Toyota’s Instagram page posted a pic of what looks like a normal Corolla, but some Easter eggs suggest it is actually the GR version.
One Easter egg is the time on the dash, G16, which stands for the engine used in the GR Yaris.
One of the navigation routes says GR Four Rd., a possible reference to all-wheel drive. The climate control says 2 68, which could be a reference to 268 horsepower, which is what the GR Yaris makes.
Also, a GR Corolla is in the background of the shot.
This means we might have a good idea of what the inside of the GR Corolla looks like.
Perhaps someday we’ll finally see the whole thing.
[Image: Toyota via Instagram]
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OK but I have one question…what does GR mean?
It means that this model is ferocious!
GRRRRRR
GRRR means some problem with transmission.
I thought this means Gregoriy Rasputin
Grishka Rasputin is a brand of vodka.
Gazoo Racing. It was the name of Akio Toyoda’s skunk works race team. It’s now the ‘brand’ for all of Toyota’s performance vehicles, such as the GR86.
GR stands for “Gazoo Racing.”
Gazoo Racing: https://toyotagazooracing.com/our-story/
Any relation to the Great Gazoo? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Gazoo#Development
He seems to be wearing a helmet and some kind of telemetry device. All geared up for racing?
@spppp Sir, Oh Lordy will Toyota please, oh please release some Gazoo Racing models. So what if my GR Corolla only lasts for 200k miles; it’ll be thrashed and trashed when I’m done with it.
Interesting question. If the Great Gazoo’s helmet and telemetry antenna could be used for racing, then maybe he could take up rallying and do away with Samir, who does nothing but try to break the car.
Does Gazoo has anything to do with Godzilla. I am the fan.
Toyota needs to do a better job differentiating between GR and TRD.
Right now there’s a Camry and Avalon TRD and a TRD trim of their trucks and CUVs. However, the Supra, 86, and upcoming Corolla all use the GR branding. Then beyond that manufacturer accessory stuff for the “GR” Supra and 86 often has TRD branding. I would not be surprised to see a Toyota GR86 TRD Edition in the next 20 months.
Gazoo Racing has almost no recognition among the general public.
“Your reputation is your brand”
Toyota is what sells. TRD & GR are just Toyota flavors.
Think of the wasted money spent on Scion. https://www.toyota.com/scion/
Even Ponitac Vibe and Chevrolet Nova were sold due to their Toyota mechanicals.
Agreed. People know TRD but GR? Zero recognition in the US aside from a few rally fans.
As a former Toyota dealer service manager, I’m leery of Toyota’s efforts in niche marketing. Remember the Tacoma X-runner? It was a street version with TRD air dams and ground effects. Only problem was that if you had an accident with one you had to turn it back to stock because they stopped making the parts for such a low-volume vehicle soon after they made the last one.
It’s no GR Yaris. Higher curb weight for sure and expected to be slower than GR Yaris.
Better than nothing.
That thing’s bonkers, and as much as I’d love to see it here, we all know no one would buy it.
People would buy the GR Yaris in America. But with no regular Yaris to sell, and not enough rally interest for it to lift the general impression of Toyotas as drivers cars, there’s just no business case for it.
If Mitsubishi couldn’t make the Evo work after a few generations, this, with lack of name recognition here, is more foolish!
The thing in the picture has a slushbox. The G16, while turbocharged, does not really have a slushbox friendly powerband and -delivery.
Aside from that, and assuming a proper transmission is an option (or standard, with the slusher as an option), There’s plenty of oomph in the G16 to power a slightly larger Corolla. You just have to be even more mindful about keeping revs in the 20mpg range, in order for the engine to feel happy and responsive.
I also doubt the Corolla version will be effectively handbuilt and blueprinted the way the GR Yaris is. Not sure how much of the GR Yaris “magic” is due to that. But I suspect Toyota would not feel comfortable tuning it to be as edgy as it is, if it was to be built to more usual tolerances.
“That’s photoshopped, I can tell from the pixels.”
I’m amazed no one’s commented on the couple walking out of the motel.
The interior looks like any other Corolla (sedan, hatch, Cross). I’m surprised no one has commented that image shown is with an automatic.
I see an automatic, so….yawn.
Where’s the tach? Even Toyota hybrids usually have a tach if they are marketed as “sporty.”
Sweet. Very much looking forward to this one! The Yaris GR looks awesome from what I’ve seen of it on YouTube. The Corolla version will be a tinge heavier than the Yaris (which I wish we’d have gotten) but I’m not complaining. Hopefully we get it next fall as a ’23. Doubt we’ll see it before that.
If this thing ends up being anywhere near as good as everyone claims the GR Yaris is, there’s a chance I’m going to be an idiot and try to get one from the first model year.
If in 1982 Ford released a new Mustang with 268HP we’d have all lost our minds. Now it’s ‘meh.’ C’mon people, 268HP in a Corolla is pretty darn good.
268HP is good but Corolla not.
Why not just call this the Corolla TRD? Almost nobody in North America knows what Gazoo Racing is. TRD at least has some brand equity. And for the love of God, make this sub-model available for the hatchback and not just the sedan.