Toyota GR Corolla Hatchback Debuts

[Nairrk]

Toyota’s newest hot hatch is almost here. The GR Corolla will be revealed on 31 March at 9:30am ET (02.30 BST 1 April), the company’s US arm has confirmed.

The teaser video accompanying this announcement shows a sizeable front wing brake duct - next to which is a GR badge - plus a GR-branded red brake caliper under a multi-spoke gloss black wheel, and an embossed ‘GR-Four’ logo. The latter element suggests the use of the GR Yaris’ all-wheel drive system.

Expected to go on sale in 2023 - the GR Corolla is tipped to be powered by the same 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine found in the GR Yaris. An earlier teaser image from last year revealed GR Corolla’s interior, including an instrument cluster showing “G:16” where the time would usually be shown. It is understood that this is a reference to the GR Yaris’s G16E-GTS engine code for its turbocharged three-cylinder unit. The power figure could also be more than the GR Yaris’s 257bhp with the Corolla’s climate control dials showing 2, 6 and 8 - the same as the 268bhp Japanese-market GR Yaris.

An automatic gearbox was also shown - it’s thought that this will be the only transmission option available. Meanwhile, Toyota is working on an automatic GR Yaris, which will presumably use the same transmission as this hot Corolla.

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[Nairrk]

New Toyota GR Corolla hot hatch revealed with 295bhp

The Toyota GR Yaris’ powerful 1.6-litre turbocharged inline-three and innovative all-wheel drive system have been put to further good use, propelling the all-new Toyota GR Corolla that’s just been officially revealed.

Its ‘G16E-GTS’ engine is good for 295bhp, up from 257bhp in the GR Yaris. This is much more than the 268bhp a previous teaser seemed to hint at, and although we don’t have performance figures yet, this output should be enough to give the heavier Corolla 0-62mph bragging rights over its smaller sibling. The torque meanwhile stands at 273lb ft.

Another unexpected feature is a six-speed manual gearbox with a rev-matching feature. It had been thought that the GR Corolla would be automatic-only.

This transmission feeds a GR-Four-branded all-wheel drive system which does without a centre differential. Instead, it uses a clutch pack between the prop shaft and rear differential. Go for the Circuit Edition, and Torsen limited-slip differentials go in front and rear as standard.

Along with the LSDs (available on the Core grade car as part of the Performance Package), the Circuit Edition comes with a forged carbon fibre roof, a vented bonnet, a different rear spoiler, suede-trimmed seats and a gear shift knob signed by ‘Morizo’ - the driving persona of Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda. It’ll only be available during the GR Corolla’s launch year.

Just as it does in the GR Yaris, the GR-Four system in the GR Corolla is able to bias the rear wheel heavily with a 30/70 torque split in Sport mode. Normal mode is 70/30, and Circuit is 50/50.

The bodywork features widened front and rear wheel arches, with 18-inch multispoke wheels wrapped in 235mm-wide Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres going in at each corner. There’s a much larger grille opening at the front than what’s seen on a standard Corolla, flanked by big ducts. The most unusual feature is at the rear - a triple exhaust with a different-shaped central exit. This design, intended to reduce back-pressure, is key to the G16E-GTS engine’s power increase, Toyota says.

Along with the wider tyres, the GR Corolla gets retuned springs, dampers and anti-roll bars. Slowing things down are four-piston calipers at the front with 355mm slotted discs, with two piston calipers and 300mm rotors at the rear.

Inside, you’ll find a GR-specific 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster showing things like the driving mode, turbo boost pressure and gear position. There’s also a short-throw manual gear-lever and an ‘old-fashioned’ mechanical handbrake. On infotainment duties is an eight-inch touchscreen that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

The Toyota GR Corolla won’t be coming to the UK, sadly, a Toyota GB spokesperson confirmed. One reason for this could be Gazoo Racing’s ‘Power of Three’ ethos, which involves only three GR models being sold in one market at the same time. In Europe, we already have three - the GR Yaris, the GR Supra and the new GR86. In North America, the lack of GR Yaris provides a ‘space’ for the hot Corolla.

There's not been a high-performance Toyota Corolla since the T-Sport of the early 2000s, which delivered 189bhp from its supercharged 1.8-litre engine, so the promise of a new GR Corolla is a bold move from Toyota, especially given its direct rivals in the USA will range from the Volkswagen Golf R to the new Honda Civic Type R.

Autoexpress

 

[Nairrk]

2023 Toyota GR Corolla Morizo edition debuts

The Toyota GR Corolla is already a highly anticipated hot hatch, and the brand now adds even more excitement to the model by announcing the even meaner Morizo Edition. Getting one might be a challenge for buyers, though, because Toyota is only offering 200 of them for the 2023 model year. Pricing is coming closer to launch.

The GR Corolla Morizo Edition's moniker comes from the nickname for Toyota president Akio Toyoda. The special model uses the Circuit Edition trim level as a starting point and creates an even more track-capable machine.

The Morizo Edition still uses the G16E-GTS 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, but torque increases to 295 pound-feet (400 Newton-meters), rather than 273 lb-ft (370 Nm) for the regular model and Circuit Edition. The revised tuning means that peak torque is available from 3,250 to 4,600 rpm for the Morizo, instead of the usual 3,000 to 5,500 rpm. The horsepower rating remains at 300 horsepower (224 kilowatts).

The Morizo Edition retains the six-speed manual gearbox, but there's shorter gearing. This should mean quicker acceleration at the expense of a lower overall top speed. However, Toyota isn't yet publishing these specs for this special model or the regular GR Corolla. The ratios for the differential gears are also shorter.

The Morizo Edition rides on 18-inch forged aluminum wheels with a 10-spoke design, rather than the regular model's cast alloy pieces. The special model also uses sticky 245/40 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires instead of the usual 235/40 Pilot Sport 4 rubber.

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