Toyota USA has teased its next GR Corolla variant, an in-development hot hatch with more aggressive aerodynamic elements for enhanced on-track performance.
This official teaser comes roughly six months after a Toyota GRMN Corolla prototype was spied testing at the Nürburgring, and there’s now confirmation that the new model will feature enlarged bonnet vents, additional fender vents, and a large rear spoiler above the rear window.
Toyota says these are expected to contribute to enhanced aerodynamic performance, while it’s also likely to receive a bump in torque and “unique tuning” for the engine. The vehicle in the teaser image appears to ride on wheels similar to those of the GR86.
This GRMN Corolla is said to be still under development, as “the Gazoo Racing team is still working to fine-tune this vehicle to make it ready for Akio Toyoda’s final test drive”.
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Short for ‘Gazoo Racing, Meisters of the Nürburgring’, the GRMN name has previously been applied to a higher-performance GR Yaris, and it’s expected to also be used on the most track-focused Supra yet.
Previous spy shots showed what appeared to be just two racing seats and a roll cage, though this is unlikely to carry across to the production model as several vehicles have been seen testing with similar modifications to better protect their occupants.
The Japanese-market GRMN Yaris benefitted from a torque increase, while the GRMN Supra is expected to swap its BMW Z4-derived 3.0-litre turbo six engine for a more potent unit from the M2.
The potential GRMN Corolla was seen on-track shortly after what appeared to be a standard GR Corolla with camouflage in the same setting, suggesting the latter vehicle could be Toyota’s Nürburgring testing benchmark.
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Prototype Toyota GRMN Corolla -
The facelifted GR Corolla arrived in Australia in recent months with a 30Nm torque increase, bumping its outputs up to 221kW of power and 400Nm, which was previously only available in the Morizo Edition. The GR Yaris now also has this power output following its facelift.
Both models also received the option of an eight-speed automatic transmission for the first time. It’s not known how much more power can be extracted from the turbocharged 1.6-litre three-cylinder petrol engine without additional hardware upgrades.
In the case of the GRMN Yaris, it was enhanced through shortened gears and final drive ratios, and mechanical limited-slip differentials.
More information is expected in the third quarter of 2025.
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Facelifed Toyota GR Corolla -
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