Background
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The modern Toyota is widely respected as purveyors of boring but ultra-reliable road cars as well as indestructible and highly effective off-roaders. So, not really our thing, eh?
Unless, that is, you add the letters ‘GRMN’.
Because they stand for ‘Gazoo Racing tuned by the Meister of Nürburgring’, which means that the little Yaris GRMN is anything but the sort of shopping car your grandma would use for the Waitrose run.
Gazoo Racing is, you see, one of the arms Toyota races under. First appearing at the Nürburgring 24 Hour race in 2007, it competes now in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the World Rally Championship (WRC). The cars it produces are, therefore, very much The Real Deal.
Let’s start with the engine, shall we? A 1.8-litre four-cylinder, it is supercharged and fitted with a heavy duty fuel injection system, which allows it to produce 209bhp and 184lb/ft of torque, enough to propel the 1,135kgs lightweight to a top speed of 143mph after passing 60mph in 6.3 seconds.
Unimpressed? Well, getting all that torque needs calibrating to get it down to the tarmac without wheelspin - and then you need to factor in the fact that 60mph is reached in third; this is a very low-geared car and one that tuned for real-world, mid-range acceleration rather than off-the-line numbers: Like 30-70mph in 5.4 seconds, a time that shatters that of the competition from MINI and Peugeot.
Sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox and a Torsen limited-slip differential, the 4-metre long Yaris sits on stiffer and shorter springs than normal, springs that place the car almost an inch closer to the ground than usual. Sachs Performance dampers keep the whole thing under control, a role that is bolstered by the 26mm front anti-roll bar and front strut brace.
Front and rear disc brakes help it stop from 60mph in under three seconds, and 17-inch BBS alloy wheels give it the wherewithal to ride on low-profile 205/45R17 tyres. A rear spoiler and diffuser, a central exhaust tailpipe and some lurid graphics complete the exterior package.
The interior is more focussed on ergonomics and longevity than style but a pair of Alcantara-covered bucket seats keep those in the front under control, while the GT86 contributes its steering wheel. It might be simple in there but, if nothing else, it means you know the money has been invested in solid engineering instead of spaffed away on fripperies.
The result is sublime. Autocar called it “a superbly involving car” while Evo magazine wrote that “The chassis setup is well-judged, fostering confidence and exhibiting a pleasing degree of adjustability.”
Just 80 were offered in the UK, all of which were snapped up by enthusiasts keen to enjoy the fruit of Gazoo Racing’s loins. This means that when they do come up for sale, they’ve often been thrashed mercilessly around the track, a role the GRMN might relish but is not one buyers tend to look favourably upon.
But, there are a very few out there that have been preserved rather than abused. Which is where our next listing comes in…
