Toyota's GR Yaris Makes Its Dynamic Debut at the Goodwood Speedweek

Oct 19, 2020 18:41 JST

Source: Toyota Motor Corporation

Toyota City, Japan, Oct 19, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) drove the GR Yaris and GR Supra(1) at the Goodwood SpeedWeek(2), held from October 16 through 18 at the Goodwood Motor Circuit in England, and posted images of the experience.

GR Yaris at the Goodwood SpeedWeek

The Goodwood Festival of Speed (GFoS) is known as a motorsport festival where many motorsport fans, famous cars both old and new, and world class drivers gather from all over the world usually around July every year. The 2020 festival was postponed to next year or later due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, while a no-spectator event was held in its place as the Goodwood Speedweek. Scenes from the event were "broadcast" worldwide over the Internet. TGR raced at the GFoS in 2009, and has participated in the motorsports festival since 2012.

In the rally stage (Rally Sprint) held from October 16 through 18, the new GR Yaris was driven as the zero car(3). In addition, in the Motorsports Circuit special stage (First Glance), the GR Yaris was driven in public. The GR Yaris was born as a vehicle that anyone can drive the way they want with peace of mind on any road in the world. The reason for this is that it incorporates lessons learned from the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team (WRT), including how to make cars that are competitive in the WRC(4), as well as learnings gleaned from evaluations given by professional drivers from the early stages of development. Based on the desire of master driver Morizo to "restore the Toyota sports cars," the new GR Yaris was created as the first Toyota vehicle developed with the reversed concept of turning a motorsports car into a production car. For this event, 2019 TGR WRT drivers, Jari-Matti Latvala and Kris Meeke, and Elfyn Evans who is racing as a 2020 TGR WRT driver drove the GR Yaris.

As for GR production vehicles, the GR Supra limited edition(5) also appeared at the Goodwood Motor Circuit.

Master driver Morizo also participated through video, sharing through images his passion for motorsports, the development of the GR Yaris, and the experience of riding in the passenger seat of the GR Yaris.

VIDEO MESSAGE FROM MASTER DRIVER MORIZO (AKIO TOYODA, PRESIDENT TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION):

"For car lovers like us, there is no better place to be than Goodwood. It's a feast for all the senses and even though we may not be able to smell the gasoline this year. Thanks to the imagination of the Duke of Richmond, we still get to see and hear many fantastic new cars, including a favorite of mine, this new Toyota GR Yaris. This is the production version of our Yaris WRC race car which we drove straight to the winner's circle in 2019, making us the current WRC champion! In truth, we participate in motorsports like WRC because we learn so much about how to make our cars more dynamic and fun to drive. In my role as Master Driver for Toyota, I was personally involved in the creation and tuning of this new GR Yaris, alongside our Gazoo team member the great Tommi Makinen. Unfortunately, I can't take you on a real test drive but here's a little taste of what it feels like. Enjoy!"

(1) Name used for marketing and other promotional communications.
(2) https://www.goodwood.com/motorsport/goodwood-speedweek/
(3) A course car driven through a stage before the competitors start to alert spectators that the section is live. The zero car is preceded by the triple zero and double zero cars.
https://www.wrc.com/en/more/about-wrc/lexicon/
(4) The FIA World Rally Championship
(5) Europe Limited Edition

Source: Toyota Motor Corporation
Sectors: Automotive