While Americans have only been teased with the promise of the hot new 2020 Toyota GR Yaris, Europe can actually buy it—and at nearly $39,000, it’s going to cost a pretty penny.
At current exchange rates, Toyota’s announced UK price of the Yaris of £29,995 converts to roughly $38,800 in green stacks, though pricing in Europe can vary significantly from the price Toyota may hypothetically market the GR Yaris at in the U.S. if it were ever sold here.
For comparison, the six-cylinder Toyota Supra starts at £52,695 in the UK, which would convert to roughly $68,155 over here. But the Toyota Supra actually starts at $49,990 in the U.S. So don’t freak out about Yaris pricing just yet.
Anyway, that money buys you one of the most exciting new cars to come along in a long time. A true rally special, the GR Yaris comes with 269 horsepower, 273 lb-ft of torque from a three-cylinder, rear-biased all-wheel drive, it weighs just 2,822 pounds, and it even comes with a six-speed manual transmission.
It also comes with a wider rear track over the regular Yaris, a majority of aluminum or carbon fiber body paneling, 18-inch wheels, and an optional Circuit Pack that will throw in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires, re-turned suspension, and a limited-slip differential on both axles.
By comparison, the European Ford Fiesta ST starts at nearly £10,000 less, but it also comes with less performance equipment and about 70 fewer horsepower. The UK John Cooper Works three-door hatchback is closer, starting at £25,950 with nearly 228 horsepower, but it’s only front-wheel drive.
As for whether or not U.S. buyers will ever have a chance to own the awesome Yaris new, Toyota is teasing that it just might be dumb enough to try us. I’m not sure I have $40k to drop on a hatchback, but at the same time it’d be really easy to justify the debt for something this ideal.