Toyota Drifted a GR Yaris Down a Ski Slope to Reenact an Iconic Japanese Film Scene.

      Toyota Gazoo Racing on YouTube

      The Toyota GR Corolla thrives in snow. Equip it with winter tires, find an empty parking lot, and you're guaranteed an unforgettable experience. Its international counterpart, the GR Yaris, is just as adept, and Toyota is making the most of this with an entertaining new video depicting the spirited three-door hatch navigating a mountain in Japan, accompanied by a lovely soundtrack. This is part of a collaboration with renowned Japanese artist Yumi Matsutoya, and I've discovered my next musical fascination this morning.

      Matsutoya, also known as “Yuming,” is a musical icon; since 1973, she’s released 38 studio albums and boasts the remarkable achievement of having at least one No. 1 album on Japan's recording charts for 18 consecutive years. (For a comparable benchmark to Billboard, there isn’t one; The Beatles hold the closest record with seven in a row.) Additionally, she has hosted a concert most years—if not annually—since 1980 called “Surf & Snow,” named after her album of the same name. The track featured in this charming video, “Surf Heaven, Ski Heaven,” comes from that album and has already made it onto a playlist I've been curating that primarily included Casiopea tracks until now.

      Returning to the car, which is the focus of our attention. The first half of the video takes place in the ’80s, as suggested by the fashion of the people, our skier enjoying Yuming’s recent hit, the poster advertising her 1981 Surf & Snow concert at the Naeba ski resort, and the purposely low-resolution footage. Initially, I thought it would have been exciting if Toyota had brought an ST165 out of retirement for this event; at the very least, a genuine Celica GT-Four could have utilized those cassettes on the dashboard appropriately. We’ll circle back to that shortly.

      The video progresses to showcase a chorus of stylish winter sports enthusiasts enjoying the snow before the purple character and the hot hatch take to the air and descend back to the ground. The Yaris sports a fresh livery, promoting the 45th Surf & Snow event starting this weekend at the Naeba Prince Hotel Blizzardium resort, and it features even more amusing synchronized skiers, including a family having a picnic and a girl snacking on popcorn from an armchair. Adorable!

      Based on my Google-translated understanding of this Carview article, the Gazoo Racing-themed video is a playful homage to a 1987 Japanese romantic comedy titled Please Take Me Skiing, which included various automotive stunts on the slopes with Celicas and Corollas. The trailer below offers a good glimpse of the action:

      It appears that Gazoo Racing is organizing its own event alongside Matsutoya’s concert at Naeba, where participants can experience a demonstration run with rally driver Norihiko Katsuta driving a Yaris WRC car, or ride along in a GR Yaris on the snow. It all sounds like a fantastic time, and if I happen to vanish from The Drive next week, you'll know exactly where I've gone—not to mention the movies I plan to watch during the long flight there.

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