Toyota Might Make a High Horsepower Corolla GR

The Toyota Corolla hatch places an emphasis on having a fun and engaging driving experience, so it should be no surprise that Toyota is open to building a Gazoo Racing performance version of the new compact.

Gazoo Racing, or GR, as it’s more commonly referred to, is Toyota’s relatively new performance sub-brand. With a close relation to its motorsports division, GR takes everything Toyota learns at the track and transfers it to its road cars. It’s already applied its know-how to the Yaris GRMN for Europe and is currently busy working on the new Supra, but a Corolla GR could be its next project.

Speaking to Motoring, Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia’s vice president of sales and marketing, said he thinks a Corolla GR would be successful in Australia and that if Toyota were to build such a product, he would put his hand up for it to be sold there. And while Australia’s a long way away from the USA, it seems likely that Toyota would sell such a model in North America if it were to sell it in Australia.

“…we see in the future — it’s not impossible we could get a really nice Corolla or other type of car, and if that opportunity arose through our Gazoo Racing development we would put our hand up for it,” Hanley said.

“I’d like to see it as soon as possible,” Hanley added, referencing a performance Corolla hatch. “but in the next three years I wouldn’t rule out the possibility or probability of something coming under the Gazoo Racing brand.”

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So a Corolla GR is still a long way out, and that’s if Toyota gives such a product the green light. It’s a safe bet that it will, however. Toyota is doubling down on performance – building a new Supra, hiring F1’s Fernando Alonso to race its car in the FIA WEC and even speaking of a forthcoming LM GTE racing program for the Supra. It’s clear it wants this new Corolla to be fun, too, with sporty looks, a stiffer chassis and an available manual transmission.

“We’re excited about GR and the possibility it brings in terms of product offerings in the future,” Hanley said.

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