2023 Toyota GR Corolla debuts for North America
The first-ever Toyota GR Corolla arrives with 300bhp on tap from a tiny 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol unit! It joins the Japanese marque's famed thoroughbred Gazoo Racing (GR) line-up alongside the GR Yaris, Toyota GR Supra and the Toyota GR 86.
By Divyank K. Bansal
The first-ever GR Corolla arrives with 300bhp on tap from a tiny 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol unit!
The first-ever Toyota GR Corolla joins the Japanese marque's famed thoroughbred Gazoo Racing (GR) line-up, alongside the GR Yaris, Toyota GR Supra, and Toyota GR 86. However, unlike these three, the Corolla GR is not destined for Europe. In fact, it's been unveiled for the North American markets and will go on sale in its home market (Japan) in the second half of 2022.
Powering the GR Corolla is a strengthened version of the G16E-GTS 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, which also powers the GR Yaris. In the Corolla, though, the unit develops a mind-boggling 300bhp @ 6,500rpm and 370Nm of torque @ 3,000 – 5,500rpm, making it the most powerful iteration of the Corolla to date. These figures have also been achieved because of the use of a unique valve-equipped triple exhaust, designed to reduce back-pressure for maximum power delivery.
All this power is sent to all four wheels via Toyota's rally-developed GR-Four All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system. The system also gives the driver a choice of 60:40, 50:50, or 30:70 front-rear torque split configurations. To stay true to its rally racing roots, the GR Corolla will be offered exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox.
While the GR Corolla borrows the basic body framework of the standard Corolla Sport, it does feature a 60mm wider front and an 85mm wider rear track for top-notch cornering performance. Also, the body rigidity has been strengthened by modifying Toyota's GA-C platform specifically for the GR Corolla. Apart from adding frame reinforcements, engineers have also added braces between the rear wheel wells, to the under-floor tunnel, and under the floor in front of the fuel tank to improve handling stability. But, to retain everyday usability, the GR Corolla retains a five-door, five-passenger layout.
The Toyota GR Corolla will go on sale in two grades – Core and Circuit Edition. The latter is expected to make its commercial debut in 2023.
Read more:
Toyota unveils GRMN Yaris at Tokyo Auto Salon 2022
