First-Ever Toyota GR Corolla Debuts With Serious Performance, Cool Tech
The Toyota GR Corolla has plenty to offer performance enthusiasts, and it will be sold in the U.S., unlike the GR Yaris.
Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division has cranked out some seriously cool racers and road-going machines over the years, with the GR Yaris representing one of the most recent. That hot hatch is something of a road-legal rally car packing a supercharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine sending 257 horsepower to all four wheels, though it sadly isn’t available in the U.S. Now, the automaker is following up that impressive effort with another ultra-cool performance version of its sleepy compact econobox – the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla – and it might just be even cooler.
The Toyota GR Corolla – which will indeed be sold in the U.S. – is a truly impressive machine, starting with what powers it – Toyota’s turbocharged 1.6-liter G16E-GTS 12-valve DOHC three-cylinder, which cranks out 300 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Mated to a six-speed manual transmission, the overachieving powerplant sends that power to all four wheels via the automaker’s rally-inspired GR-Four all-wheel-drive system.
What’s particularly interesting about this setup is that it allows the driver to choose how the power is distributed between each end, with choices consisting of a 60-40, 50-50, and 30-70 split from the front and rear, respectively. Additionally, Gazoo Racing gave the Toyota GR Corolla a series of frame enhancements to help handle all of this extra performance at its own factory in Japan.
The hot hatch rolls on a set of 18-inch wheels wrapped in 235/40 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires, while braking is handled by 14-inch ventilated and slotted rotors with 4-piston aluminum calipers and 11.7-inch ventilated rotors with 2-piston aluminum fixed-caliper disc brakes in the rear. Front and rear Torsen Limited Slip Differentials (LSD) are available as an option, while the GR Corolla weighs in at a mere 3,249 pounds.
The GR Corolla will come in two variants – Core and Circuit Edition. Core models will launch later this year and come equipped with a color-keyed roof, a rear lip spoiler, GR-Four stamped side rockers, wide fender flares, GR-logo cloth seats, and a choice of three exterior color options – white, black, and Supersonic Red.
The Circuit Edition will follow in 2023, offering buyers the same wide fenders and stamped side rockers, along with a forged carbon-fiber roof, a vented bulge hood, a different rear spoiler design, Brin Naub suede-trimmed sport seats, a Morizo signed shift knob, and color choices consisting of white, Supersonic Red, and Heavy Metal. Both trims come equipped with Toyota’s Safety Sense 3.0 system and Multi-Media System with a 12.3-inch touchscreen as standard equipment.
Toyota won’t announce pricing for the GR Corolla until we get closer to the vehicle’s launch later this year, but if it’s reasonable enough, this looks like a sure-fire hit. With loads of power, little weight to push around, and some impressive equipment on board, the GR Corolla has plenty to offer the performance enthusiast, particularly those in the U.S. who were previously denied the amazing GR Yaris.
Photos: Toyota
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