The high-performance Toyota GR Yaris, inspired by the World Rally Championship, is now available in an automatic transmission for the first time in the Philippines. Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) has officially launched the latest iteration of its rally-bred vehicle, combining motorsports engineering with everyday drivability. Retail sales begin on 6 March.

Born from the World Rally Championship (WRC), the GR Yaris embodies Toyota Motor Corporation

Chairman Akio Toyoda’s belief that “roads build cars.” As part of its philosophy to continually develop ever-better cars, Toyota emphasizes motorsports as an important avenue to test the limits of its performance cars and develop them for the road.

The New GR Yaris sports a bolder and more aerodynamic exterior design, emphasizing its rally-bred heritage. It comes with 18-inch 225/40 aluminum-forged wheels and tires, LED headlights, daytime running lamps, and rear combination lamps, and a rear spoiler to further elevate its look.

Under the hood, it is powered by a G16E-GTS: 3-cylinder, in-line, DOHC 4-valve Roller-Rocker engine that produces an improved max output of 280 PS and a max torque of 390 Nm. It has also adopted an upgraded drive mode select, as well as a new sub radiator and intercooler spray to provide additional cooling and increase the overall performance of the vehicle.

The New GR Yaris comes in two variants – the new 1.6L Turbo A/T, which has an 8-speed direct shift automatic transmission with paddle shifters, and the 1.6L Turbo M/T with 6-speed intelligent manual transmission.