Toyota GR Yaris to debut at Tokyo Auto Salon Jan 10

The question of what exactly Toyota will name the hot version of its new Yaris (the European and Japanese model, not the Vios-based hatchback that we get) has finally be answered. It’s not GRMN, which was what the outgoing car was called, nor the GR-4 moniker that was teased by the company itself – instead, it will be called the Toyota GR Yaris, making it the second car to carry the GR branding after the Supra.

More importantly, Toyota has confirmed that the car will make its debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon in exactly a month’s time, from January 10 to 12. Even better is the teaser photo that accompanied the announcement, which reveals quite a lot about the GR Yaris’ design – at least at the rear.

Notably, the GR will be the only variant of the new Yaris to be offered in a three-door body style, and the roofline will be lower and sleeker too, with a window opening that is rather reminiscent of the Volkswagen Scirocco. You’ll also find beefy fender flares both at the front and rear, and the bumpers have boxy corners that emphasise the extra width; the rear end also features a large diffuser and a shiny pair of tailpipes.

No technical details have been released just yet, with Toyota only saying that the GR Yaris will incorporate “all the technologies, knowledge, and experience” it has gathered from its successful World Rally Championship (WRC) campaign, during which it scooped up the drivers’ title this year.

However, a previous video showed president and CEO Akio Toyoda, referred to by his racing pseudonym Morizo, putting a prototype through its paces – and in it we can see the car spinning all four wheels on the dirt from a standing start. This confirms that the GR Yaris will have all-wheel drive, though it remains to be seen if the car will employ the previous model’s supercharged engine or a new turbocharged one.

The car was supposed to be revealed in prototype form at the season-closing Rally Australia last month, before devastating wildfires in the New South Wales region forced the cancellation of the event. It’s unclear if the GR Yaris will be unveiled in full at the Tokyo Auto Salon, or still be covered in the camouflage you see here – we’ll just have to wait and see.

GALLERY: Toyota GR Yaris spyshots

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