2023 Toyota GR Corolla

Toyota gives its mild-mannered Corolla Hatch the fire-breathing GR treatment

Corolla’s Ninja Bomb

On the back of Toyota’s racing-driver president Akio Toyoda’s wish to bring back a Corolla that captivates customers, the new GR Corolla has broken cover in Long Beach, California on the eve of the opening round of the Formula Drift season. It unleashes the third GR beast following in the footsteps of the GR Supra, GR Yaris and GR 86.

Under the bonnet lurks a tuned version of the 1,6-litre three-pot turbo-petrol unit in the GR Yaris. The GR-FOUR AWD system uses an electronic multi-plate clutch with a choice of 60:40, 50:50 or 30:70 front-rear power delivery. The GR Corolla retains a five-door, five-passenger layout but don’t be fooled, it’s a pure-bred GR vehicle, this.

Output: 224 kW at 3 000 r/minTorque: 370 N.m at 5 500 r/minA valve-equipped triple-exhaust muffler reduces both exhaust pressure and noise60 mm wider track up front and an 85 mm wider track at the rear end ensure better cornering; 20 mm wider front fenders and 30 mm wider rear fendersCarbon fibre-reinforced plastic moulded by the sheet moulding compound process reduces weight but increases rigidity Total weight: 1 475 kg, just 55 kg more than a regular Corolla HatchBraking performance enhanced by 14-inch front and 11-inch rear discsAdditional bracing in the rear wheel wells, beneath the central tunnel and ahead of the 50-litre fuel tank further bolster stability