Toyota had already hit a home run with the GR Corolla. However, the Gazoo Racing division of the company has taken it to an even higher level, thanks to the new GRMN Corolla that costs just as much as a Toyota Supra sports car.
Toyota claims that the new GRMN Corolla is the most extreme and most expensive Corolla ever, and it is a limited-edition track-focused evolution of the regular GR Corolla. Plus, it will be an incredibly limited edition, with less than 750 units being made in total.
Power is the same as the standard GR Corolla, while torque has been increased slightly. But it is in weight saving where Toyota has made a bigger difference, with more focus going on the handling of the Corolla as well. There is one thing that is massively increased over the regular GR Corolla too, and that is the price.
You are going to pay quite a premium on top of what the GR Corolla costs. However, with some interesting upgrades, a revised design and interior, and some more extras, it does seem to be worth it.
The GRMN Corolla Comes With a Premium
Toyota has said that the GRMN Corolla costs $64,360, before destination and handling fees are factored in. That is an almighty price tag, especially compared to the standard GR Corolla that costs in the region of $40,000. So you are paying a premium on the GRMN Corolla of roughly $20,000-$25,000, which is quite a sizable chunk of money. The GRMN is roughly 50 percent more expensive than the GR Corolla.
Fortunately, it does look like Toyota has worked hard to make the car as impressive as possible. Under the hood, it has the same 1.6-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine as the GR model with 300hp. Torque, however, has increased slightly from 295lb-ft to 302 lb-ft. The four-wheel drive system has also been retuned, as has the electric power steering and stability control, to better handle the demands of a racetrack.
The weight saving and stiffness are more telling for this new Corolla. The rear bench is gone, making this a two-seater hot hatchback with a lot of weight saved. Carbon fiber front fenders trim the weight further, as do other composite materials on various parts of the car. All of that weight saving will dramatically help this hardcore version of the Corolla in the corners.
Toyota Has Worked Hard on the Car’s Driving Dynamics
The Japanese manufacturer has also worked hard on the springs, dampers and anti-roll bars of the car. All of these have been revised for use on the racetrack, with the brakes also receiving a big upgrade for repeated hard slams on the pedal. The track has very much been the focus of this new Corolla, taking everything learned from the GR model and taking it to a whole new level.
There is no denying that it looks incredible too. Carbon fiber front fenders, reshaped fascias and an adjustable rear wing all ensure the GRMN stands out from its sibling. It is certainly a world away from the standard Toyota Corolla. It is excellent to see that Toyota is still committed to hot cars like this, even in a world that might want to move away from them entirely. We just hope it is worth an extra $25,000 over the regular GR Corolla.