When Toyota North America executive vice president for sales Bob Carter hinted back in June that the company’s Gazoo Racing performance sub-brand would be extended beyond the Supra and 86 coupes, he wasn’t teasing. Well-placed sources have confirmed Toyota is working on a GR version of the Corolla. What’s more, our sources say the GR Corolla will be all-wheel-drive with a six-speed manual transmission, and will have a more powerful version of the quirky 257-hp, 1.6-liter I-3 engine from the acclaimed, rally-bred GR Yaris under the hood.
Yep, Toyota’s getting serious about GR. The warmest Corolla Hatchback you can buy right now in the U.S. is the surprisingly likable XSE manual, which packs 168 hp. The GR Corolla will have the hardware be a benchmark hot hatch, ready to run wheel-to-wheel with the likes of Volkswagen’s Golf GTI or R.
While the GR Yaris, designed from the wheels up to compete in the World Rally Championship, shares only its front and rear lights, exterior rear-view mirrors, and the roof -mounted antenna with the XP210 Yaris launched in 2020, the GR Corolla will share most of its basic structural and body hardware with the regular E210 Corolla hatchback. It will, however, get aggressive front and rear fascias, with a deeper spoiler and splitter up front and GR badging on the grille. It’ll be finished off with a currently fashionable faux diffuser at the rear, with a single big-bore exhaust outlet on either side.
For the full story, check out this article from Motor Trend.
