Tokyo - With its rally-bred DNA, the Toyota GR Yaris is one of the most exciting performance hatchbacks to be released in years, and the even better news is that a similarly equipped GR Corolla hatch is said to be in the works too.
But until now it appeared that both cars would be offered with six-speed manual transmissions only, and while that’s great for purists, buyers in this segment are increasingly gravitating towards autoboxes.
Now it appears that the GR Yaris, and by association the GR Corolla too, will be offered with an automatic gearbox. According to Japanese website Car Watch, Toyota is currently testing a GR Yaris with an automatic transmission in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Rally Challenge.
Interestingly this doesn’t take the form of a dual-clutch gearbox, which is common in the segment. Instead Toyota’s performance division has opted for a conventional torque converter automatic, albeit one that’s been modified for this application.
Although Toyota has not officially confirmed that the production GR Yaris will get this auto gearbox, the writing is certainly on the wall.
If this does happen, it’s almost certain that the forthcoming GR Corolla hatch will also get the self-shifting box in addition to the familiar six–speed manual option.
According to the latest rumours, the GR Corolla will share most of its all-wheel drive chassis hardware with the GR Yaris and power is expected to come from a modified version of its three-cylinder turbocharged engine, tuned to around 224kW.
Of course, none of this has been officially confirmed by Toyota, but the rumours are flying thick and fast.
IOL Motoring