Toyota is about to add another model to its hybrid line-up and, no surprise here, it’s based on the company’s best sold model on the European market: the Yaris. The new Yaris Hybrid is set to make its world debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March with sales in Europe beginning shortly thereafter.
The new Yaris Hybrid will be powered by the first downsizing of Toyota’s HSD powertrain that combines a new 1.5 liter petrol engine with a lighter, more compact electric motor, transaxle, inverter, and battery pack. This new system is about 20% lighter than that of the engine found in the Auris Hybrid and will deliver a total of 100 HP. It will be mated to a standard automatic transmission.
Next to having a hybrid powertrain, the new Yaris Hybrid will also be offered with an exclusive, aerodynamically efficient exterior design. This means it will have a new, more assertive Under Priority trapezoid opening frontal design element with the Keen Look design implemented on the front lamps.
More details about the new Yaris Hybrid will be unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, so stay tuned.
The Toyota Vitz, or the Yaris as it’s known in a lot of international markets, isn’t exactly the type of car that would receive a sports concept program. Apparently, Toyota and GRMN, thought that it would be a pretty good idea. Thus, the Vitz/Yaris Turbo Concept was born.
Prepared by GRMN, which stands for "Gazoo Racing Master of Nurburgring," the three-door Yaris received some pretty impressive bodywork, complete with Gazoo Racing’s signature livery, a new grille set-up, a redesigned front bumper, a front lip spoiler, widened front and rear fenders, side skirts, a roof spoiler, a new rear bumper and diffuser, and a new set of 18" wheels wrapped in high-performance tires. In terms of performance, the Yaris Turbo Concept received an improved engine, courtesy of a modified 1.5-liter supercharged engine that produces 180 horsepower and 162.3 lb-ft of torque. The engine was then combined with a five-speed manual transmission, a new lowered sports suspension, and a high-performance braking system.
It wasn’t surprising to see Toyota and GRMN pull out all the stops with their Tokyo Auto Salon contingent. What raised our eyebrows was the impressive detail Toyota and GRMN went through to build a sporty and aggressive Toyota Yaris.
The Toyota Yaris B-Spec Club Racer is more than just an upcoming display at the 2011 SEMA Auto Show. It actually has far bigger objectives that that.
The car, which is the first of the 2012 Yaris SE generation to be built for race competition, will actually be competing in the SCCA B-spec class race in 2012. But that’s another discussion for another time; we’re here about SEMA.
It’s quite funny that a car that few people have time for is being showcased at a grandiose event like SEMA. To that we have to give props to the people behind it, most notably SportsCar Magazine, the fine people that responsible for building the car. Looks can be deceiving and you probably wouldn’t recognize this as a Yaris under that Toyota GT-One-inspired racing livery paying tribute to the company’s 1998 LeMans pole-winning GT-One race car. Add that to a new Cussco Zero-3 Series suspension kit and a set of 15" Enkei RPF1 wheels wrapped in Hoosier Racing Tires and you probably wouldn’t think that this was a Yaris at all.
The car’s overall sporty styling, is even more punctuated by an interior that offers all the latest in racing technology, including an 8-point an FIA race seat with a 6-point harness, a WRC steering wheel, an Autopower window net, a 2.8-liter fire system, an SCCA-spec roll cage, and RLC Racing Track Commander data acquisition system.
Then there’s the matter of the powertrain, to which this race car carries a 1.5-liter Toyota 1NZ-FE engine with VVT-i technology wired to an AEM Performance Electronics EMS Series 2 system. No word yet on how powerful the car is, but considering that it’s a race car, expect it to offer a lot more punch than a standard Yaris.
UPDATE 11/07/2011: We have added new images of the Yaris B-Spec Club Racer from the SEMA Auto Show. Check out all of the new images in the picture gallery provided!
It seems that people are always out looking for something bigger and better in every aspect of their lives, even in their cars. If someone goes out and buys a vehicle with a navigation system, the next person ups the ante by purchasing a vehicle that has a navigation system and parking assist. It’s a battle of one upsmanship and throughout the war, the only thing we lose out on is the beauty of the vehicle’s simplistic, yet amazing design. Toyota is addressing this with the "unboxing" of the 2012 Toyota Yaris.
In this video, Adam Frucci (a writer and performer in Brooklyn) takes on the task of opening up a specially designed box to reveal the brand new 2012 Toyota Yaris. The bells and whistles of this vehicle are simple: round wheels, a honkable horn, a glove box the size of a veggie burrito, and windows that go up and down. These are some of things that have been downplayed in most vehicles nowadays and Toyota is choosing to celebrate them in their 2012 Toyota Yaris.
The new Toyota Yaris will be offered in both three and five-door body styles versions with a choice of three engines: a 1.0 liter petrol engine, a 1.33 liter petrol unit, or a 1.4-liter D-4D turbo diesel. The three-cylinder 1.0-liter VVT-i petrol engine delivers a total of 68 HP and 68 lbs-ft. Fuel economy now sits at 58.9mpg. The 1.33-liter Dual VVT-i engine is also light and compact, generating 98 HP and 92 lbs-ft. When matched to the new Multidrive S transmission, fuel economy is 56.5mpg. Finally, the 1.4-litre D-4D engine is fitted as standard with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) and delivers a total of 89 HP and 151 lbs-ft. When mated to a six-speed manual transmission the engine delivers a fuel economy of 72.4mpg.
With a history starting back in 1999, the Toyota Yaris is one of the most successful city cars on the market. With its compact design, slow dimensions, and fuel efficient engines, the Yaris is the perfect car for today’s crowded cities. The Yaris is now entering its third generation with a more dynamic design and improved quality. Customers will have to choose between four grades – T2, TR, SR and T Spirit - with prices on the British market starting from £11,170, or $17,800 at the current exchange rates.
The engine line-up includes: a 1.0 and a 1.33-liter petrol units and a 1.4-liter D-4D turbo diesel. The three-cylinder 1.0-liter VVT-i petrol engine delivers a total of 68 HP at 6,000rpm and maximum torque of 68 lbs-ft at 3,600rpm. Fuel economy is now 58.9mpg. The 1.33-liter Dual VVT-i engine is also light and compact, with a small bore and long stroke to give it a very high power-to-weight ratio. It generates 98 HP at 6,000rpm and, at the peak of a gentle torque curve, 92 lbs-ft at 4,000rpm. When matched to the new Multidrive S transmission, fuel economy is 56.5mpg. And finally, the 1.4-litre D-4D engine is fitted as standard with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) and delivers a total of 89 HP at 3,800rpm and maximum torque of 151 lbs-ft between 1,800 and 2,800rpm. When mated to a six-speed manual transmission the engine delivers a fuel economy of 72.4mpg.
