GR Yaris (Gen 2) GR Yaris Mk2 (MY2024->)

I see it this way: Akio Toyoda had a fascinating idea. He executed that idea brilliantly. They invested a ton of money to bring the Gen1 car to the public, and most people here understand it was offered at well below research&development cost. Homologation rules, COVID, interest rates, whatever the factors were for that bargain.

People who were able to pick up one of those cars were very fortunate back then. Congratulations to you early adopters! You did great, be proud of yourselves!

Toyota GR was then super successful in the races, which created some very valuable marketing effects to the brand. Yes, it did attract a new target group, and I’m now watching lots of cool Rallye videos. And the old Walter Röhrl content. Love it!

Now, the second generation came out, with some valuable lessons learnt and improvements. The cars are still limited, which also adds to their appeal. Now basic economics kick in. Supply/demand/pricing…

Why would they sell this new model again for a well-below cost price? Would you do that if you owned that company and saw the enormous success of the past? Is that “inflated”? “Price-gouging?” No, it’s a re-evaluation of the true value of this car. The gen1 prices will certainly go up, or at least stay very stable, because it’s still a great car, and it’s rare.

Those people who pay the new price, also contribute to the development expenses of the first gen car. I am very very happy to do that. Looking forward to participate here and learn about these gems of automotives. In a world of more and more electric, dynamic cruise control boredom, where more and more people don’t even know how to drive a car in the first place. Let them push their autopilot buttons, I won’t be one of them.

Whatever happened to BMW’s “sheer driving pleasure” / “Freude am Fahren”?
Toyota keeps it alive. BMW not so much. How much car do you get in a BMW today for 60K?
Considering a (very) used Lancer Evo and Impreza WRC cost about the same as new Yaris GR. With the new pricing, they will probably make a bit of profit on the model, but still not that much.
 
I honestly don't see the appeal myself. 20 grand more to look like its crashed into Halfords. I wish they had just sent the RC version here.
I like the Ogier edition, but 25k€ extra for essentially other drive modes, a carbon spoiler and some badges...
I'm guessing an aftermarket awd-controller costs +- 1000€ and the spoiler maybe 1500€
 
Exactly, I'm longing for the RC myself as well...
Not part of the RC fanclub. It's perfect if you want to build a race/track/rallycar and throw out most of it anyway. It's not really meant to be used as is, is it? The unique appeal of the GRY is that you get part rally car, great and what everyone is looking at, but also the part 'normal, usuable' car - I can give a lift to 'normal' people and they don't have the slightest clue, I'm a sucker for an underdog. The normal car part is far less sexy but actually, in combination, quite unique. It's easy to buy either end, plenty of rally cars for sale too at all kids of budgets. But in combination, for this price? That's "priceless" for me, and why I weight every mod carefully to not deviate from that delicate balance. The RC, as is, is just less from both ends and therefore does not appeal. My ideas just - do as you please.

Rant over.
 
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Not part of the RC fanclub. It's perfect if you want to build a race/track/rallycar and trow out most of it anyway. It's not really meant to be used as is, is it? The unique appeal of the GRY is that you get part rally car, great and what everyone is looking at, but also the part 'normal, usuable' car - I can give a lift to 'normal' people and they don't have the slightest clue, I'm a sucker for an underdog. The normal car part is far less sexy but actually, in combination, quite unique. It's easy to buy either end, plenty of rally cars for sale too at all kids of budgets. But in combination, for this price? That's "priceless" for me, and why I weight every mod carefully to not deviate from that delicate balance. The RC, as is, is just less from both ends and therefore does not appeal. My ideas just - do as you please.

Rant over.
No rant at all, and I sure follow your reasoning, at least in part. In my ideal world, where I am a billionaire with very deep pockets, I'd buy an Auto GRY Mk2 as my daily drive, and a manual RC to be customises at my will, to take it on snowy and gravel tracks, and in every confined and safe space where I could give way to my insane passion to drive. I'd pass most of my time in my personal workshop, where I'd study new settings and add-on for the RC (I would be a billionaire, wasting my time like that wouldn't be a problem 😜) and in my daily driving I'd enjoy my Auto GRY to feel the taste of a rally car even when I drive within speed limits and respecting every street rule.
Sadly I'm not a billionaire...
But you are right when you say that the RC as it's sold it's a sort of unfinished job, and it definitely needs to be customised to work at its best.
Personally, I love this thing, and maybe GR designed it to be like that, I guess (and as a recce-ready car for rally drivers, of course).
 
