Toyota Builds the GR Yaris Morizo RR After Akio Toyoda’s Nürburgring Run

Toyota’s big boss, Akio Toyoda (or Morizo to his racing buddies), is way more than just a guy in a suit. He is a total gearhead who actually gets out there and hits the track himself. After tearing it up at the Nürburgring last year, he decided to build the ultimate version of the GR Yaris.

This thing is called the Toyota GR Yaris Morizo RR, and it’s basically a wild hot hatch that’s been dialed in specifically for the track. Only 200 are being made, so if you see one, you’re looking at a total unicorn.

Underneath, it’s all about how it feels on the road. They tweaked the suspension to handle the nasty bumps you get at high speeds and made the steering feel way more connected. There is even a special Morizo mode for the 4WD that keeps the power split right down the middle, so the car stays super steady when you’re carving through corners.

It still has that punchy 300-horsepower engine, but it’s paired with an automatic gearbox because that’s what Morizo likes when he’s racing: it lets you focus on the drive instead of worrying about gears.

It looks the part too, with a low-key khaki paint job, bronze wheels, and some carbon fiber bits to help it cut through the air. Inside, it’s got a rally-style steering wheel and special seats.

Getting one is going to be tough since they’re doing a lottery in Japan and sending a few to Europe, but for folks in the US, it’s a total bummer because we’re once again left out of the party.