Toyota Gazoo Racing will extend its range of cars to include a Yaris Rally2 and Yaris Rally3 next year.
The extended development of the range of cars developed by Tommi Mäkinen’s team is at the heart of the shift from the Puuppola factory to a much bigger facility close to the centre of Jyväskylä.
Toyota’s ambition to develop a second-tier Rally2 has always been on the cards, but the Rally3 machine came about following an FIA decision to broaden the engine regulations to allow cars up to 1600cc.
DirtFish understands the one-liter engine option from Toyota wasn’t capable of challenging the 210bhp required for a frontrunning Rally3 machine, hence the shift to a 1.6 motor.
A source close to the team confirmed the new cars were coming, saying: “I think everybody knows about the ambition for an R5 car from Japan. Developing cars that really work for the privateer driver has long been part of the sport’s culture there.
“And Rally3 makes sense for everybody. This category is a really interesting prospect.”
M-Sport Poland’s Ford Fiesta Rally3 is already up and running on a test program which leads to a January 1 homologation date.
