Hugo Silva Designs has produced another awesome look.
This another outstanding design from Hugo Silva who has caught our attention before with his version of the Pikes Peak spec Audi R8, the awesome looking Ford Bronco and a reworked Autozam AZ-1 which in fact is a Mazda product.
In January last year (2020), Toyota unveiled to the world the Tokyo Auto Salon show a homologation model hot hatch born to win the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). It was a total surprise to the motoring press and also die hard hot hatch lovers that this car was powered by a 1.6-liter in-line 3-cylinder direct-injection turbo engine (G16E-GTS).
Its Engine
This compact 1,618cc engine had 272PS ready for the driver and a massive 370Nm of torque powering a compact hatch weighing in at just 1,280kg. Using a iMT 6-speed manual gearbox and a GR-FOUR sports 4-wheel drive system, this little Toyota was developed to win rally and tarmac races around the world.
Its Production
Its production was only in one location, at a dedicated production line at Toyota’s Motomachi Plant, which has a long and solid track record of manufacturing sports cars, and its assembly was to be carried out by takumi (master craftsperson) team members. In other words, the best automotive factory workers in the world.
Since its launch a year ago, this little Toyota Yaris GR has been the most written and talked about 3-cylinder hot hatch around the globe and wherever it has been launched, sales have been beyond expectations.
Its Sales
Arriving in Malaysia only in December 18th last year at a selling price of RM299,000 (without road tax and insurance) the allocated 200 units for our country was quickly sold to collectors and car enthusiasts in just weeks. The available 25,000 units only for the whole world means this little 3-cylinder pocket rocket will soon be a collector’s item.
Its Loss
Soon after its launch, a YR Garis Japanese owner had a mishap and wrote-off his Yaris GR after driving the car for just 1,048 kilometers.
Its Appeal
Now, we see well known designer taking the already aggressive looks of the Yaris GR and giving it a wide-body look that we think, Toyota Motor should adopt themselves for the facelift of this pocket rocket.
Yes, only 25,000 units have been planned for production, but with its global success, Toyota should look at producing another run, this wide-body version for waiting customers around the world. We are sure there will be more than 25,000 buyers around the globe ready to buy this version. In Malaysia even at say RM330,000 or so (without road tax and insurance) there will be buyers for the wide-body version.
Fingers crossed it will be produced.
