If anyone has been following Toyota and it’s ongoing teaser campaign for the GR Corolla, you’ll know that Toyota is promising something special for the Corolla that has once been exclusive to our friends across the pond, performance. The teasers so far have been subtle with the heavily camouflaged example peeking out from the background. This latest round of teasers though places the GR front and center and the company even revealed that the new model will be appearing March 31st.
A Spicier Corolla
The GR Corolla (Gazoo Racing) will be the third member of the GR brand and will be sold alongside the Supra and the GR 86 in U.S. Toyota dealers. With the Supra appealing to higher end buyers and the GR 86 limited in practicality, this Corolla will be the one to get for buyers looking for budget performance that can also blend practicality and value into a vehicle. Toyota released two new teasers of the GR Yaris and while it’s still unknown if a sedan version is coming, chances are good that this will be a hatchback exclusive.
The first teaser shows a front mounted extractor vent and the wheel flaring here suggests that this model could be wider than a stock Corolla possibly in an attempt to enhance handling. We also get to see a close up of a side skirt with the “GR Four” moniker placed in the center of the piece. This could indicate that Toyota might also be infusing cues from the GR Yaris (an enviable piece of international market exclusive candy) that also adopts a similar look. The interior will also have some tweaks but we’ll have to wait until later this week to see how extreme things get in that regard.
GR Yaris Could Supply Key Hardware To GR Corolla
Toyota has made it clear that the GR Corolla will go far beyond being a mere paper tiger in a origami cardigan but we still don’t know what engine will ultimately power this creation. The “Four” part of its moniker obviously points to a turbocharged four-cylinder that could potentially crest 300 hp while also adding all-wheel drive, a manual transmission, and even a limited slip differential to the mix.
Some of the lessons learned from the GR Yaris could potentially be transferred here to this Corolla and if so, the model might actually outshine the GR Yaris in some driving figures but as mentioned with everything else we listed here, we’ll have to wait until March 31st to get the full story. In the meantime, well countdown the days, and eagerly await the arrival of this hot sauce fueled performance bargain.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.