(By Tom Lohnes) – Well, it’s finally here. After seemingly endless teasers and hints, the Toyota GR Corolla has finally been revealed. This is the first truly crazy vehicle Toyota has made in a long time, and it already has a massive list of pre-orders less than 24 hours after the reveal. Let’s take a closer look.
First off, there are two forms of GR Corolla to choose from. If you want to drive mainly on the street, the base “core” model is the one for you. With all-season tires, a less aggressive body kit, and a nicer interior with a fancy digital gauge cluster, the core packs all you need for a fun canyon carver. If you like laying the gap on Evos at the track, then the GR Corolla Circuit Edition would suit your needs just fine. The Circuit edition has less features, but a more aggressive appearance, a formed carbon-fiber roof, and track-ready summer tires. Also, you get a shift knob signed by Toyota CEO and weekend racecar driver Akio Toyoda himself. Cool stuff. Funny enough, Akio actually races a GR Corolla prototype that runs purely on hydrogen. He definitely wanted this car to happen.
Under the hood of the GR Corolla lies a tiny little beast of an engine. The G16E-GTS is a 1.6-liter 3-cylinder that is heavily turbocharged. This engine makes 300 horsepower flat. That is right, the GR Corolla makes 100 horsepower per cylinder. Also matching the cylinder count is the hot Corolla’s exhaust. With two normal tips and then a giant center one, the triple exhaust on the GR Corolla is the final touch to help you distinguish it from the normal hatch. A 6-speed manual is the only transmission available, and front and rear LSDs are optional. On the topic of differentials, the GR Corolla has three driver-selectable AWD modes. There is normal street mode that splits the power 60/40, a rally mode of sorts that puts it at an even 50/50, and then the mode you want to be in, the most aggressive setup puts 70% of the power at the rear wheels. Fun. So yes, your Toyota Corolla can do drifts for the first time in nearly four decades.
Outside, there is no mistaking a standard Corolla hatch for the GR model. Although they share a chassis and basic body design, the GR is extremely distinctive. With a massive wide-body kit to accommodate four powered wheels, special light wheels, and of course the aforementioned triple-exhaust, the GR Corolla is a return to form for the compact rally-bred Toyotas of old. To fully bring the look back, they also stamped “GR-FOUR” on the side skirt, harkening back to the days of the Celica GT-FOUR.
Toyota has really outdone themselves with this one. If they price it right, it will be an instant hit with enthusiasts, especially since the Lancer Evolution and WRX STI are no more. Look out for pricing info soon, because the GR Corolla is expected to hit North American shores by the end of this year. Cheers, Akio.
It’s really a shame production is limited to 6k. This would be a great fun commuter for me but there’s no way I’m paying the dealer mark-up due to scarcity.