- 1.6L, 3-cylinder direct/port injected turbo engine delivers 300
hp and 273 pound-feet of torque
- GR-Four AWD system with customizable front-rear power
settings
- Available in two grades: Core and launch-year-exclusive Circuit
Edition
- Born from rally racing and tested to meet the highest standards
set by master driver Akio Toyoda and
professional TOYOTA GAZOO Racing drivers
- Genuine Toyota sportscar, precision built at the GR Factory at
Toyota's Motomachi Plant
- Complimentary 1-year membership to the National Auto Sport
Association, featuring a High-Performance Driving Event with expert
instruction
LONG
BEACH, Calif., March 31,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- It's official: The powerful,
stylish and agile hot hatch U.S. drivers are looking for is on its
way, the first-ever 2023 GR Corolla. With the detail-obsessed
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing team at the helm, and master driver
Akio Toyoda, a.k.a. Morizo, signing
off on approval, this all-new addition to Toyota's growing lineup
of sports cars brings the performance, handling and functionality
that hot hatch fans love.
Powered by the lightweight, compact-yet-powerful G16E-GTS
turbo-charged, direct/port injected three-cylinder engine, GR
Corolla delivers 300 hp and 273 lb.-ft. of torque. Engineered for
snappy acceleration out of the corners, output hits peak torque at
3000-5500 rpm, with max horsepower coming at 6500 rpm. Its
thrill-inducing power is piped through a unique triple exhaust
that's designed to reduce backpressure for maximum power
delivery.
The G16-E engine is paired with Toyota's rally developed GR-Four
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) drivetrain. This system gives drivers a
choice of 60-40, 50-50 or 30-70 power distribution to the front and
rear wheels. GR Corolla will be offered exclusively in a manual
transmission, staying true to its hands-on rally racing roots.
Its broad hatch profile and low center of gravity are built on
Toyota's GA-C platform, with enhanced frame reinforcements
developed specifically for GR Corolla at GR Factory at Toyota
Motomachi plant. Functional exterior air vents and aerodynamic
features further support steering stability.
GR Corolla will come in two grades, Core and Circuit
Edition.
The Core Grade will be available later this year in white, black
and Supersonic Red. It will have a color keyed roof with rear lip
spoiler, GR-Four stamped side rockers and wide-fender flares. On
the inside, seating for five will come with GR logoed fabric sport
seats.
The Circuit Edition will be a limited-run model available in
2023. Standard colors are white, Supersonic Red and Heavy
Metal with the same GR-Four stamped side rockers and wide
fenders as the Core. It adds a forged carbon fiber roof, vented
bulge hood and a sporty rear spoiler, Brin Naub® suede-trimmed
sport seats with red accents and a launch-year-exclusive Morizo
signed shift knob.
The GR Corolla will come equipped with the all-new touchscreen
Toyota Audio Multimedia system.
Pricing will be announced later this year.
Race Inspired Engineering
In 2007, Toyota expanded its car development activities with a
decision to compete in the 24 Hours Nürburgring, the grueling
endurance race held on the famous track winding through the German
forest. However, as an unofficial Toyota activity, the team was
called GAZOO Racing and was made up of employees, including
Akio Toyoda driving under the alias
of Morizo.
With a limited budget, the newly named team entered the race
with two second-hand Altezzas. Despite adversity, both cars
finished the challenging race, and a new era of Toyota motorsports
and product development, one founded on a spirit of challenge aimed
at instigating change, began.
As TOYOTA GAZOO Racing's first wholly developed and manufactured
model for the North American market, the GR Corolla carries this
spirit forward.
With professional drivers, experts and Morizo at the wheel, GR
Corolla was tested repeatedly at some of Japan's leading circuits, including Fuji
Speedway, Suzuka and Tsukuba Circuit. In addition, the GR team
carried out heavy duty dirt and snow driving with a Japanese Rally
Championship driver. No road was left unturned in the process, so
engineers and technicians could sharpen acceleration and control
worthy of the GR name.
GR Factory
To help meet the performance goals for the GR Corolla, Toyota
has established a dedicated GR Factory at its production facility
in Motomachi, Japan. It's the
birthplace of legends such as the Lexus LFA and Supra A80 and is
now home to the first GR production line, where GR Corolla and GR
Yaris are precision built.
Instead of the traditional conveyor system, the body and
assembly lines comprise several different cells connected by
automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) rather than the conveyors featured
in conventional car plants. This fully flexible method of working,
with many manual assembly techniques, enables precise body and
suspension alignment, with variations in vehicle dimensions and
weight kept to a minimum.
