Photo: Toyota
On January 20th, the 2022 World Rally Championship will begin with the Monte Carlo Rally in Monaco. In preparation for the mixed-surface rally, Toyota Gazoo Racing has taken the veils off their brand-new contender.
2022 Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 is how the newcomer is called, and Rally1 is referring to a set of regulations that define top-tier hybrid rally cars in Article 262 of Appendix J of the International Sporting Code. There are two main takeaways, starting with Rally1 cars not needing a series-production equivalent. But the purpose-built competition vehicle must be identifiable as a series-production car, hence the GR Yaris headlights and taillights.
Under the hood, you’ll find a 1.6-liter engine from the Yaris WRC that runs on 100-percent sustainable fuel which combines synthetic and bio components. A four-cylinder lump rather than a three-cylinder turbo as employed by the GR Yaris hot hatchback, the Rally1 challenger also includes a 3.9-kWh battery and a motor-generator unit rated at 100 kW (134 metric horsepower).
All told, a combined system output of more than 500 horsepower should make the GR Yaris Rally1 a seriously badass machine on any surface. The Japanese automaker doesn’t mention an exact torque figure, but we do know the current regs allow more than 500 Nm (369 pound-feet) combined.
Built on a spaceframe chassis instead of the production car’s unibody, the GR Yaris Rally1 features mechanical gearshift and the removal of the active center differential due to cost cutting. Four such cars will be deployed in every round of the Monte Carlo Rally, and the star driver comes in the guise of eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier. Japanese driver Takamoto Katsuta and Irish co-driver Aaron Johnston are contesting the entire 2022 season for Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team Next Generation.
“I’ve had the chance to do three days of testing in December 2021 and another day last week, all to prepare for this event. It’s quite a big change and it’s an exciting challenge to try and adapt to that,” declared Ogier.
Under the hood, you’ll find a 1.6-liter engine from the Yaris WRC that runs on 100-percent sustainable fuel which combines synthetic and bio components. A four-cylinder lump rather than a three-cylinder turbo as employed by the GR Yaris hot hatchback, the Rally1 challenger also includes a 3.9-kWh battery and a motor-generator unit rated at 100 kW (134 metric horsepower).
All told, a combined system output of more than 500 horsepower should make the GR Yaris Rally1 a seriously badass machine on any surface. The Japanese automaker doesn’t mention an exact torque figure, but we do know the current regs allow more than 500 Nm (369 pound-feet) combined.
Built on a spaceframe chassis instead of the production car’s unibody, the GR Yaris Rally1 features mechanical gearshift and the removal of the active center differential due to cost cutting. Four such cars will be deployed in every round of the Monte Carlo Rally, and the star driver comes in the guise of eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier. Japanese driver Takamoto Katsuta and Irish co-driver Aaron Johnston are contesting the entire 2022 season for Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team Next Generation.
“I’ve had the chance to do three days of testing in December 2021 and another day last week, all to prepare for this event. It’s quite a big change and it’s an exciting challenge to try and adapt to that,” declared Ogier.
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