Despite initial suggestions to the two-seat Toyota GR Corolla Morizo would not be a limited-run special edition, it has disappeared from price lists in the US and Japan. Is Australia next?
The Toyota GR Corolla Morizo two-seat edition has been discontinued in the US and Japan after a single year of production – and Australia may be next in line.
There were suggestions – including by Toyota Australia – that the GR Corolla Morizo would remain part of the line-up for the foreseeable future, and it would not be a special edition sold for a limited time.
However Toyota USA has confirmed overnight the Morizo will not be part of the 2024 GR Corolla line-up – weeks after it was absent from an updated GR Corolla range announced for Japan.
Australia has been allocated 25 Morizo editions for the first 12 months of GR Corolla production – compared to 200 for the US and 70 for Japan – alongside 700 of the standard, five-seat GTS.
MORE: Toyota GR Corolla Morizo Edition track special limited to 25 cars – for now
At the local launch of the Morizo edition, Toyota Australia suggested it could get access to a second production run – and sales and marketing boss Sean Hanley previously told Drive “we’re not watching a limited edition run, we just can’t get more than 25.”
“It really is aimed up at a very specialised audience. So if the demand is there we’ll try to get more in the new year, but our commitment right now is 25. But I don’t want to portray that as a ‘limited run and that’s it’, we may be able to get more,” Mr Hanley said earlier in the year.
Contacted by Drive this week, a Toyota Australia spokesperson said: “We’ve confirmed 25 units for Australia and continue to seek further advice about the potential for additional production.”
Prices in Australia range from $64,190 plus on-road costs for the GR Corolla GTS five-seater – $1890 more than the February 2023 launch price following a July 1 price rise – and $76,427 plus on-road costs for the Morizo.
MORE: 2023 Toyota GR Corolla Morizo review – Australian drive
In the US, the gap left by the axed Morizo has been filled by upgrades to the existing, North America-specific ‘Circuit Edition’ model, gaining the 18-inch forged BBS alloy wheels previously exclusive to the Morizo.
US models benefit from subtle chassis updates announced in Japan, with changes to the mounting bolts on the steering gear, rear suspension and battery ground, a revised shape for the front bumper air ducts, and aluminium sheets added under the bumpers.
A new blue paint colour dubbed Blue Flame is also available.
Prices have risen across the US line-up by $US200 to $US1840 ($AU310 to $AU2870), while in Japan – where only 550 examples will be available for the second year of production, sold through a lottery – prices are unchanged.
The post Toyota GR Corolla Morizo axed in the US and Japan, future in Australia unclear appeared first on Drive.
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