This Gazoo Racing Toyota Starlet is ready to get dirty

Anyone who's been following the local motorsports scene will know what the Toyota Starlet is. Despite being over 40 years old, the second-generation KP61 is still one of the best weapons of choice when it comes to slalom racing.

And if you're familiar with the Toyota chassis family, the Starlet's “P” chassis code was succeeded by the XP10 Echo, the XP90 Yaris up to the GXPA16. That's right. The GR Yaris is a descendant of the Starlet bloodline.

Now, Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) South Africa has brought back the Starlet name to motorsports, and it will be racing on its grandchild's playground – the rally stages.

However, it's not a bespoke Gazoo Racing model. The Starlet rally car is based on the Toyota Glanza, which is in turn, a rebadged version of the Suzuki Baleno hatchback. TGR South Africa will be racing the Starlet in the South African Rally Championship under the NRC1 class.

On the outside, the Starlet has been fitted with a wide body kit, a vented hood, and a rear spoiler to go along with the trademark Gazoo Racing livery. TGR South Africa did not publish photos of the car's interior, but we expect the car has been fitted with an FIA-approved roll cage and safety kits.

Furthermore, the rally car has little in common with the road car in terms of powertrain and underchassis. The Starlet rally car is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that drives all four wheels through a sequential gearbox. TGR South Africa did not specify the exact power output of the Starlet, but we reckon it's in the region of around 200 horsepower. In addition, a Motec ECU controls the car's electronics, while the dampers and brakes are courtesy of Reiger and Alcon.

It's good to see the Starlet back in competition. But what do you guys think? Will Toyota pull the trigger and make a legitimate GR Starlet for the global market? Let us know in the comments.