Toyota Gazoo Racing has unveiled the updated or, in their words, evolved GR Corolla. The revised hot-hatch brings with it insights gained by competing in motorsports. Best news? It’s now being considered as a global model with a possible roll out to more markets worldwide.
Visually, the 2025 GR Corolla has a revised front bumper design which improves aerodynamic performance. The new front-end also has cooling in mind thanks to additional ducting. For example, an air intake in the lower grille helps cool the air-cooled ATF cooler. The intake teams up with exhaust outlets on the sides to smoothen air discharge. Moreover, brake ducts now flow cool air straight to the front brake rotors.
Now, if you’re eagle-eyed, the aforementioned ATF cooler means Toyota has also adopted an 8-speed automatic variant for the GR Corolla. First launched in the updated GR Yaris, the Gazoo Racing Direct Automatic Transmission aims to achieve world-class shifting speeds. Engineers have done this by making the shifts more anticipatory by having the transmission monitor brake application as well as accelerator operation. Toyota says this two-pedaled setup should allow novice drivers to shift gears as quickly and efficiently as professional race drivers.
For the 6-speed manual (yes, it’s still available), the clutch pedal operability has been improved by optimizing the clutch system’s total lever ratio, clutch cover, and turnover-spring load characteristics. Peak pedal force has been set higher to provide a more satisfying feel to pedal operation, and post-peak pedal force along the length of the pedal stroke has been reduced to improve the feel of full pedal application.
The GR Corolla keeps the 1.6-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder engine. However, for 2025, there is a torque increase of 30 Nm to an even 400 Nm from 3,250 to 4,600 rpm. Maximum horsepower is pegged at 304 horsepower.
Underneath, Toyota engineers have concentrated on giving the GR Corolla better handling than ever before. This was done through new shock absorbers with built-in rebound springs for improved vehicle posture control and inner wheel ground load characteristics. The trailing arm mounting point has also been raised to reduce sagging during heavy acceleration, while the rear coil springs and stabilizer bar have been revised to further improve grip.
Capping the changes is a more rigid steering column thanks to grooved washer bolts. Together with reinforcements to the instrument panel, it results in a more direct steering feel. The same grooved washer bolts also found in other parts of the GR Corolla such as the lower arms, lower ball joints, and rear shock absorbers.
The United States will get the new GR Corolla first where it will go on sale there by this winter (December 2024 to March 2025).
I wonder if the Corolla GR would rather fall in the same fate as the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, its fellow Japanese performance compact that went out of production in 2016, especially given that Toyota already faced series of controversies means I think since Mitsubishi have recently tied up with Honda and Nissan, then since the normal Lancer was already discontinued in 2017 and the Nissan Sylphy (Sentra) no longer available in ASEAN - I believe that the trio of Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi would rethink of one to build performance cars out of economy cars. (Since its not a mistake to think that Nissan used to make one in the past.)
ReplyDeleteWill be overpriced if brought here in the Philippines. Pustahan
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