Toyota used the 2024 Tokyo Auto Salon, which kicked off on Friday within the Japanese capital, to debut an up to date model of its GR Yaris sizzling hatchback.

Impressed by the Yaris that competes within the World Rally Championship, the brand new 2024 GR Yaris represents the newest evolution of Toyota’s high-performance Yaris subcompacts that return to the Yaris GRMN launched final decade.

Whereas the U.S. will get the GR Corolla, the smaller GR Yaris is unlikely to succeed in these shores given the demise of the Yaris nameplate right here after 2020.

The newest evolution to the pocket rocket brings extra energy, plus an computerized transmission as an alternative choice to the usual 6-speed handbook. The auto is not any strange slushbox. It’s what Toyota claims is a fast- and intuitive-shifting design developed in rally competitors by the corporate’s Gazoo Racing motorsports division.

Generally known as the Direct Computerized Transmission, the 8-speed auto is designed to shift sooner through the use of software program to foretell driving habits. Whereas such know-how is not new, Toyota’s software program seems to be past the usual metrics comparable to deceleration g-forces and velocity, and integrates acceleration and braking into its logic. By doing so, it is ready to anticipate when a shift is important earlier than a change in driving habits really takes place.

In accordance with Toyota, the GR Yaris with the brand new computerized is ready to ship sooner observe instances than the automobile with the handbook.

Different modifications had been required to ship a good degree of drivability in addition to counter computerized transmissions’ vulnerability to warmth injury. Key measures included the usage of new supplies, nearer ratios (therefore the choice to go along with eight gears), and a brand new torque management system.

The motive force can management the efficiency of the transmission utilizing the automobile’s drive mode selector, and there is a handbook mode that lets the driving force select when to vary gears. In accordance with Toyota, preserving the engine within the 4,900-7,200 rpm vary is good for efficiency.

The engine is a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-3 rated at 276 hp, up from the 268 hp of the present GR Yaris launched in 2020. Drive goes to all 4 wheels as normal, through a GR-4 all-wheel-drive system that is in a position to regulate the steadiness of drive torque between the entrance and rear wheels based mostly on the mode the automobile is in. Torsen limited-slip differentials are additionally normal entrance and rear.

Additional enhancements to the GR Yaris system had been made through extra reinforcements to the automobile’s light-weight physique, particularly by extra spot welds and structural adhesive. The chassis is a bespoke design that mixes the GA-B platform of the usual Yaris up entrance with the rear finish of the bigger GA-C platform of the Corolla and different Toyota compacts. The suspension, which consists of MacPherson struts and rear double wishbones with trailing arms, has additionally been barely revised with new springs and additional bolts for the entrance dampers.

The inside additionally acquired a significant revamp. Taking suggestions from Gazoo Racing drivers, Toyota designers made such adjustments as transferring key controls for efficiency driving nearer to the attain of the driving force when strapped in with a harness, together with the controls for the intercooler spray, stability management, and hazard warning lights. The motive force’s visual field has additionally been improved by dropping the peak of the instrument panel, altering the place of the rear-view mirror, and angling the middle stack 15 levels farther towards the driving force. The steering wheel and entrance seats have additionally been lowered.

Gross sales of the 2024 GR Yaris begin in choose markets this summer time. Toyota may even supply a pair of special-edition variations honoring its profitable WRC drivers, Sébastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanperä, which the automaker will reveal on the Monte Carlo Rally later this month.