Here's a Toyota Yaris to get excited about - this pumped up little number is going to be entering the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship as an official factory entry from the Japanese manufacturer, marking the brand's return to top-level rallying after an 18-year absence from the sport.
The Yaris WRC will be developed and built by Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) in Cologne and will continue running in a test programme between now and the 2017 WRC season opener.
The car was unveiled at a news conference in Tokyo by Toyota Motor Corporation's president Akio Toyoda and the company will be hoping it can repeat some of its huge successes of the 1990s, when it won four drivers' and three manufacturers' championships during the decade.
Following on from legendary rallying cars like the Celica Twin-Cam Turbo and GT-Four variants (ST165, ST185 and ST205) and the Corolla WRC, the Yaris is powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine making around 300hp at 6,000rpm and 420Nm of torque, with an 8,500rpm rev limiter. It has a six-speed sequential gearbox and a ZF Sachs clutch and has apparently already shown a 'promising baseline' during tarmac and gravel tests in Europe.
Anything else?
Team president Yoshiaki Kinoshita said: "There is much to do as we make the journey back to WRC but to have received the support of Toyota Motor Corporation and our president Akio Toyoda is already very encouraging. We are looking forward to taking the next steps with an extensive development plan and a junior driver development programme. It is an exciting time and we are looking forward to this new challenge with great anticipation."
More WRC 2015 news: Volkswagen Polo R WRC.