Heat for the streets!
The Corolla receives GR treatment and nearly 300bhp in its arsenal!
THE CIRCUIT
VARIANT GETS TORSEN DIFFERENTIALS AS STANDARD
ANOTHER MONTH, ANOTHER TOYOTA special! This time, the Japanese car maker has decided to take on the horde of hot hatchbacks. But exactly how does it do that?
Say hello to the GR Corolla, the latest addition to Toyota’s GR lineup, which comes in as a bigger offering than the GR Yaris, with the added practicality of five-doors!
Based on the regular Corolla, the GR Corolla will be offered in two variants globally — Core and Circuit, the latter of which will come as a limited-edition model in 2023. The GR Corolla features flared wheel arches and wings to differentiate it from the regular Corolla, which also contribute in making it look sporty and sharp. Then you have the air vents on the hood and the fenders of the car, with GR badging as well. The 18-inch 15-spoke gloss black alloys look tasteful indeed, and are shod on Michelin Pirelli Sport 4 tyres on both variants. The Circuit edition takes things further by incorporating a carbonfibre roof and a stacked rear wing. At 1473kg, the GR Corolla weighs 193kg more than the GR Yaris, which weighs 1280kg.
Powering the GR Corolla is the 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit from the GR Yaris, albeit in a different state of tune. It now produces 295bhp at 6500rpm and 370Nm of torque at 3000-5500rpm
— an increase of 27bhp over the GR Yaris. This powertrain will be paired to a six-speed manual transmission, but there are reports that suggest an eight-speed automatic is under development. The GR-Four all-wheel drive system allows you to choose from either a 60:40, 50:50, and a 30:70 power distribution setup. Toyota also wants to make sure you nail that slide, which is why there’s a manual handbrake for you to yank and pull hard every time you see a corner. While the Circuit variant gets Torsen Limited Slip Differentials on both axles as standard, the Core variant gets them as part of the Performance package. Both variants of the GR Corolla make use of 14-inch discs with four-piston calipers at the front, and
Above: The interiors look tasteful in the Brin Naube suede upholstery. Right, from top to bottom: 18inch alloys finished in gloss black; 295bhp on offer!
11.7-inch discs with dual-piston calipers at the rear. The only difference here is that the Circuit variant gets said calipers finished in red, with the GR logo as well.
The interiors keep up with the raceinspired theme as well, with Brin Naube suede and synthetic leather upholstered sports seats with red stitching and GR badging on the headrests. Standard equipment on both variants include push-button start, aluminium pedals, wireless charging, an 8-inch touchscreen, and two USB charging ports among others.
While there is no official announcement from Toyota regarding an India launch, if there’s one thing we’ve learnt, it’s that if you pray just about hard enough, the Gods at Toyota will grant your wishes. Just take the case of the Hilux that’s finally here! Come on, Toyota, this could even be the best way to resurrect the Corolla before everything goes electric! ⌧