The Toyota GR Yaris is equipped with a compact 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, which sets it apart from many of its competitors that employ larger 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines. However, this rally-bred Japanese hot hatch has proven itself to be a formidable performance machine in recent years. Moreover, it’s exceptionally receptive to modifications, and in the UK, there’s an example that stands out as far more insane than most.
This GR Yaris is owned by a particularly enthusiastic owner and has been transformed into a beast that could not only outperform hyper-hatches like the Audi RS3 and Mercedes-AMG A 45 S but also rival some legitimate sports cars. Hampshierephoto on YouTube recently had the opportunity to discover what it is capable of and was left very, very impressed.
Comprehensive work has been done on the engine. Most notably, it now features fully-forged internals and a Pulsar turbocharger has been installed. Additionally, the GR Yaris rocks new Kelford cams and springs, and a Lamspeed exhaust manifold, and soon, will be fitted with aftermarket suspension components. It is good for a cool 530 hp and mated to the modded engine is the original six-speed manual transmission but with a new shifter.
Read: 2024 Toyota GR Yaris WRC Special Edition Limited To 300 Units With Undisclosed Upgrades
The car also looks much more dramatic than a normal GR Yaris. This is because it has been equipped with a widebody kit from Prior Performance in Germany and also has a carbon fiber hood and a new rear wing. There’s plenty to like about the interior of the car too, including the new leather-wrapped Recaro Sportster seats, the Sabelt steering wheel, a new digital instrument cluster, and even a Rolls-Royce-inspired starlight headliner.
While the GR Yaris is now almost three years old, Toyota is set to massively broaden its appeal with the launch of a variant with an automatic transmission. This new model will be what Toyota dubs its ‘Direct Auto Transmission or GR-DAT which it claims will provide a much more engaging driver experience than a regular ‘auto.
Lead image hampshirephoto/YouTube