After about 20 years missing the scene, Toyota finally decided to return to WRC. After rumors and spyshots hinting about that, the automaker officially announced its decision and also unveiled the car that will storm the tarmac and gravel stages in the near future.
As you might know, Toyota chose to go with the Yaris hatch, explaining they had to chose something in between performance and reliability, two very important factors when it comes to the rough rally conditions.
The Yaris WRC is motivated by a 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four engine producing about 300 hp and 420 Nm (310 lb-ft) of torque, further bolted to a six-speed sequential transmission using a performance ZF Sachs clutch.
It uses the same steel body shell, although it’s now reinforced thanks to a rollcage, but it’s overall dimensions are almost unchanged. The width is bigger though, measuring 1,820 mm (71.6 inch) due to the wider fenders and increased track.
The suspension obviously got replaced with a performance one, so was the braking system and traction is offered by Michelin tires, wrapping 7 x 15” wheels for gravel and 8 x 18” on tarmac.
The Yaris WRC has already completed a preliminary test program on tarmac and gravel stages throughout Europe, establishing a promising baseline on which to build over the coming months. The racing team plans to enter the championship in 2017.
Of course, the story is way longer and you can learn more from the video below. You’ll also meet the people that worked and are working on the project.
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