Being built by experts means that the assembly of each GR
Corolla takes longer than a conventional mass-produced car. The
production line has been streamlined for performance, with elements
such as body alignment and weld checks to ensure that each GR
Corolla is built with meticulous care and attention.
Toyota Gazoo Racing has brought together highly skilled
technicians from throughout the company to work on the GR Corolla.
This team not only assembles every GR Corolla but also contributes
to the technical skills of workers at other Toyota facilities. It's
a team structure that's part of the overall GR mission at Toyota,
developing people, driving fans and making ever better cars.
The GR-FOUR System
With all TOYOTA GAZOO Racing sports cars firmly rooted in
motorsports, it only makes sense that the GR Corolla's drivetrain
was born from the rigors of rally racing.
At the heart of the new GR Corolla is the GR-FOUR
All-Wheel-Drive system, Toyota's first sports all-wheel-drive
system in over 20 years. Developed in collaboration with the TOYOTA
GAZOO Racing World Rally Team and honed by WRC drivers, it delivers
exceptional levels of traction and control with engineering
designed to optimize drive power to each wheel, while also being
simple and lightweight.
Made for rally, the GR-FOUR system is designed for a variety of
conditions. Whether the driver is looking to adjust performance for
dirt, rain or snow, or just in the mood for a different feel, the
GR-FOUR system offers settings to match.
With the twist of a dial, GR Corolla can adjust four-wheel drive
performance to fit the driver's needs. For every-day situations,
drivers can set a front/rear torque distribution of 60:40; for a
more sport setting, balance can shift to the rear, with 30:70
distribution for a fun-to-drive quality on winding roads and
circuits; and for maximum stability a 50:50 setting can be used for
fast, competitive track driving on circuits or special stages. In
each mode, the torque balance will automatically adjust in response
to the driver's inputs, vehicle behavior and road or track
conditions.
The GR Corolla Circuit Edition is also equipped with front and
rear Torsen Limited-Slip Differentials (LSD), which offer enhanced
cornering performance and grip with control of left and right-hand
drive torque distribution on the front and rear axles. Front and
rear LSD is available as part of the Performance Package on the
Core grade, with 4WD open differentials standard.
Revolutionary 3-Cylinder Turbo Engine
For GR Corolla, we took the same turbocharged G16E-GTS
powerplant used in the GR Yaris and boosted its output. This
compact-yet-powerful three-cylinder engine has increased power for
GR Corolla thanks to improved engine exhaust efficiency thanks to a
3-piece muffler with valve capped off with brushed stainless steel
tips. This design reduces exhaust pressure and outside noise, which
are essential to backpressure performance.
The G16E also benefits from motorsport technologies that
maximize performance, including multi-oil jet piston cooling,
large-diameter exhaust valves and a part-machined intake port.
Displacing 1,618 cubic centimeters, it produces a maximum power of
300 hp and 273 pound-feet of torque.
Compact and lightweight, the DOHC 12-valve engine features a
single-scroll ball-bearing turbo that's matched to a 6-speed
intelligent manual transmission (iMT) with rev-matching engineered
to accommodate high torque levels. The turbocharger is integrated
in the exhaust manifold, reducing weight, while control of
wastegate bypass gases is used to improve the catalyst's warm-up
efficiency. Combustion is fed by Toyota's D-4S direct and port fuel
injection system, which operates at high pressure for maximum fuel
dispersion and efficiency.
Wide, Rigid and Designed to Handle
To achieve control worthy of the GR badge, a highly rigid body
was specially constructed for GR Corolla. Based off the GA-C
platform, it produced handling performance that rewards the driver.
Enhanced rigidity comes from significantly more weld points in the
frame, particularly to strengthen joints. Further gains are made
through extensive use of structural adhesive, increasing the joint
rigidity between component parts.
The front suspension is a MacPherson-type strut design that
offers both light weight and firm handling, maximizing the tires'
grip potential. Made up of circuit-tuned coil springs, shock
absorbers and stabilizer bars, the front suspension is designed to
deliver all the engine's power to the road and provide optimum
cornering capability on all surfaces. The rear suspension uses a
double-wishbone type multilink system that accommodates the AWD
system's goal of maximum agility and stability.
Wide tread tires ensure high cornering performance while
maintaining the excellent high speed stability of the GR Corolla's
103.9-inch long wheelbase. It wears Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires 235/40R18 on the
both grades and comes equipped with 18-in. gloss-black 15-spoke
cast alloy wheels on the grades.
