PPF on a Yaris
Q: When is a Yaris not your regular Yaris? A: When it’s a Toyota Yaris GR! We recently had the pleasure of welcoming one of these amazing cars to our studio in Hampshire. If you want to know what it took to install PPF on a Yaris, read on because we share all the details!
About the Car:
For a small car, the Toyota Yaris GR makes a big statement. GR Stands for Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s motorsport arm. Toyota developed the GR with technology that came directly from the World Rally Championship (WRC) programme.
They took a supermini, added 4 wheel drive and a potent 1.6 litre, 3 cylinder turbocharged engine producing in excess of 260bhp. Combined with some very clever drivetrain management using active differentials, it’s an absolute weapon of a thing to drive!
The Yaris GR only comes in three colours, Feverish Red, Glacier White or Tarmac Black. This particular car is painted in Feverish Red, it’s absolutely stunning!
PPF on a Yaris GR:
Our client already enjoys the benefit of Xpel PPF, having previously asked us to cover his Porsche Macan completely. This Yaris GR will be used for more fun outings, driving tours, and perhaps the occasional track day, so the protection PPF affords will be even more valuable.
Arrival and Inspection:
To prepare the car, we followed our Hampshire studio’s well-tested induction process. This includes a thorough clean, physical and chemical decontamination of the paint, and light machine polish to ensure the best clarity possible. Japanese cars often have quite soft, thin paint, so this needs to be considered during the polishing stage.
The Installation:
The Yaris GR is a small car, but has a lot going on! The overall shape is conventional, but the individual panels are quite challenging. The wider track (width) means wider arches compared to the non-GR model. Therefore, installing film on the rear quarters leaves a big ‘pocket’ into which we had to feed the PPF carefully. The material tents across the widest points, leaving a gap underneath that we had to carefully manage so as not to leave fluid or air pockets behind.
The front bumper is one of the least fun parts on which to install the film. The full kit has so many parts, more than thirty (usually a front bumper might be three to eight pieces depending on trim), and the main painted section goes every which way. It’s definitely not an area we like to rush. So, Matt and I usually approach a Yaris GR bumper with a fresh cup of coffee and a deep breath.
The Result:
Our client was delighted with the installation. We’d pushed to get it ready for him to use for the weekend, where he wanted it for something specific. Unfortunately, due to the time of year, it was filthy within minutes, but this is one of those cars that just looks brilliant, even when it is dirty!
Contact us if you need PPF on a Yaris or any other vehicle. We love taking care of your daily drivers as much as we love welcoming sports cars, classic cars and supercars to our Hampshire studio.
