How GAZOO Racing Is Changing the Corolla Forever

You’ve probably heard of the Toyota Corolla. It’s been around since 1966 as a constant and reliable figure in the automotive world. Nearly everyone has driven or ridden in a Corolla at some point. From driver’s education classes to rental car companies and all the millions of smart drivers who have stopped by our dealership and invested in their own, the Corolla is widely considered a safe and reliable vehicle that just about anyone could drive. It’s hard to list everything we love about the Corolla because it’s such a fantastic little car.

But naming everything we love about the 2023 GR Corolla is an entirely different type of conversation. After years of development, the not-so-secret secret collaboration between Toyota and GAZOO Racing is about to hit the roads for the first time. And as a result, the Corolla is getting a brand new image, and drivers across the country are more than ecstatic to come check it out here at their Toyota GR Corolla dealership. As we collectively get amped up for the release of the 2023 Corolla GR, allow us to contribute to the anticipation with our own compilation of everything we know and love about this special new model.

We Love the Top Secret Origin Story

Since everything has already been announced to the public, there are no spoilers in this content––unless you mean the kind mounted to the rear of the GR Corolla to improve downforce and play off the car’s wide and low aerodynamic stance.

GAZOO Racing is technically a part of Toyota but in an unofficial capacity. Even the driver, Morizo, is using an alias. The mission they chose to accept was to develop a Toyota car that could hold its own in endurance races. Specifically, they had their eye on the 24 Hours of Nurburgring competition.

This race is often and aptly referred to as “grueling” for many compelling reasons. The race itself lasts 24 hours. The course is created from a 15.8-mile loop between two circuits at the Nurburgring motorsports complex in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. 200 cars participate, each driven by a team of 2-4 drivers. Pulling off a feat like this requires a vehicle that can provide speed, endurance, and agility in unspeakable quantities.

Toyota created an expert project team, including Morizo, who we have since learned is Akio Toyoda, the CEO of Toyota Motor Corp. and chief test driver for the company. They didn’t just build a car to meet expectations, either; they put it through a series of tests at Fuji Speedway and Tsukuba Circuit and even took their concept vehicle out in serious dirt and snow conditions to participate in rally races. The project started in 2007, and the 2023 GR Corolla is the product of their work. Perfection, it seems, takes time.

We Love What the 2023 GR Corolla Can Do

You’ve likely heard all the stats by now, but let’s pause and consider them in context. The 2023 GR Corolla comes equipped with a 1.6L 3-cylinder engine. Considering the 2022 Corolla has a standard 1.8 L 4-cylinder engine, that fact might not get the goosebumps going. Allow us to clarify: the 2023 GR Corolla comes equipped with a 1.6L 3-cylinder direct port injected turbo engine that produces 300 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 273 lb-ft of torque, peaking as low as 3000 rpm.

But we can’t stop there because the GR Corolla is a work of engineering art, in every welded seam and glossy black accent. The 12-valve engine is accompanied by a 6-speed manual transmission with rev-matching for a lightning-fast shift between gears. This is reflected in the cockpit, where the intuitively placed shift lever keeps things real with its short stroke for quick throw between gears.

There’s a triple exhaust system that is specifically designed for the least possible backpressure, keeping your system cool enough to charge forward boldly. In fact, the entire combustion and exhaust process has been considered in detail, with technology that controls waste gasses for optimum performance.

Consider also the rally-developed selectable GR-Four all-wheel drive system, which allows drivers to choose the power distribution ratio between front and rear wheels. This Corolla is designed to absorb the surface on which it travels, whatever that may be at any given time. Front and rear Torsen Limited-Slip Differentials are offered on the Core Grade and standard on the Circuit Edition, providing exceptional left-right torque and grip through corners.

Let’s put this all together and imagine how this would playout for the driver. You’ve got an engine with approximately the same torque figures as a Tacoma and the horsepower of a Porsche. You’re sitting low and wide on Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires. Now just imagine what happens when you pop the clutch and toss the GR Corolla into gear. Take your time. We’ll wait.

We Love That It’s a Functional Car

If you’re looking to make a quick trip to the grocery store (a very quick trip to the grocery store), we recommend taking the GR Corolla. That’s because it is very much street legal and street enjoyable. That is to say; you won’t hate the act of driving the GR Corolla on otherwise boring paved roads.

While there are a few hints of this car’s performance pedigree, such as Brin Naub suede sport seats, there are many useful features, too, such as the seatback pocket on that same sport seat. Heated front seats, automatic climate control, and Bluetooth phone connectivity are a few other handy features that compliment the Corolla’s interior.

The Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite of driver assistance technology is also aboard the GR Corolla. Enhanced sensors provide even more sensitive detection, giving the Corolla a state-of-the-art approach to familiar systems, such as Pre-Collision Warning with Pedestrian Detection, which also provides alerts for motorcyclists and upcoming guardrails or barriers.

Other key features that make the GR Corolla much more than a rally car include wireless smartphone charging, front and rear consoles, and 2 USB charging ports. It’s the practical side of being a high-performance automobile.

We Don’t Love the Wait

They say that good things come to those who wait, and we’re inclined to agree in most cases. But as your Toyota GR Corolla dealership, we’re just as eager as you are to check out this impressive vehicle in person. Reading about the 2023 GR Corolla is enough to elevate the pulse, but what will it be like when we finally get to put our feet on the aluminum sport pedals and take off? Will it be exactly what we imagine now, or will it be so much better? Will we know exactly what to do when we hit that first turn or when the terrain gets deep?

Many drivers anticipate that GAZOO Racing’s latest achievement will certainly live up to the hype. If the GR Yaris is anything to gauge predictions by, it is likely that the GR Corolla will hit exactly the right spot for a variety of performance drivers. It may be designed with 24 Hours of Nurburgring in mind, but it also promises to live up to the standards created by 24 Hours of Your Life. While the performance aspects are certainly the platform on which the 2023 GR Corolla has been engineered, we love that it’s designed to go fast, drive boldly into the unknown, and be home with dinner.

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