Braking power comes from opposed, fixed-caliper disc brakes with
14 x 1.1-inch ventilated and slotted rotors outfitted with 4-piston
aluminum calipers on both grades, the Circuit Edition caliper is
red painted with GR logo. At the rear, 11.7-in. x 0.7-in.
ventilated rotors with 2-piston aluminum fixed-caliper disc brakes
with red-painted calipers and GR logo are standard on the Circuit
Edition.
Lightweight and Aerodynamic
Throughout the GR Corolla, there has been a focus on saving
weight to maximize the performance potential, without compromising
strength and safety. This rigorous approach is particularly evident
in the car's construction, with extensive use of lightweight metals
and materials used in key areas.
On the Circuit Edition, the roof is made of a forged (rather
than woven) carbon sheet molding compound. This lightweight, highly
rigid material keeps off the ounces that a steel roof would bring
and helps lower the car's center of gravity.
Aluminum is used for the hood and front door panels, with light
and strong high-tensile steel in critical areas to ensure the car's
structure can safely absorb and dissipate impact forces.
For the best possible aerodynamic performance, GR Corolla's nose
ascends to a tapering roof line. Wind flow is directed onto the
rear spoiler to generate extra downforce. As with rally cars, the
shaping of the front and rear canards and GR-FOUR stamped lower
rockers efficiently channel airflow down the sides of the vehicle.
Hood, fender and rear bumper ducts and a flat underfloor reduce
drag, add downforce and improve stability.
Rally Ready Hot Hatch Style
The wide stance and broad hatch exterior design of GR Corolla
projects a strong, attack ready style with its black GR badged
functional matrix grill. Flanked by functional air ducts on both
sides, the front grille on the Circuit Grade comes in gloss-black
and features integrated LED fog lamps. Auto on/off LED headlamps
and LED DRLs are standard on both grades.
Both grades feature wide front and rear fender-flares. The
Circuit Edition features a bulge hood with functional gloss-black
air ducts. The Carbon Fiber roof on the Circuit Edition is matched
with a matte-black roof mounted shark fin antenna. The Core Grade
features an aluminum hood with a color-keyed roof and matching
shark-fin antenna. Gloss-black heated power outside mirrors with
turn signal indicators, gloss-black window molding and black GR
Corolla badges are standard on both grades.
At the rear, both grades feature a rear lower bumper cover with
functional air vents, for an extra touch these vents are
gloss-black on the Circuit Edition. The tapering of the roof and
rear pillars are complimented by a high mounted matte-black rear
spoiler on the Circuit and a gloss-black rear-lip spoiler on the
Core Grade. The wide track and flaring of the rear wings emphasize
the car's wide and low silhouette.
Race Inspired Interior
The design of the GR Corolla's interior reflects the car's
performance, particularly around the driver's cockpit.
Incorporating the feedback of professional drivers, a GR Full
TFT meter was newly developed with a 12.3-inch color
Multi-Information Display (MID) that has a GR meter with 4WD mode,
turbo pressure, gear position indicator and tachometer. The
brightly lit display is designed for easy-viewing in any condition
and even features a start-up GR animation.
The shift lever has a shortened stroke for a quick throw between
gears. Positioned where the driver's arm is naturally lowered from
steering, the action is light with short shift strokes, adding to
the performance quality. GR Corolla uses a pull type mechanical
parking brake.
The Circuit Edition's interior is finished in black with red
trim details around the door handles, center console, steering
wheel and side air vents, and the Core Grade is finished with black
and silver details.
Brin Naub® suede and synthetic leather-trimmed sport seats
with red stitching, red mesh inserts and GR badged headrests; 6-way
adjustable driver's seat with seatback pocket; 4-way adjustable
front passenger seat with seatback pocket are standard on the
Circuit Edition. Fabric sport seats with gray stitching and GR
badged headrests; 6-way adjustable driver's seat with suede sheet
seatback pocket; 4-way adjustable front passenger seat with
seatback pocket are standard on the Core.
Automatic climate control, power windows with one-touch auto
up/down and heated front seats and steering wheel standard on
Circuit Edition. Heated front seats and steering wheel are
available with the of Cold Weather package option on Core
Grade.
A GR leather-trimmed tilt/telescopic sport steering wheel with
audio, Multi-Information Display, Bluetooth® hands-free phone and
voice-command controls comes standard on the Circuit Edition. For
an added touch, a "Morizo" signed shift knob comes exclusively on
the launch year Circuit Edition.
