Exclusive: First track drive in the GR Corolla

What a time to be alive.

The automotive marketplace is now positively full of 500-horsepower muscle cars, and with the GR Corolla hitting dealerships this fall and next spring, we’ll have a nice selection of 300-horsepower hot hatches to pick from as well.

[ICYMI: 300-horsepower GR Corolla starts at $35,900]

On paper, the natural enemy of the GR Corolla would …

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Interesting. Seems like the Core with the Torsen is actually the hot ticket for motorsporting. Well done Toyota!

This car made me pause before buying my Elantra N, wondering if it would be priced in the same category. In the end, I didn't want to wait and I wanted a DSG, but the fact that this landed within a few dollars of the DSG EN is awesome. Yes, you can bump it over $50K and there will be markups, but that is an amazing (IMHO) MSRP for a car that offers all of this.  

I'm really leaning towards skipping the 3rd fun car, pay off the Crosstrek early this year, and see if I can find one of these.

Between this and the GR Yaris it looks like there's no shortage of worthy Celica successors, just with hatchback bodies.

ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) said:

Interesting. Seems like the Core with the Torsen is actually the hot ticket for motorsporting. Well done Toyota!

I think it's going to be somewhat venue dependent, but I really don't think the MORIZO is a clear track favorite in anything outside of as-delivered condition. 

For example, even in the SCCA's least-prepped time trial class, Sport, you can do springs, shocks and a tune. All of the MORIZO's torque advantage comes from the tune, so that gap is easy to erase, then you can tune the chassis to your preference with tires, alignment, shocks and springs. So that all seems like a clear advantage case for saving $15,000 and essentially building a FAUX-RIZO with the savings.

I have never in my entire adult life lusted after a Corolla.. Damn you Toyota..

Make mine a circuit. I've been peppering my Toyota dealers with questions about this car. So far only one of them even knew it existed. They've all said the same thing: expect extremely low allocation and extremely high markups

06HHR (Forum Supporter) said:

I have never in my entire adult life lusted after a Corolla.. Damn you Toyota..

No AE86 and/or FX16 love? :)

But, yeah, Toyota has aimed this one right at us. 

calteg said:

So far only one of them even knew it existed. They've all said the same thing: expect extremely low allocation and extremely high markups

"Oh, that exists? Right, um, huge demand. That's gonna cost you."

JG Pasterjak said:

ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) said:

Interesting. Seems like the Core with the Torsen is actually the hot ticket for motorsporting. Well done Toyota!

I think it's going to be somewhat venue dependent, but I really don't think the MORIZO is a clear track favorite in anything outside of as-delivered condition. 

For example, even in the SCCA's least-prepped time trial class, Sport, you can do springs, shocks and a tune. All of the MORIZO's torque advantage comes from the tune, so that gap is easy to erase, then you can tune the chassis to your preference with tires, alignment, shocks and springs. So that all seems like a clear advantage case for saving $15,000 and essentially building a FAUX-RIZO with the savings.

What about the different transmission ratios? That has to help it feel more peppy, no?

I'll take a Circuit please. But I suspect it's going to be impossible to get one unless you're willing to pay huge markups or get lucky. 

This is likely the last of the true hot hatches and Toyota has already said they will keep production artificially low. That makes me a sad panda. 

David S. Wallens said:

06HHR (Forum Supporter) said:

I have never in my entire adult life lusted after a Corolla.. Damn you Toyota..

No AE86 and/or FX16 love? :)

But, yeah, Toyota has aimed this one right at us. 

I was a Supra or Celica type of guy.  But no chance of me finding one of these for anything near MSRP, my local Toyota store is marking up "regular" Corollas..

I'm about to turn 60. I'm supposed to have outgrown cars like this. 

berkeley that. Where do I sign? 

I just installed brake cooling, oil cooling, and have a BBK coming in the mail for my WRX. 

I'll probably get to "enjoy" those for about 3 months before I completely lust over the Corolla. 

Slippery said:

JG Pasterjak said:

ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) said:

Interesting. Seems like the Core with the Torsen is actually the hot ticket for motorsporting. Well done Toyota!

I think it's going to be somewhat venue dependent, but I really don't think the MORIZO is a clear track favorite in anything outside of as-delivered condition. 

For example, even in the SCCA's least-prepped time trial class, Sport, you can do springs, shocks and a tune. All of the MORIZO's torque advantage comes from the tune, so that gap is easy to erase, then you can tune the chassis to your preference with tires, alignment, shocks and springs. So that all seems like a clear advantage case for saving $15,000 and essentially building a FAUX-RIZO with the savings.

What about the different transmission ratios? That has to help it feel more peppy, no?

Somewhat, in some gears, but at the expense of flexibility IMO. Second is way to short for autocross use in the MORIZO and third is so short that you;re likely to run out of it well before trackout even inmedium speed third gear corners on track. The motor is torquey enough that the additional fleibility of the longer box shouldn't be much—if any—of a detriment. 

Of course, it's stil going to be course dependent, but I think on most track in most situations, the longer box is going to be the better choice.

I'm about to turn 60. I'm supposed to have outgrown cars like this. 

berkeley that. Where do I sign? 

Kreb (Forum Supporter) said:

I'm about to turn 60. I'm supposed to have outgrown cars like this. 

berkeley that. Where do I sign? 

At my age my Italian father was on his third Lincoln Town Car and I'm wanting a pocket rocket.   

Called my dealer and got in line.  

David S. Wallens said:

06HHR (Forum Supporter) said:

I have never in my entire adult life lusted after a Corolla.. Damn you Toyota..

No AE86 and/or FX16 love? :)

But, yeah, Toyota has aimed this one right at us. 

Whaaaaat?  Corolla's used to be cool!  Next generation of autocrosser's!  My daughter starting out in this!  Alex Piehl is instructing.

She done graduated to this!

The GR Corolla is a really cool machine!  I would never pony up the cash for a mark-up!  BTW, the FK8 was out-the-door below MSRP!

Kreb (Forum Supporter) said:

I'm about to turn 60. I'm supposed to have outgrown cars like this. 

berkeley that. Where do I sign? 

Indeed!  

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

Dittos at 73.

You're never too old to be immature.

BillKeksz said:

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

Dittos at 73.

You're never too old to be immature.

I think that I've got a new motto