From a prototype once criticized as "not ready" to the day a fire broke out during testing, Toyota’s engineering team never gave up. This is the three-year story of developing the GR Yaris M Concept, a mid-engine car created to eliminate the weaknesses of the GR Yaris and push its performance further, following the vision of "Morizo." — Tags: automotive, Toyota, GR Yaris, car development, motorsport
"If I don’t improve my driving skills, I won’t be able to control this car." — Tags: Akio Toyoda, driving skills, car control . — Tags: [] "It is the perfect partner to take me to the next level." — Tags: Akio Toyoda, Morizo, partnership, performance These are the words of Morizo, the racing alias of Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation. — Tags: Akio Toyoda, Morizo, Toyota leadership
These remarks from Morizo reflect the hidden potential of the GR Yaris M Concept that had yet to be fully realized. Toyota Times News closely followed the behind-the-scenes development of this car over three years. — Tags: car development, GR Yaris M Concept, Toyota Times News
However, the letter "M" in the M Concept name does not only stand for "Morizo" but also "Midship," meaning the engine is placed near the center of the car rather than the conventional front position, positioned behind the driver’s seat closer to the vehicle’s midpoint. — Tags: mid-engine, M Concept, car design
Because the engine is the heaviest component, this placement helps centralize the center of gravity, resulting in more effective and precise cornering, a layout commonly favored in high-performance sports cars. — Tags: car engineering, center of gravity, sports cars
For the original GR Yaris, when cornering at high speeds, there was a moment when the car wouldn’t steer as the driver intended. Morizo called this weakness "Prayer Time," the "moment when all you can do is pray." — Tags: GR Yaris, understeer, cornering issues, Morizo
Therefore, development of the M Concept began in 2023, adopting a midship engine layout and four-wheel drive (Midship 4WD) to fundamentally resolve this flaw, alongside creating a new engine. — Tags: M Concept, mid-engine, 4WD, car development
However, the development path was not smooth. During prototype construction, engineers faced many problems, including feedback that "" — Tags: car development challenges, prototype testing "the power was insufficient." — Tags: engine power, performance issues ", "" — Tags: [] "the suspension was too bouncy." — Tags: suspension issues, handling ", "" — Tags: [] "it was not yet at a level to evaluate performance." — Tags: performance evaluation, prototype development and — Tags: [] even the prototype caught fire during testing. — Tags: testing accident, prototype fire
Despite these obstacles, the development team continued to improve the car to maximize performance, culminating in the M Concept competing in the 24-hour endurance race during Round 3 of the 2026 Super Taikyu Series at Fuji Speedway. — Tags: motorsport, Super Taikyu Series, endurance racing, Fuji Speedway
At the end of the documentary, Toyota Times’s cameras take viewers behind the scenes of this grueling race, revealing the development team’s real-time adjustments to the car during the actual competition. — Tags: documentary, motorsport coverage, real-time engineering