This Toyota GR Yaris Celebrates a Triumphant Corolla Rally Car

America only gets the compact GR Corolla, but in Europe and other parts of the world, the GR Yaris has the same punchy three-cylinder turbo engine. The smaller hot hatch is now getting the special edition treatment in Italy to mark 53 years since Toyota won its first race in the World Rally Championship. As such, the limited-run supermini takes after the 1973 Corolla 1600 Coupe.

Those retro-flavored stripes are not the only changes Toyota has made to the GR Yaris since the feisty hatchback also has 18-inch forged wheels with a Heritage Gold finish. The flashy alloys come wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R semi-slick tires, so buyers are getting some serious rubber as standard. Disappointingly, the TGR Italy Limited Edition comes strictly with an eight-speed automatic transmission. You'll have to order a regular GR Yaris to have a six-speed manual.

To sweeten the pot, Toyota adds special exterior badging and an individually numbered plaque inside. In addition, the sporty supermini comes bundled with a certificate of authenticity as a reminder this isn’t a run-of-the-mill GR Yaris. The Tech Pack is included as standard, so parking sensors, blind spot monitoring, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are part of the deal.

The TGR Italy Limited Edition doesn't come cheap as Toyota wants €67,500 ($74,500) for the limited-run GR Yaris. Speaking of availability, only 51 cars will be sold–one for each year since the rally-spec Corolla triumphed at the Press On Regardless (POR) in Detroit. Canadians Walter Boyce and co-driver Doug Woods privately entered the race car and took victory on the roads of Michigan back in 1973, marking Toyota's first WRC win.

The asking price is certainly steep considering a base 2024 GR Corolla is $37,635 in the United States. However, doing the simple conversion from euros to dollars doesn't tell the whole story. Taxes are significantly different in Italy, especially since customers have to pay a value-added tax of 22%. VAT is primarily the reason why new cars are generally more expensive in Europe.

Depending on the country, there are other fees a buyer must pay, especially when purchasing a performance model with high emissions. That's why a GR Yaris starts at a ridiculous €92,290 in France as the CO2 tax roughly doubles the car's price tag. The automatic model is even more expensive.

If you're willing to fork out that kind of money, Toyota Italy wants an initial deposit of €2,500 once the order books open on September 9. The 51 buyers will also get a numbered car cover, two VIP passes to the 2025 TGR Italy season, and even TGR Italy-branded clothing. The car's public debut is scheduled for October, with deliveries to kick off before the year's end.

The GR Yaris and GR Corolla are the only Toyota models to use the three-cylinder, turbocharged 1.6-liter engine. However, there's now a Lexus, too. The all-wheel-drive LBX Morizo RR is an amped-up small crossover with the same 300 hp and 295 lb-ft. It too is offered with a choice between the six-speed manual and the eight-speed auto. Much like the GR Yaris, it's sadly not coming to America.