Is This a More Hardcore Toyota GR Yaris Testing at the Nurburgring?

From a visual standpoint, a few things have changed. For instance, the canards mounted on each side of the front bumper are gone, and the presumed side vents, perhaps with bespoke badging, on the front fenders have been wrapped up. The back end looks just about the same, and so do the wheels, which aren’t the final production units.

Compared to the regular GR Yaris, if you can call a rally-bred hot hatch with bespoke underpinnings and lots of power ‘regular’, the spied prototype appears to sit lower. As a result, its chassis has probably been upgraded in an attempt to make the car corner better. We would expect a re-tuned steering, if this is indeed a more hardcore model, and perhaps uprated brakes, as well as more power from the punchy 1.6-liter, three-banger.

In the current GR Yaris, the mill is capable of pushing out 257 HP and 266 lb-ft (360 Nm) of torque in the European version. It works in concert with a six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel-drive, and if one opts for the optional Circuit Pack, then it will also feature two Torsen limited-slip differentials, one at the front and the other one at the rear, a performance-tuned suspension and 18-inch wheels, shod in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.

From nought to 62 mph (0-100 kph), the Euro-spec Toyota GR Yaris needs less than 5.5 seconds, and it will run out of breath at 143 mph (230 kph).

The Japanese model is a bit feistier, with 268 HP and 273 lb-ft (370 Nm).

So, are we indeed looking at an even hotter GR Yaris, and if so, will it be named the Yaris GRMN? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section down below.