Toyota’s hotly anticipated GR Yaris hot hatch was driven by double F1 Champion Fernando Alonso for a few laps at a very wet Estoril.
During the special media event in Portugal, Alonso was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the new Japanese pocket rocket on these less than ideal conditions.
“This car has the perfect combination of sport and good performance. A very sporty car you can drive every day exceeding your expectations in every gear change, in every braking point in every corner, you know it’s a little bit better than you expect,” Alonso said after the drive.
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“Not only the power and the stability, but for me also the brakes, it was a really nice surprise, it is only the first few laps but it is exciting!”
The new Toyota GR Yaris, which marks the return of rally-bred homologation specials in our lives, features a turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder petrol engine that produces 257 HP (262 PS) and 266 lb-ft (360 Nm) of torque and is paired to a six-speed manual transmission exclusively. Toyota claims that the new GR Yaris will be capable of a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in less than 5.5 seconds and of a top speed limited to 143 mph (230 km/h).
Power goes to a new all-wheel drive system that can be optionally fitted with limited-slip differentials front and rear as part of the Circuit Pack. There are three driving modes: Normal (which splits the torque 60:40 front-rear), Sport (30:70), and Track (50:50).
The new Toyota GR Yaris will become available to order in Europe later this year, with pricing details to be announced closer to the launch date.