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THERE was a time, about 25 years ago, when cars like the forthcoming Toyota Yaris GR Yaris (Page 10) were relatively common. Motorsport rules required manufacturers to make a certain number of hot production cars before they could enter competition. So driving enthusiasts could choose between the likes of the Lancia Delta Integrale, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, the Subaru Impreza STi and the Ford Escort Cosworth. These days, though, there’s no obligation to make a homologation special – unless, as in the case of Toyota, you’re absolutely desperate to eke out every performance advantage possible. And at the same time, it’s becoming harder than ever to find an affordable baby hot hatchback. Ford Fiesta ST aside, there are precious few credible options. Even the Renaultsport Clio, a UK favourite, is unlikely…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram ● A-Class-based small SUV reveals a chunkier look ● Flagship AMG model manages 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds MERCEDES’ glut of new models shows no sign of letting up, because the firm has just pulled the wraps off the all-new GLA. When it goes on sale next spring, it’ll take on the likes of the BMW X2 and Audi Q2. It’s the smallest SUV in Merc’s range, but compared to its predecessor, the new GLA has morphed into a more SUV-appropriate shape. While the old model stood at 1,507mm – barely higher than the A-Class hatchback – the new car is 104mm taller. Combined with an overall length that’s down by 14mm, the final look is chunkier and more upright than before. While the recently-released GLB has a square, boxy stance, the GLA is a…

THERE was a time, about 25 years ago, when cars like the forthcoming Toyota Yaris GR Yaris (Page 10) were relatively common. Motorsport rules required manufacturers to make a certain number of hot production cars before they could enter competition. So driving enthusiasts could choose between the likes of the Lancia Delta Integrale, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, the Subaru Impreza STi and the Ford Escort Cosworth. These days, though, there’s no obligation to make a homologation special – unless, as in the case of Toyota, you’re absolutely desperate to eke out every performance advantage possible. And at the same time, it’s becoming harder than ever to find an affordable baby hot hatchback. Ford Fiesta ST aside, there are precious few credible options. Even the Renaultsport Clio, a UK favourite, is…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy ● Rapid supermini on the way ● 4WD manual, up to 275bhp THIS is the car that has the potential to be 2020’s most potent supermini, and one of the fastest hot hatchbacks around: the Toyota GR Yaris, previewed in camouflaged form ahead of a final release in mid-January. We already know that the GR Yaris will be unlike any other hot supermini on the market. Developed by Toyota’s rally team, Gazoo Racing, it’ll be four-wheel drive and have a six-speed manual gearbox, and it’s expected to feature a bespoke 1.6-litre, three-cylinder engine producing more than 250bhp – perhaps as much as 275bhp. That’ll put it as much as 50bhp clear of the previous hottest supermini to be offered, the Audi S1. The GR Yaris has two purposes. The first is to give Toyota…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram ● A-Class-based small SUV reveals a chunkier look ● Flagship AMG model manages 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds MERCEDES’ glut of new models shows no sign of letting up, because the firm has just pulled the wraps off the all-new GLA. When it goes on sale next spring, it’ll take on the likes of the BMW X2 and Audi Q2. It’s the smallest SUV in Merc’s range, but compared to its predecessor, the new GLA has morphed into a more SUV-appropriate shape. While the old model stood at 1,507mm – barely higher than the A-Class hatchback – the new car is 104mm taller. Combined with an overall length that’s down by 14mm, the final look is chunkier and more upright than before. While the recently-released GLB has a square,…

GAZOO Racing camouflage and a dashboard shielded from prying eyes are an unsubtle hint that the car we’re about to drive is still a prototype, so it’s too early to say whether the GR Yaris is a reincarnation of the Subaru Imprezas, Mitsubishi Evos and Toyota Celica GT-Fours of the nineties. But after a short squirt along some Portuguese roads in Toyota’s latest creation, it’s fair to say that the early signs are certainly promising. The GR Yaris’s structure feels very strong, letting the suspension do its best work over bumps and sunken drain covers. It’s surprisingly pliant, and makes the car feel less hardcore than you’d expect. The notchy, GT86-like gearshift and firm brake pedal feel more serious, the fairly high driving position less so, but it’s the way the…