Toyota GR Corolla

The all new, highly anticipated Toyota GR Corolla has just been revealed, and has had an extremely positive response so far.

GAZOO RACING (GR) has become accustomed to bringing fantastic cars into the automotive market, first revealing the GR Supra, before the overwhelmingly popular GR Yaris, which is believed to be sold out for the entirety of 2022. GR has now been seen in motorsports such as the World Rally Championship, Formula Drift and the World Endurance Championship in stages such as the 24 hours of Le Mans. Now, with an ever-growing interest in these events, Toyota introduces the all new GR Corolla.

Powered by a turbocharged 3 cylinder engine, the GR Corolla delivers 300hp, 32 more than that of the Yaris. The extra power comes down to the all new exhaust system which produces the exact amount of backpressure, which makes it quicker but unfortunately quieter. This delivers 370Nm or torque which is sent directly to all 4 wheels, truly making the GR Corolla the definition of a 'hot hatch'. It comes in 6 speed manual in both the Core and Circuit Edition grades, with a proper lever handbrake for all of your skidding needs, all the while ensuring maximum driver attentiveness. But it's not just the handbrake that can control the frequency of your skids, with manual power distribution options included in the Performance Pack. As standard it gives 60% to the front and 40% to the rear, however a grip focused mode will split it 50 each and a so-called skid orientated setup will bring 70% power to the rear.

The design is sharp, angular and incredibly similar of that to the smaller GR Yaris. The front features an almost identical box-shaped grille, and has aggressive wider arches. When you compare both the regular, hybrid Corolla and the new, GR Corolla, they are at complete different ends of the spectrum. The regular Corolla sees itself as a bit of an eco-warrior, and the kind of thing a librarian would drive throughout busy city streets. The GR variant however, seems to almost want to always get out on track, shredding rubber as it shifts through the gears. I love that about it, especially in the launch spec that Toyota chose - another one of those cars that looks as if it is a shark. The unique three-tip exhaust system looks amazing, and fits in perfect with the flared guards, complicated diffuser and acute rear spoiler. Will the GR Corolla match the popularity of the incredulous GR Yaris? Only time will tell.

Price: TBC