Toyota GR Corolla arrives, packing a lot of heat

Toyota GR Corolla arrives, packing a lot of heat

The name Corolla seldom springs into the mind of a driving enthusiast. But the ones familiar with the Corolla AE86 from the early 80s know that the brand can stray far, very far, from its tepid, econobox stature. Now it is ready to do it again. After the successful reception of the GR Yaris, Toyota launches the new Toyota GR Corolla. 

Instantly after its launch, the GR Yaris grew to become one of the most loved modern hot hatches. Everyone adored the nimble dynamics and peppy engine, and most importantly, its rally roots. The GR Corolla tries to emulate the same formula. Though there is no evident rally DNA in its GA-C chassis, Toyota claims that additional weld points and liberal use of structural adhesives on it have made it a lot stiffer. Aluminium panels are used more, to keep the weight in check. 

The sweet end of the GR Corolla houses the same turbocharged 1.6-litre three-pot engine from the GR Yaris. But in the heavier Corolla, it now makes 300 hp, 43 hp more than the Yaris. This horsepower is accompanied by 370 Nm of torque, delivered to all four wheels through a GR-Four all-wheel-drive system. This system bundles in selectable torque-split settings, allowing drivers to choose from 60-40, 50-50, and 30-70 front to rear bias options. The transmission is a proper stick shift, a six-speed manual, complete with rev-matching. 

No performance figures are mentioned by Toyota yet. But with the added weight offsetting the increased power, we can expect the GR Corolla to perform similar to the GR Yaris. The little Yaris does its 0 to 100 kph run in less than 5.5 seconds. 

The power gets delivered onto the tarmac through Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres wrapped around 18-inch alloy wheels. These wheels are sprung using McPherson struts at the front and double wishbone suspension at the rear. Obviously, the brakes get a massive upgrade as well. 

The interior is also spiced up with a 12.3-inch digital infotainment display that is used to read out data like turbo pressure, mode of all-wheel-drive, gear position, and engine rpm. Paired to this is an 8.0-inch infotainment display. 

The GR Corolla is offered in two different versions. The standard variant is called GR Corolla Core, while a Circuit edition will be offered exclusively in the first model-year. This will come with multiple performance enhancements including a carbon fibre roof and Torsen limited-slip differentials. If the GR Corolla Core customers are interested to add these, they can by opting for a Performance Package. 

Pricing for the Toyota GR Corolla is not out yet. It is also unclear if it will reach our market, but if it does, it won’t be cheap. 

What do you think?

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Comments

  1. I don’t think it will be available for GCC.

  2. wow! expect them to see in Umm ul Quwain streets soon 😀

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