Is This the Toyota GRMN Corolla?
Back in March, Toyota teased us with a spicy GR Corolla wrapped in the usual Gazoo Racing camouflage. We spotted vented fenders and a larger rear spoiler, which led us to believe it could be a range-topping GRMN version. If these new images are anything to go by, that assumption seems to be correct. Photos purportedly taken at a dealer event reveal the full-fat GRMN model.
At such events held behind closed doors, attendees usually have their phones confiscated to prevent leaks. Still, it seems someone didn’t play by the rules and managed to sneak in a phone to snap these photos. Assuming the images are genuine and not a convincing AI fake, the GRMN is shaping up to be a wild hot hatch.
Toyota has given the flagship Corolla a vented carbon-fiber hood and a redesigned, more aggressive front bumper. The amber marker lights suggest the event took place in the United States, hinting that the GRMN is headed here. Elsewhere, the bronze wheels are hard to miss, wrapped in what may be Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires; a track-focused yet street-legal rubber. At the rear, a carbon roof spoiler and a GRMN badge on the tailgate round off the tweaks.
Inside, the GRMN Corolla adopts a two-seat layout similar to the Morizo special edition but fitted with a pair of body-hugging seats. Glossy black surfaces appear to have been replaced by microfiber, applied generously throughout the cabin. A special plaque in front of the six-speed manual gearbox’s lever seems to reveal a 500-unit production run, though the low image quality makes it hard to confirm. There’s also a signature on the passenger side of the dash, but it’s too blurry to decipher.
Beyond the visual mods, the GRMN Corolla is all but confirmed to pack more power. When Toyota first teased the car, it said the three-cylinder engine would deliver more torque. The turbocharged 1.6-liter unit currently makes 295 pound-feet (400 Newton-meters). Chief Engineer Naoyuki Sakamoto also told Motor1 that additional horsepower is a possibility, pushing output past 300 hp.
As for pricing, expect to pay more than $50,000. Toyota charged $52,640 for the Morizo in matte gray. Given its limited production, dealers will likely tack on markups, so don’t be surprised if the GRMN ends up costing closer to $60,000.
