Proper manuals with three pedals might be the spark of the enthusiasts’ flame but automatics are the firewood that keeps the fire going. In other words, automatics unfortunately pays the bills for any business. Hence, Toyota is in the midst of developing an 8-speed automatic variant of the formidable GR Yaris.

Now that you’ve caught your breath, let’s dissect this brand-new transmission and the logic behind it (here’s a clue for the latter; dolla dolla bills).

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Still very much in development according to Car Watch, the auto box was spotted in the number 109 Rookie Racing GR Yaris competing in Round 1 of Toyota Gazoo Racing Rally Challenge held on 13 March. Part of the development work is being conducted by the vice chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation; Shigeru Hayakawa, as the driver for the car in the series.

The 8-speed automatic is all-new and not adapted from any other vehicle. It’s also not some fancy transmission, it’s very much a traditional slush box. That means a torque converter with a planetary gear set. No fancy dual-clutch or automated manuals here. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it is Toyota’s approach here.

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Some of the notable changes with the development car can be noticed in the front. Most of the vents in the bumper have been enlarged and you’ll notice two distinct coolers on each end of the bumper.

One is obviously an oil cooler and the other is a transmission cooler for the new automatic. There’s probably no racing condition harsher than rallying so if the new automatic survives the season, rest assured it’ll handle abuse on the streets without batting an eye.

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It’s still very much a GR Yaris and that means the automatic needs to be quick and up to the task of justifying this hot hatch’s performance. Toyota’s focus is firmly on “running fast” but isn’t neglecting the “fun” aspect of things.

Although there’re paddle shifters, the development is also keen on ensuring the shifting logic when left in “D” will be as adept in selecting the right gear. For that purpose, it’s necessary to create a good shift map as well as perfect the gear ratios.

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Plenty of time has been spent on calibrating the transmission’s performance at the lower end of the rev-range. After all, once you’ve climbed higher up the tacho it’s pretty straightforward. The true mark of an exceptional transmission is in the low end; especially for a performance-oriented car.

Hayakawa competed in a 86 last season but has made the switch to the 8-speed development GR Yaris for this year. So far, he’s impressed with the performance of the automatic.

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“I was allowed to use this car for the first time and I practiced a little with Mr. Morizo (the pseudonym name Akio Toyoda, chairman of Toyota, uses when competing) but it’s completely different,” explained Hayakawa.

Furthermore, in his capacity as a development driver he’s been given the green light to give his best shot at trying to break the transmission, “I’m told that it’s okay to break it. I’ve already broken it once.”

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The development period is the best time to push new components to their limit and discover weak links in the chain. As the saying goes, “Race it, break it, fix it, repeat.” Hopefully Hayakawa doesn’t have to repeat it too much.

While you lament away about Toyota’s decision to possibly produce an automatic variant of the GR Yaris, it’s purely motivated by money so don’t take it personally. Not that Toyota cares what you think unless you bought a manual GR Yaris.

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In simple terms, most people that planned to buy the manual GR Yaris have probably done so already. The automatic not only increases appeal to a wider spectrum of enthusiasts but also serves those that desire a GR Yaris but are just not fans of manuals. Yes, they exist and their money is as green as any other.