Last year we brought you news of what happened when TOM’S Racing got its hands on the already pretty much perfect, Japanese-market Toyota Century sedan. We weren’t fans of TOM’S mods, which made the typically understated, dignified totem to Japanese automotive fastidiousness look like a raggedy 2006 Chrysler 300. However, while time heals some wounds, in this case switching Toyotas helps, and TOM’S Racing is back to its best after working on the ultra-hot 2020 GR Yaris hatchback, a freakish little turbocharged rally homologation special we’d just love to see here in the U.S.
While the mods you see here on the GR Yaris are still in their development phase, they add even more menace to what is already a very pugnacious, wild little car. The most obvious changes are to the bodywork. There is a new front bumper and splitter, a massive (relative to the size of the Yaris) rear wing, a new rear bumper with a center outlet exhaust, and some fresh side skirts.
Looking a little bit closer, and you can see the mesh has been removed from the grille to make way for what looks like a new intercooler. While TOM’S hasn’t released power figures, it’s pretty safe to assume that TOM’S GR Yaris will make plenty more than the standard car’s 257 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque. We wouldn’t be surprised if its new power figure started with a “3” when all was said and done. After all, other tuners have extracted 310 ponies from the Toyota’s little three-cylinder engine.
Meanwhile the whole car has been lowered, and the stock suspension has been swapped for a set of Luck Elsport V1-DFA coilovers. There also is a new wheel and tire package, a set of Rays wheels wears Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ rubber, behind which you’ll find what looks to be a pretty substantial brake upgrade.
Sadly, all we can do is look on in despair. The GR Yaris—let alone this TOM’S Racing iteration—won’t be coming stateside, where our (different) Yaris lineup was discontinued last year. But, that just makes the want that much stronger.
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