Golf GTi money could be tempting.
It's not a Yaris, though, is it? How many panels are interchangeable between this and a Yaris?