Standard on both grades is a push button GR engine start/stop
button, aluminum sport pedals, two USB charging ports, one 12V
auxiliary power outlet, lighted foot wells, front console tray and
rear console box. Qi-compatible wireless smartphone charging with
full charge indicator light is standard on the Circuit Edition and
available as part of the Technology package on the Core Grade.
The all-new Toyota Audio Multimedia system will come standard on
all GR Corollas. Featuring an 8-inch touchscreen, the system offers
an improved user experience thanks to new sight, touch and voice
activation. With Intelligent Assistant available through Drive
Connect*, simple phrases like "Hey Toyota" awakens the system for
voice-activated commands to search for directions, find POIs,
adjust audio controls, change the cabin temperatures and more.
The cloud-based native navigation system offered through Drive
Connect allows for real-time Over the Air updates for mapping and
Points of Interest (POI), and Google POI data is integrated to
ensure up-to-date search capability. It also supports standard
wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto compatibility.
Toyota Audio Multimedia allows for simultaneous dual Bluetooth
phone connectivity. A Wi-Fi Connect subscription offers 4G
connectivity for up to five devices by turning GR Corolla into an
AT&T Hotspot*, and it also offers the ability to link your
separate Apple Music® and Amazon Music subscriptions to your
vehicle with Integrated Streaming.
The Circuit Edition comes with Premium Audio with Dynamic
Navigation with eight JBL® speakers with amplifier. It includes a
USB media port, two USB charge ports, Dynamic Navigation with
3-year trial, Dynamic POI Search, Dynamic Voice Recognition,
hands-free phone capability and music streaming via Bluetooth®
wireless technology, SiriusXM® with 3-month All Access trial. See
toyota.com/audio-multimedia for details. Connected Services —
Safety Connect® with 1-year trial, Service Connect with 10-year
trial, Remote Connect with 1-year trial, Wi-Fi Connect with up to
2GB within 3-month trial and Destination Assist with 1-year trial.
See toyota.com/connected-services for details.
The Core Grade comes with six speakers, Android Auto™ &
Apple CarPlay® & Amazon Alexa compatible, USB media port, two
USB charge ports, hands-free phone capability and music streaming
via Bluetooth® wireless technology, SiriusXM® with 3-month All
Access trial. See toyota.com/audio-multimedia for details.
Connected Services1 — Safety Connect® with 1-year trial, Service
Connect with 10-year trial, Remote Connect with 1-year trial, and
Wi-Fi Connect with up to 2GB within 3-month trial. See
toyota.com/connected-services for details. Premium Audio with
Dynamic Navigation and JBL® w/Clari-Fi®, and Qi-compatible wireless
smartphone charging are available as part of the Technology
Package.
Safety & Other Technology
All GR Corolla grades come standard with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0
(TSS 3.0), which includes enhancements made possible by system
sensors with improved detection capability. The Pre-Collision
System with Pedestrian Detection is also capable of detecting
motorcyclists and guardrails in certain conditions. When making a
turn or approaching an intersection, the system is designed to
detect forward or laterally approaching oncoming vehicles and
provides audio/visual alerts and automatic braking in certain
conditions. Improved lane recognition delivers refined performance
of Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist and Lane Tracing
Assist.
GR Corolla will be equipped with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
(DRCC). Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist is designed to
notify the driver via audible and visual alerts and slight steering
force if it senses the vehicle is leaving the lane without engaging
a turn signal. When DRCC is set and engaged, Lane Tracing Assist
uses visible lane markers or a preceding vehicle to help keep the
vehicle centered in its lane.
Automatic High Beams are designed to detect preceding or
oncoming vehicles and automatically switch between high beam and
low beam headlights. Road Sign Assist is designed to recognize
certain road sign information using a forward-facing camera and
display them on the multi-information display (MID).
Toyota's Rear Seat Reminder comes standard on all GR Corolla
grades. The feature can note whether a rear door was opened within
10 minutes of the vehicle being turned on, or at any time after the
vehicle has been turned on, with a reminder message in the
instrument cluster after the engine is turned off, accompanied by
multitone chimes.
In addition to the TSS 3.0 system, other standard safety
features on the GR Corolla include Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), which
is designed to help detect and warn you of vehicles approaching or
positioned in the adjacent lanes and Rear Cross Traffic Alert
(RCTA) for added peace of mind by helping to detect vehicles
approaching from either side while backing out and alerting you
with a visual and audible warning. Hill Start Assist Control (HAC)
also comes standard.
