If it follows the winning formula of the Yaris GR, it will likely revive the excellent spirit of the RSi.
New Toyota Corolla GR to Join Official Hot Hatchery
There you have it, folks, and it's official. The fully-fledged Toyota Corolla GR has now been confirmed for the local market to join the 2021 Speed Week winner, Toyota GR Yaris and its GR86 and GR Supra siblings.
Details at this stage remain under tight wraps, but we know it will use the same 1.6-litre 3-pot turbo-petrol engine that powers the GR Yaris. Purists rejoice. The Corolla GR packs 221 kW and 370 Nm that's channelled to all four wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission.
The Corolla GR is built on the brand's specifically-developed GA-C platform at the Motomachi plant in Japan, where the legendary Lexus LFA and Supra A80 models were built. Currently, the plant manufactures the GR Yaris.
Looks? Well, it retains the regular Corolla's visual appearance but obviously with sportier etiquette to make up for its brutal stance, thanks to widened front and rear fenders, a sportier front bumper with air vents for better cooling and a rear diffuser that's home to three exhaust tips.
As an all-new hot hatch to join the fold, the Corolla GR will go head to head with the VW Golf R, its sibling, the Audi S3 and the Mercedes-AMG A35, to name a few. Like the subject, the Corolla also uses all-wheel-drive systems to put down power on the tarmac.
In the case of power, the latest Golf R competes in the segment wielding a 2.0-litre TSI engine with 235 kW and 400 Nm, while the S3 uses the same motor but with 213 kW and 400 Nm. The A35, on the other hand, also packs a 2.0-litre turbo petrol unit with 225 kW and 400 Nm.
While Toyota SA is yet to confirm local specifications and model line-up, the Japanese marque says the Corolla GR will be offered in limited quantities via GR-focused dealerships when it launches sometime in the third quarter of 2023.
That's probably the best news we've heard at TG this year. Knowing very well how the Yaris GR presents itself, the Corolla GR promises to become a hit that will, in many more ways than one, awaken the spirit of the legendary RSi.
Keyword: New Toyota Corolla GR to Join Official Hot Hatchery