Lighter, harder, faster: Incoming two-seat Toyota GR Yaris could be most hardcore hot hatch yet - reports

An even more hardcore version of Toyota's very-hardcore GR Yaris is reportedly en route, with the brand now working on a two-seat special edition that will break cover next year.

Next year a "significantly reduced weight" version of the GR Yaris will appear, according to Japanese site Mag-X, sitting near the top of Toyota's performance tree, and creating what could well be one of the world's most bonkers hot hatches.

This special-edition model will likely be based on the recently revealed GRMN –the most hardcore version of the GR Yaris to date – which welcomed several important updates, including a 20Nm increase in torque for the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder engine, which now fires 390Nm and 200kW at all four wheels.

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A close-ratio six-speed manual transmission is also standard fit on the GRMN, as is Toyota’s permanent GR-Four system with front and rear mechanical limited-slip differentials.

The deletion of the sound system means the engine and exhaust is your driving soundtrack, and its removal - and the deletion of the rear seats, and addition of more carbon-fibre reinforced plastic - shaves around 20kg off the kerb weight.

The GRMN model, though, is a limited-run vehicle, capped at just 500 units and offered in Toyota's home Japanese market only. As such, it's already been written off for Australia.

While reports of the new model are so far a little unclear, this is expected to be an additional model, possibly one that will sit between the regular GR Yaris and the GRMN model.

It will reportedly include the deletion of the rear seat, which will contribute to its "significantly reduced weight".

According to Japanese reports, the new model will appear in 2023, but there is no word yet on whether the model will be set for export markets, like Australia, or if it will be a Japan-only model.

That said, Toyota has previously flagged its interest in brining as many high-performance variants to Australia as possible.

"Toyota Australia is aware of local consumers’ strong appetite for high-performance vehicles and particularly hatches, and will continue to bring as many exciting new products to our market as possible," a Toyota spokesperson told CarsGuide following the GRMN's unveiling.