GR Corolla comes with a one year trial subscription of Toyota
Safety Connect® at no additional cost — includes Emergency
Assistance, Stolen Vehicle Locator, Roadside Assistance and
Automatic Collision Notification.
Option Packages
GR Corolla Core Grade is available with the following
packages:
- Performance package: Includes front and rear Torsen
Limited Slip Differentials (LSD).
- Technology package: Includes Premium Audio with Dynamic
Navigation and JBL® w/Clari-Fi®, and Qi-compatible wireless
smartphone charging.
- Cold Weather Package: Includes heated front seats and
heated steering wheel.
Preliminary Specifications
All specifications are estimated and values and not final.
|
GR Corolla
(Preliminary Specifications)
|
Length
Inches
|
173.5
|
Width Inches
|
72.9
|
Height
Inches
|
57.2(W/O
Antenna)
58.2(W/Antenna)
|
Wheelbase
Inches
|
103.9
|
Seating
|
5
|
Curb weight
lb.
|
3249
|
Engine
|
G16E-GTS 1.6L,
3-cylinder port injected turbo, 12-VALVE DOHC
|
Bore × Stroke
mm
|
87.5 X 89.7
|
Displacement
(cm3)
|
1618
|
Compression
ratio
|
10.5:1
|
Maximum
Horsepower
|
300 hp @ 6500
RPM
|
Maximum
Torque
|
273 lb.-ft. @ 3000-5550
RPM
|
Driveline
|
All-Wheel-Drive
|
Transmission
|
6-speed manual
transmission
|
Gear Ratios
|
|
1st
|
3.538
|
2nd
|
2.238
|
3rd
|
1.535
|
4th
|
1.162
|
5th
|
1.081
|
6th
|
0.902
|
Reverse
|
3.831
|
Suspension
|
Front
|
MacPherson-type
strut
|
Rear
|
Double wishbone type
multilink
|
Brakes
|
Front
|
Ventilated disk 4 pod
caliper
|
Rear
|
Ventilated disk 2 pod
caliper
|
Wheels
|
18-in. gloss-black
15-spoke cast alloy wheels
|
Tires
|
235/40R18 Michelin
Pilot Sport 4
|
GR Corolla pricing will be announced in the coming months, and
it will go on sale later this year.
Limited Warranty and ToyotaCare
Toyota's 36-month/36,000-mile basic new-vehicle warranty applies
to all components other than normal wear and maintenance items.
Additional 60-month warranties cover the powertrain for 60,000
miles and corrosion with no mileage limitation. Toyota dealers have
complete details on the limited warranty. GR Corolla also comes
with ToyotaCare, a plan covering normal factory-scheduled
maintenance and 24-hour roadside assistance for two years or 25,000
miles, whichever comes first.
*Certain features include a trial period at no extra cost upon
original date of new vehicle purchase or lease. After the trial
period ends, a paid subscription is required. More details on trial
periods and subscription-based features can be found
at https://www.toyota.com/connected-services/.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the
U.S. for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing
sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus
brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs more than 39,000 people in the U.S. who
have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly
32 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By
2025, Toyota's 10th plant in North
Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for
electrified vehicles. With the more electrified vehicles on
the road than any other automaker, a quarter of the company's 2021
U.S. sales were electrified.
To help inspire the next generation for a career in STEM-based
fields, including mobility, Toyota launched its virtual education
hub at www.TourToyota.com with an immersive experience and chance
to virtually visit many of our U.S. manufacturing facilities. The
hub also includes a series of free STEM-based lessons and
curriculum through Toyota USA
Foundation partners, virtual field trips and more. For more
information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
About TOYOTA GAZOO Racing
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing embodies Toyota's commitment to overcoming
every limit to make 'ever-better' cars, to forge new technologies
and solutions under the extreme conditions of motorsports, and to
never stop innovating. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing races its cars to push
the limits for better and to learn from the toughest challenges.
Competing on every kind of road, no matter what the challenge,
inspires TOYOTA GAZOO Racing to build 'ever-better' cars and
engineer Toyota's future DNA to bring freedom, adventure, and joy
of driving to everyone. For more information, visit
www.toyotagazooracing.com.
Photos and B-Roll Available at pressroom.toyota.com
Media Contact:
Paul Hogard
469-292-6791
paul.hogard@toyota.com
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SOURCE Toyota