2012 Toyota Yaris Turbo Concept by GRMN

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.