This Toyota GR Yaris is ready to dominate the rally scene

Out of the box, the Toyota GR Yaris is already a very capable machine. Whether you bring it to a race track or a dirt track, the all-wheel-drive hot hatch will perform well. However, a standard GR Yaris will only get you so far on a professional rally stage. In order to make the car more competitive, Toyota has decided to turn it into a full-on rally car; meet the GR Yaris AP4.

The GR Yaris AP4 is built in collaboration between Neal Bates Motorsport (NBM) and Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia to compete at the 2021 Australian Rally Championship. At the moment, the car is still under the knife which is why we only have digital renders. But from what we can see, Toyota took the already wide GR Yaris and made it wider to fit all the rally-spec suspension and wheels. A large rear wing and a roof scoop complete the rally makeover.

As wild as it looks, it still uses the GR Yaris chassis underneath due to regulations. According to the class it will compete in, the car's chassis must remain standard. These include areas such as upper mounts for the front and rear suspension, subframes, gearboxes, and driveline. As such, it will run the same turbocharged three-cylinder engine as found in the production model. Though Toyota didn't mention it, we suspect it will be modified to produce a bit more power and torque.

Considering NBM and Toyota are building on a vehicle already made to go rallying, they should have a very competitive car in their hands. Furthermore, NBM has a lot of expertise in building rally cars and competing in professional rally events.

Now, if only Toyota Motor Philippines would bring in the GR Yaris locally and someone does a similar rally-build locally.