2023 Toyota GR Corolla:-Toyota Corolla has not been so ferocious for a long time! The last “charged” version of the Corolla TS with a 1.8 compressor engine (224 hp) was removed from the range back in 2006, and since then there have been no powerful and quick modifications in the range. But a few years ago, Toyota management decided to return to the production of driver and incendiary cars. The GR Supra sports car and the GR Yaris hot hatch have already appeared. True, the “hot” Yaris is sold mainly in Japan and Europe, and the new Toyota GR Corolla hatchback is prepared primarily for America. Even the premiere of the car was held in California.
2023 Toyota GR Corolla
Designing a unique three-door body, as they did for the GR Yaris model, was not this time. The “hot” Toyota GR Corolla retained the standard five-door body and a full-fledged interior. But the design is still adapted. To reduce weight, the hood and front doors are made of aluminum, and the roof panel is made of reinforced carbon fiber. The front fenders are widened by 20 mm, the rear fenders by 30 mm. Additional amplifiers are mounted between the rear suspension struts, in the central tunnel and under the gas tank.
All equipment is borrowed from the younger model GR Yaris , but again in an adapted form. The 1.6-liter three-cylinder G16E-GTS turbo engine with combined fuel injection has found a new exhaust system, and its power has been increased from 272 to 304 hp, although the torque is the same (370 Nm). The only gearbox is a six-speed iMT “mechanics” with the function of automatically adjusting the crankshaft speed when switching. In America, such “charged” cars are loved just with a manual gearbox: Honda Civic will not let you lie.
The GR-Four’s all-wheel drive transmission is also borrowed from the Yaris. The rear axle clutch always works with preload, there are three modes, and you can select them separately from the main driving presets. Playing with the degree of clutch lock and regular brakes, electronics can transfer 40%, 50% or 70% of traction to the rear axle. For a surcharge, the Performance package is offered, which includes Torsen limited-slip differentials front and rear.
The chassis has a standard configuration for the Corolla: McPherson front and independent two-lever rear. But all the elastic elements are new, the front track has been expanded by 60 mm (up to 1590 mm), the rear track has been expanded by 85 mm (up to 1620 mm). Front brakes – with four-piston mechanisms, two-piston ones are installed on the rear wheels. The car was fine-tuned not only on asphalt roads, but also on dirt and snowy roads: the GR Corolla should feel confident in rally mode.
In addition to the standard Core version (red car in the photos), a Circuit Edition package (gray car) is offered. It includes a stiffer roof panel, a hood with additional air vents, a larger aft spoiler, enhanced equipment, and a gear lever knob autographed by CEO Akio Toyoda.
Toyota GR Corolla has a mechanical handbrake, while civilian versions have already switched to an electromechanical system. But instead of analog instruments (like the powerful Yaris), the new hot hatch is the first in the family to have a fully virtual instrument cluster on a 12.3-inch screen. The equipment includes heated front seats and steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, a media system and a set of electronic assistants Safety Sense. The curb weight of the “hot” Corolla is 1475 kg, but the company does not provide dynamic characteristics. The five-door should be slightly slower than the GR Yaris, which accelerates to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds and tops out at 230 km/h.
The GR versions will be produced separately from the “civilian” hatchbacks – at the Motomachi plant, where, among other things, GR Yaris hot hatches and Lexus LC sports cars are made. The Toyota GR Corolla will go on sale in the second half of this year, and in addition to America, where the all-wheel drive Volkswagen Golf R will become the main competitor, only Japan has been confirmed so far.
sudharsan has over a decade of experience covering the breaking news in the auto industry and over ten years of experience writing about cars for magazines, automotive websites, and YouTube videos.
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