It was seen at the Toyota Gazoo Racing Rally Challenge.
We are pretty certain you have read enough about the Toyota GR Yaris for to know it’s a blast. It can compete with larger, more powerful models, but it also has a six speed stick shift that is loved by enthusiasts all over the globe.
We have some good news for those who want a rally-bred Yaris slushbox with the convenience and power of an automatic. Toyota is currently working on an 8-speed slushbox to power the GR Yaris. It was seen at the Toyota Gazoo Rally Racing Challenge in Japan.
Japan’s Car Watch saw the car in its metal form, and took photos of the cabin. The publication claims that the GR Yaris has an 8-speed auto transmission and is currently in development. This week’s prototype is number 109. It has been modified in the front to allow for more airflow to the oil cooler.
The GR Yaris automatic gearbox is a conventional torque convertor automatic. It also has a manual mode that can be switched by paddle shifters at the back of the steering wheel.
Toyota stated that the company’s goal is not just to improve fuel efficiency, but also to make it more fun. Toyota Motor Corporation Vice Chairman Shigeru Hayakawa was actually behind the wheel for the Toyota Gazoo Rally Racing Challenge’s prototype. He joked that he had broken the transmission in the first stage of development.
This is not a guarantee that the production model will receive the AT gearbox, even though it’s in development. The next question is when it will. It is not known if it will ever make its way to the United States. It will be interesting to see if the larger Toyota GR Corolla makes its American debut this year.
The no. 109 GR Yaris can be viewed on Toyota Gazoo Racing’s live stream embedded below at the 1:18.49 mark.