Rocket Bunny GR Yaris is a Potent Pocket Rocket
Having previously looked over the GR Yaris, it was the Rocket Bunny wide body kit that got one man interested in the tiny Toyota hot hatch.
Love at First Sight
Finland's Matias Maenpaa was initially not very impressed by Toyota's newest hot hatchback. But his search for a car to replace his BMW M140i took a turn when he saw Kei Miura's rendering of the Rocket Bunny Yaris on Instagram. It was almost love at first sight. Matias spent the following few months planning out the creation of his very own wide body GR Yaris.
Photos: Motortrend
Kicking Things Into Gear
Though Matias originally had no plans to get rid of his BMW, a friend of his managed to convince him to sell the car to him. That set Matias on the path that would lead to his newfound passion for the GR Yaris project. He spent a lot of time researching the possibilities and figuring out the next steps.
>>Join the conversation about the Rocket Bunny GR Yaris right here in the Club Lexus Forum!
Taking Possession
He was able to secure a reservation for a new GR Yaris with help from a friend who works at Toyota. And shortly thereafter, he placed the order for the complete Rocket Bunny kit. Interestingly, the kit arrived about a month prior to him taking delivery of the new hatchback. Matias drove the car around in stock form for about a week, before getting started with the mods.
>>Join the conversation about the Rocket Bunny GR Yaris right here in the Club Lexus Forum!
Executing a Vision
Obviously, the kit modifies and extends the lines of the factory vehicle quite a bit. So naturally, a decent amount of cutting and welding of the original fenders and body panels was required. This can be a bit of a mental hurdle to get over, especially when cutting into a brand-new car. But Matias has a vision and he was certain about executing it.
>>Join the conversation about the Rocket Bunny GR Yaris right here in the Club Lexus Forum!
Getting the Look Dialed In
Happy with the fitments, Matias sent the parts out to be painted. He wanted the final product to closely resemble the aforementioned Kei Miura rendering. Thus, the wheel arches and sections around the bottom of the body kit were painted in a matte gunmetal grey that look like plastic. Then, it was time to add on the livery.
>>Join the conversation about the Rocket Bunny GR Yaris right here in the Club Lexus Forum!
One Aggressive Yaris
Of course, the energy of the interior had to be made to match the aggressive look of the exterior. Inside, the factory seats have been replaced with fixed-back racing bucket seats from Atech. And everything from the front seats back was stripped out and in went a custom roll cage. The GR Yaris has quite a mean look. And while the car comes out of the factory already pretty capable, we wouldn't be surprised if Matias opts to introduce some extra power and performance into the package down the road.
>>Join the conversation about the Rocket Bunny GR Yaris right here in the Club Lexus Forum!
Check out the how-to sections of ClubLexus.com for help keeping your car in great shape.