I see it this way: Akio Toyoda had a fascinating idea. He executed that idea brilliantly. They invested a ton of money to bring the Gen1 car to the public, and most people here understand it was offered at well below research&development cost. Homologation rules, COVID, interest rates, whatever the factors were for that bargain.

People who were able to pick up one of those cars were very fortunate back then. Congratulations to you early adopters! You did great, be proud of yourselves!

Toyota GR was then super successful in the races, which created some very valuable marketing effects to the brand. Yes, it did attract a new target group, and I’m now watching lots of cool Rallye videos. And the old Walter Röhrl content. Love it!

Now, the second generation came out, with some valuable lessons learnt and improvements. The cars are still limited, which also adds to their appeal. Now basic economics kick in. Supply/demand/pricing…

Why would they sell this new model again for a well-below cost price? Would you do that if you owned that company and saw the enormous success of the past? Is that “inflated”? “Price-gouging?” No, it’s a re-evaluation of the true value of this car. The gen1 prices will certainly go up, or at least stay very stable, because it’s still a great car, and it’s rare.

Those people who pay the new price, also contribute to the development expenses of the first gen car. I am very very happy to do that. Looking forward to participate here and learn about these gems of automotives. In a world of more and more electric, dynamic cruise control boredom, where more and more people don’t even know how to drive a car in the first place. Let them push their autopilot buttons, I won’t be one of them.

Whatever happened to BMW’s “sheer driving pleasure” / “Freude am Fahren”?
Toyota keeps it alive. BMW not so much. How much car do you get in a BMW today for 60K?
I couldn't have said it with better words, I subscribe to any part of your post (y)
 
On the belgian Toyota website, you can find a picture where the drive mode selector doesn't say "normal", "track" and "gravel" but "front", "rear" and "track".
This looks like Toyota had the idea to give the drive full control of the awd system. I wonder why they didn't go through with this.
To come back on this. I just rewatched the Carwow video, and that car also had the "front" and "rear" awd-system-controller.
 
To come back on this. I just rewatched the Carwow video, and that car also had the "front" and "rear" awd-system-controller.
I've been told that in Italy we will have Normal-Gravel-Track as options available on the AWD settings selector.
 
If it’s released with no price increase it would still cost me £100 a month more with the present interest rates. If it’s £45k + the luxury tax then the monthlies is not something I am prepared to pay. Getting close to retirement now so I want everything paid off.
 
@£41k it would be half the price of a Guilia Quad I configured,certainly a lot more than half that car,one way of looking at it.
 
So are they really going to announce the price next week !
 
Could also be Good Friday or April Fools Day. To be honest the sooner we get it over and done with the better. Two months of this is becoming very trying! For some of us we need to get on with it!!
 
Could also be Good Friday or April Fools Day. To be honest the sooner we get it over and done with the better. Two months of this is becoming very trying! For some of us we need to get on with it!!
You’ll then have the wait until the books open. Not sure how it’s trying…..
 
No rant at all, and I sure follow your reasoning, at least in part. In my ideal world, where I am a billionaire with very deep pockets, I'd buy an Auto GRY Mk2 as my daily drive, and a manual RC to be customises at my will, to take it on snowy and gravel tracks, and in every confined and safe space where I could give way to my insane passion to drive. I'd pass most of my time in my personal workshop, where I'd study new settings and add-on for the RC (I would be a billionaire, wasting my time like that wouldn't be a problem 😜) and in my daily driving I'd enjoy my Auto GRY to feel the taste of a rally car even when I drive within speed limits and respecting every street rule.
Sadly I'm not a billionaire...
But you are right when you say that the RC as it's sold it's a sort of unfinished job, and it definitely needs to be customised to work at its best.
Personally, I love this thing, and maybe GR designed it to be like that, I guess (and as a recce-ready car for rally drivers, of course).
RC is kind of Club Sport model. lacks all the useless stuff not real benefit for pure driving. Yes not so good in every day use.
 
RC is kind of Club Sport model. lacks all the useless stuff not real benefit for pure driving. Yes not so good in every day use.
For sure as it is sold it's not particularly good for any specific use.
It's just a version stripped down to just what it's needed to drive it (no aircon, infotainment...), pretty lighter than the standard RZ-HP Japanese version (Circuit in Europe), and ready to be customised for racing participation, as they state in the TGR Japan website.
Things being like this, I'd see much use to it, clearly having much free time and very deep pockets to dedicate to its customisation.
 
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