Would you buy a Rally Style Yaris?

[mojoyaris]

HI, Just wanted to know if people in the Yaris world forums (the experts on this car) would ever be interested in a rallyized or rally stylized Yaris?

Unfortunately, I can't speak much for the US market, but I really want to see what the market would be like for this type of car.

In the past, Toyota has come out with a rally style Echo hatch (old vitz/yaris) and some of the dealers told me that it flopped.

Subaru sells it's cars based on their rally heritage and it's so funny that so many people have forgotten all about Toyota's rally heritage. Which unfortunately the big marketing wigs at Toyota USA and even Canada changed that direction to where Toyota now makes cars that are kinda bleh.

I myself a Toyota fan want to see something a bit more exciting and in Canada, most Toyota Dealerships don't even get the Scion brand. Which means the only sporty 2 door car is the Yaris.

So what do you think could help in getting this little econobox a second wind of some sportiness? We're thinking along the lines of something that will co-incide with the WRC, the Asian Pacific and hopefully soon, the Canadian Rally Championship series. For me, there's nothing more exciting that seeing a little rally car jump and slide and doing all sorts of things it wasn't supposed to do.

[ilikerice]

Should look in the racing section of this forum. Rumors have it that toyota is coming back to wrc. Using the yaris platform. But yes. Who wouldnt want a yaris rally car ?

Toyota seems to be bringing back their racing lineup like the frs and brz. Now the debut of ft1. Its looking more likely.

[mojoyaris]

I've been through the racing forum. But this is something a bit different. We're looking at what consumers would think of having a special limited edition Yaris like how they did with the Fiesta (that Verena Mei was promoting). Something anyone can buy from the showroom.
Maybe a TRD supercharged version, or something. Which is interesting, if Toyota Canada could do this. If they could, that car would be faster than the actual rally car I drive.

The WRC isn't a car that will ever make it into Canada, unless Toyota Japan can do something about it to get it released here in Canada and if that's the case, it will be sold as a customer car to rally teams only. The same will go for the R1 classed car. I would like to see something from Toyota to help drive the sales against it's competitors and we're hoping that the rally program in Canada will help to draw some excitement back into the brand.
:)

[ilikerice]

Yea. Time will tell. Til then, I will be modifying mine to what I think Toyota should have done.

Speaking of rally, what suspension setup do you have on yours?

[CrankyOldMan]

I would be all over it. My long-term racing goal is to get into stage rally, and I would LOVE to mod my HB for that purpose. I currently autocross in the summer and want to get into rallycross and ice racing in the off season, but I need a replacement commuter car for the Yaris first.

[BEEF]

Depending on what you mean, yes and no.

There are "race ready" cars that are not street legal.... not interested.
There are "sport tuned" cars that are very agressive but street legal... VERY INTERESTED.

I have seriously considered the ford focus st for this very reason. i would love a yaris with 200hp (160+ realistically). The sheer lack of sports car options by toyota recently probably adds to this as well (big hopes for the FT-1). price point would be an issue as well but other manufacutrers have proven customers will pay for a fast compact car.

[ilikerice]

FR-S is a step in the right direction.. It looks to me that Toyota is finally stepping up to the performance plate.

better late then never I suppose. Just wish their prices were not so high and tough to negotiate.

[detroiter]

I've always been jealous when seeing overseas markets that get an AWD Yaris. I've watched a winter time rally race between a Yaris and some STI or EVO...the Yaris kicked it's ass, no joke. It was a tight course and the Yaris just mopped the floor with that ST.EVO.

I've been a fan of those Suzuki SX4's as well, since it's closest to a Yaris size and AWD that you could buy, unfortunately Suzuki pulled out of the American market.

[hairdresserscar]

I'm hoping to get into rallycross with my sedan. Apparently there is some sort of rallying going on near sarycuse. My yaris is lifted with some beefy snow tires. working on a skid pan and roll cage now...