Toyota's mid‑engine GR Yaris M concept tests G20E engine
TGRR GR Yaris M Concept: Toyota’s mid‑engine testbed for Super Taikyu
Toyota's mid‑engine GR Yaris M concept tests G20E engine
Toyota Gazoo Racing unveils the mid‑engine TGRR GR Yaris M Concept, trialing the G20E turbo in Super Taikyu and honing cooling and reliability over stints.
2025-12-07T23:48:42+03:00
2025-12-07T23:48:42+03:00
2025-12-07T23:48:42+03:00
Toyota, through its Gazoo Racing arm, has developed the experimental TGRR GR Yaris M Concept—a mid‑engine take on the GR Yaris. The car debuted at the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon and was then prepared for real competition in Japan’s Super Taikyu series, where the workload and race distances are well suited to proving new ideas in reliability and thermal control.The company presents the layout choice as a practical one: with a front‑engined hatchback on track, the front tires carry heavy loads under braking, turning, and acceleration, which accelerates wear and raises the risk of understeer. Moving the power unit closer to the center should improve balance and distribute the load more evenly. The logic is hard to fault; on paper, this shift promises a calmer front axle and more consistent grip over a stint.The core mission is to trial Toyota’s new turbocharged 2.0‑liter engine, known as the G20E. The concept effectively serves as a testbed, putting the engine through sustained high‑load running. Toyota also acknowledges that the cooling package still needs work: with a mid‑engine layout, getting air in and heat out is critical, otherwise performance stability and longevity suffer. That focus tracks with experience—mid‑engined cars live or die by thermal management, and Super Taikyu’s long stints are a sensible place to validate the setup.
Toyota, Gazoo Racing, TGRR GR Yaris M Concept, GR Yaris, mid‑engine, Super Taikyu, G20E engine, 2.0 turbo, Tokyo Auto Salon 2025, cooling, thermal management, reliability, handling
2025
Michael Powers
news
TGRR GR Yaris M Concept: Toyota’s mid‑engine testbed for Super Taikyu
Toyota Gazoo Racing unveils the mid‑engine TGRR GR Yaris M Concept, trialing the G20E turbo in Super Taikyu and honing cooling and reliability over stints.
Michael Powers, Editor
Toyota, through its Gazoo Racing arm, has developed the experimental TGRR GR Yaris M Concept—a mid‑engine take on the GR Yaris. The car debuted at the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon and was then prepared for real competition in Japan’s Super Taikyu series, where the workload and race distances are well suited to proving new ideas in reliability and thermal control.
The company presents the layout choice as a practical one: with a front‑engined hatchback on track, the front tires carry heavy loads under braking, turning, and acceleration, which accelerates wear and raises the risk of understeer. Moving the power unit closer to the center should improve balance and distribute the load more evenly. The logic is hard to fault; on paper, this shift promises a calmer front axle and more consistent grip over a stint.
The core mission is to trial Toyota’s new turbocharged 2.0‑liter engine, known as the G20E. The concept effectively serves as a testbed, putting the engine through sustained high‑load running. Toyota also acknowledges that the cooling package still needs work: with a mid‑engine layout, getting air in and heat out is critical, otherwise performance stability and longevity suffer. That focus tracks with experience—mid‑engined cars live or die by thermal management, and Super Taikyu’s long stints are a sensible place to validate the setup.
