Toyota Gr Yaris Sets Tourist Nurburgring Lap Time Of 7:56 In The Damp


Toyota GR Yaris sets tourist Nurburgring lap time of 7:56 in the damp

We've felt confident saying the Toyota GR Yaris is a cracker of a car, even if an ocean separates us from some actual seat time. That claim has been proven by a new in-car video showing just how fast it can boogie around the Nürburgring. In the footage, a stock GR Yaris is seen whipping around the famed German circuit's tourist segment in just 7 minutes and 56 seconds.

To be clear, that time is for the Bridge-to-Gantry section of the 'Ring, not the full course. Tourists are required to start and finish during a section of the final straight, cutting out about 1.1 miles from the part where many cars reach their top speed. So there's no way to compare the time to a full race or manufacturer test lap, apples-to-apples, but according to most sources a full lap would add about 20-30 seconds to the time, and anything sub 8 minutes is considered quite an accomplishment.

Comparing with a list of other Bridge-to-Gantry times on Fastest Laps, the GR Yaris beats out a BMW M135i at 8:05 and an Audi RS3 Sportback at 8:20. A Lotus Elise Sport 220 MkIII completed the lap at 7:52. Of course, these are stopwatch timed, and driver skill can vary, but it does give some context.

Piloted by someone calling himself Captain Gaskrank on YouTube, it hustles through the Green Hell in not-so-great weather conditions. The temperature is only 42 degrees Fahrenheit, it's overcast, and some sections of the track are foggy and damp. On the plus side, there's not too much tourist traffic. Still, the Captain hustles the three-cylinder, AWD hot hatch like nobody's business, at one point passing two modified GT-Rs like they're standing still.

According to the description, the Yaris is running Michelin Pilot Sport P4 tires, which indicates the car is equipped with the Circuit Pack. In addition to the tires, the option package adds 18-inch wheels, track-tuned suspension, and Torsen LSDs to front and rear axles. It keeps the 257-horse 1.6-liter mill, but there are rumors that an even more potent GRMN variant is in the works. If that's true, the "Gazoo Racing Masters of the Nürburging" moniker could very well live up to its name.