A radical, turbocharged version of the Toyota Corolla hatch has more than twice the power of the regular model – and bulging bodywork – as the Japanese car giant aims to shed its conservative image.
In a bid to reverse its ‘whitegoods on wheels’ image, the clean-cut Toyota Corolla hatchback has been sent to hoon school.
Japanese car giant Toyota has unveiled its most wild Corolla to date – a turbocharged all-wheel-drive performance car with more than twice the power of the regular hatchback, bulging bodywork, and racing-inspired go-fast parts.
Toyota – which sells more hybrid cars than any other automaker on the planet – has put aside its eco image and today released images that depict a Toyota Corolla performing tyre-smoking burnouts and hoon driving.
It’s a stark contrast from Toyota’s normally conservative values.
The company is trying to shed its dull image and bring some excitement to its range.
This is the second performance hatchback from Toyota in three years, and part of a broader roll-out of other performance models.
The 2023 Toyota GR Corolla (the GR stands for Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s motorsports division) will be sold in Australian showrooms alongside the smaller Toyota GR Yaris which went on sale two years ago.
Both hatchbacks share the same turbocharged three-cylinder engine, though it has been give a power boost in the larger and heavier Corolla.
The new Toyota GR Corolla is due in Australian showrooms later this year.
Price is yet to be announced, but industry insiders expect it to cost in excess of $60,000 – more than twice the price of a standard Toyota Corolla hatch – given the smaller Toyota GR Yaris sibling costs between $50,000 and $55,000 before on-road costs.
As with the Toyota GR Yaris, the Toyota GR Corolla will only be available with a manual transmission – limiting its appeal to hardcore enthusiasts only.
According to overseas reports, there is speculation an automatic version of the Toyota GR Corolla may follow.
Toyota says the GR Corolla is “bred from motorsport”, although the last time the Corolla had success on a race rack in Australia was 1968 when it scored a class win in the Bathurst motor race.
Toyota dealers canvassed by Drive say they are yet to be advised about pricing or more accurate arrival timing.
Drive will report further on this model as more information becomes available.
2023 Toyota GR Corolla: Fast facts
Price: To be advised (In excess of $60,000 say industry analysts)
Engine: Turbocharged 1.6-litre three-cylinder petrol
Power: 220kW @ 6500rpm, 370Nm @ 3000 to 5550rpm
Differentials: Torsen limited-slip, front and rear
Weight: 1475kg
Brakes: Four-piston front, two piston rear calipers (disc diameter not reported)
Wheels: 18-inch diameter, 15-spoke alloy
Tyres: 235/40/18 Yokohama Advan Apex V601 (Michelins shown in photos)
The post 2023 Toyota GR Corolla: World’s best-selling hatch gets hoon treatment appeared first on Drive.
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