What's the news?
Toyota has revealed more technical details on the range-topper for the second-time-revised Yaris supermini, which is called the GRMN; it was shown at the Geneva Motor Show and while we've already had details about it prior to the event, now we've got a bit more meat on the bones of this Ford Fiesta ST rival's underpinnings.
The Japanese company is still not saying anything more about the power output, continuing to trot out the 'more than 210hp' line, with that figure coming from the only supercharged engine in the class, but it has confirmed a few more goodies.
It will benefit from a Torsen mechanical limited-slip diff on the front axle, which is a feature employed by the Peugeot 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport, while the suspension features a thicker front anti-roll bar, shorter springs and dampers developed with Sachs. In the wheel arches are 17-inch BBS alloys and there's a roof spoiler projecting out from the top of the hatch.
We've seen the GRMN in three-door format and that's all it will come in, apparently, so don't expect a more practical five-door model down the line; expect sports seats and the steering wheel from a GT86 within. Performance is good, with 0-100km/h taking around six seconds - the Fiesta still clocks in at 6.7 seconds for the same sprint.
Anything else?
Toyota announced late last year that it would unite its motorsport unit with the sports vehicle management arm, creating the Toyota Gazoo Racing Development Division (TGRDD) in the process. And GRMN does stand for Gazoo Racing Masters of Nürburgring, so this Yaris falls under the auspices of the division. So perhaps the best news is that the new head of the TGRDD is none other than the man who led the development team on the GT86 - Tetsuya Tada.