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French video game developer Kylotonn/KT Racing and Publisher NACON with cooperation from Toyota Motor Europe, published a new trailer, confirming that the Toyota GR Yaris Rally Concept car will be coming WRC9 the official video game of the FIA World Rally Championship.
Earlier, the road car version of the Toyota GR Yaris already appeared in Gran Turismo Sport on the PS4. Now the concept rally version of the car will be part of the upcoming second free update for WRC 9 which is heading our way in December 2020.
The Toyota GR Yaris Rally Concept is inspired by the Toyota GR Yaris-shaped World Rally Car prototype which tested earlier this year. TME eSports, together with the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team, and NACON, collaborated to turn their collective dream into a reality as part of TME’s eSports WRC partnership with NACON. The overall winner of this season’s eSports WRC competition will also have a chance to win an all-new Toyota GR Yaris.
Besides this exciting new car, the December update will also feature the new Co-driver game-mode, six new special stages for the Rally Portugal, 1 new livery ( Pirelli’s Citroen C3 WRC test vehicle driven by Andreas Mikkelsen), and of course a list of fixes and improvements.
The Co-driver game-mode allows two online players to race in the same car. The co-driver provides the rally pace-notes – including details on the route, bends, and hazards, with complete immersion thanks to the integrated voice chat. In this co-op mode where synchronization and communication are key to victory, players can truly step into the shoes of the sport’s top partnerships.
The update will be deployed on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and the Epic Games Store for PC. The update will also be available on next-generation consoles at a later date.
Toyota GR Yaris Rally Concept
The GR Yaris is built on a unique platform, combining Toyota’s new GA-B platform (which debuted on the new generation Yaris hatchback) and a rear section adapted from the GA-C platform used for the Corolla and C-HR. Input from the rally team emphasised the importance of light weight which is reflected in the use of aluminium body panels and a forged carbon composite roof, while weight reduction was prioritised throughout the car.
For the best aerodynamic performance, the body itself is unique: although based on the new Toyota Yaris hatchback, it is a three- rather than five-door model, with a lower, tapering roof line. This has been designed to direct wind flow onto the large rear spoiler which generates downforce. As with a competition car, the shaping of the lower body efficiently channels airflow down the sides of the vehicle.
The engine is also all-new, a 1.6-liter, three-cylinder turbocharged unit. It is the world’s most powerful three-cylinder engine as well as being the smallest and lightest 1.6 turbo. Producing 261 DIN hp and 360 Nm of torque, it complies with WRC2 technical regulations and can launch the Toyota GR Yaris from rest to 100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds, and on to an electronically-limited top speed of 230 km/h. Its construction uses features derived directly from motorsport, including a ball bearing turbocharger, large-diameter exhaust valves, and multi-jet oil piston cooling. A kerb weight of just 1,280 kg gives the Toyota GR Yaris an excellent weight-to-power ratio of 4.9 kg per 1 DIN hp.
The PC version of the WRC 9 game is available as a Digital Standard Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition, and a Physical Standard Edition. The digital edition is available via the Epic Game Store for €49.99. The Digital Deluxe Edition is available for €59.99.
