Toyota GR Yaris not sold out – yet
And the second batch of all-wheel drive hot hatches could be cheaper than previously announcedToyota Australia is working on another special price for fans of the stove-hot Toyota GR Yaris hot hatch as it prepares for a second wave of buyers.
Contrary to reports, the first 1000 cars that went on sale last week are not yet sold out, but are predicted to be spoken for by the end of this week – and that will mean an end to the special introductory drive-away price of $39,950.
But Toyota Australia could resist the temptation to lift the bar straight up to the $49,500 recommended retail price (plus on-road costs) it previously announced for the next batch, to keep faith with fans of the rally-bred pocket rocket.
“This is a red-hot, cracking deal on the first 1000 cars. But we understand that, whatever we do with the pricing, it still needs to be achievable for the performance car enthusiast,” Toyota Australia’s vice-president of sales and marketing, Sean Hanley, told carsales this afternoon.
Hanley definitely ruled out a continuation of the $39,950 drive-away price point but stopped a long way short of predicting the full $10K-plus price hike originally announced.
“I expect that once we sell the 1000 introductory cars we’ll announce the pricing of the next release. We have to decide. We’re working on that," he said.
The Japanese car-maker has been stunned by the rapid sales of its hottest-ever Toyota Yaris, which joins the GR Supra as the second model in its Gazoo Racing performance brand, as it originally predicted it could take as long as a year to clear the first 1000 cars.
“It was a shock. We always knew the car would be popular, because we had confidence in its performance credentials. But, against the backdrop of everything that’s currently happening in the world, we were a little uncertain," Hanley told us.
“I always knew we would sell them. I didn’t know we’d sell them this quickly.
“To think we could sell 1000 cars in a little over a week is quite remarkable, no matter how you look at it.
“We set aside 1000 cars, thinking it would take an extended period to sell them. This is one time when it’s good that we got it wrong.”
Speaking to carsales this afternoon, almost a week after Toyota opened the online order book for the GR Yaris at noon last Tuesday (September 23), Hanley said the 200kW/370Nm Yaris is not yet a sell-out.
“There are around 160 cars still to go. I would hope that the first 1000 cars will sell out by the end of the week. It is definitely not a sell-out, despite what’s being reported, with a small number of cars left to be sold,” he said.
But he confirmed that Toyota Australia made the decision to shut down its online ordering system for the GR Yaris so that it could closely monitor the actual timing of purchases and the allocation of individual cars.
With buyers only required to lodge a $1000 holding deposit, 250 cars were sold online within the first 30 minutes of orders opening – including one each for Australian rally champions Neal and Harry Bates. The total topped 550 within a day.
Buyers for the next batch of cars, which will be unlimited, will have to visit a Toyota dealer, so their details are lodged in the order system with the correct numbering from the initial batch and to ensure they get the right pricing.
Hanley expects to have news on pricing next week, but says it is too early to talk about the showroom sticker for the Rallye model – complete with Performance Pack parts including track-tuned suspension, front and rear Torsen limited-slip differentials, 18-inch BBS alloys and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres – which will follow in 2021.
“We’re working through the price for the next release of the GR Yaris. And eventually we’ll announce the pricing of the Rallye version as well,” he said.
Meantime, Hanley reinforced the role of the Toyota GR Yaris and its new GR performance brand at a time when Toyota Australia is doing its best showroom work with hybrids.
“It’s deeply important. It’s Toyota’s re-entry into the performance market. And, in Australia and based on sales, there is clearly a demand for performance cars from Toyota," he said.
“GR Yaris was always about a local investment to establish the brand in Australia. We believe the performance speaks louder than words.
“So having GR advocates was a clear part of our marketing statement. To have 1000 people talking about GR Yaris is an incredibly powerful brand statement.”
Without going into detail, Hanley also confirmed serious talks with Neal Bates Motorsport – which has been Toyota’s rally spearhead for more than 20 years – about fielding the next-generation GR Yaris as the successor to the locally-developed Yaris that took Harry Bates to last year’s national title.
“We're working with the Bates team around the GR Yaris, and whether they can potentially race that car. That's not confirmed yet,” he told carsales.
“There is a lot of interest and we’ll continue to work with them closely on the potential of a future rally car inclusion. Toyota has a long history with Australian rally cars and so we’re pleased that we’ll be able to continue that into the future with GR potentially at the forefront.”
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