Toyota has ended its super-sharp launch offer for the GR Yaris hatchback… and replaced it with a slightly less sharp one.
Having sold the initial batch of 1000 cars, Toyota Australia will offer 100 more priced from $44,950 drive-away – $5000 more than the launch offer, but still a discount of around $8000 compared to the $49,500 before on-road costs list price.
Dealers earlier this week told CarExpert the initial allocation was sold by Tuesday, and Toyota Australia today said they were gone in less than a week.
“We deliberately set out to make GR Yaris attainable for sports car fans – and I’d have to say that even we were a little surprised at how quickly the first Toyota sports car in more than 20 years ignited the market,” Toyota Australia vice president of sales and marketing, Sean Hanley.
“At the new price, GR Yaris continues to have a significant price advantage over equivalent performance cars costing more than $50,000.”
Toyota says the first 250 examples were sold just 30 minutes after pre-orders opened, and 560 deposits were taken in the first 24 hours on sale. The demand saw the Toyota Australia website crash on launch day.
Set to touch down in November, the GR Yaris is the first homologation special from Toyota since the Celica GT-Four, and packs the world’s most powerful production three-cylinder engine under its compact bonnet.
With 200kW of power and 370Nm of torque, a kerb weight of just 1280kg, and a rally-inspired all-wheel drive system, the GR Yaris will hit 100km/h in 5.2 seconds from standstill.
There’s a significantly wider track than the standard Yaris, a bespoke suspension, and uprated brakes measuring 356mm up front and 297mm at the rear.
A more focused Rallye model will follow the regular GR Yaris in 2021, with a race suspension, locking differentials, 18-inch forged BBS alloy wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, and red brake calipers.
Why the bargain drive-away price? Toyota Australia says it’s using the Yaris as an “investment” in the Gazoo Racing brand, giving enthusiasts a chance to enjoy what vice president of sales and marketing Sean Hanley describes as a “performance thoroughbred”.
“We want to excite as many fans as possible with a price that makes GR Yaris more appealing, and genuinely attainable,” Mr Hanley told media.
Mr Hanley said the drive-away price will “accelerate the awareness and excitement around the GR brand by ensuring we have a substantial number of cars on the road”.
Toyota is pushing to make the GR brand a “market-leading performance brand” in Australia, although it acknowledges that won’t happen overnight.
