In yet another turnaround of seemingly confirmed reports, Toyota has reportedly committed to a performance Gazoo Racing (GR) version of the Corolla Hatch as a rival for the incoming Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI.
The latest in a series of u-turns comes after the automaker’s Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for Australia, Sean Hanley, told motoring.com.au last year that there are “no plans” in place for a GR Corolla, contradicting former Toyota South Africa Managing Director and current Toyota Europe CEO, Dr Johan van Zyl’s comments to Britain’s Auto Express in 2018 that the hybrid Corolla would be best suited to receive the GR or GRMN designation.
According to the latest claim by the British publication however, the GR Corolla will become a reality in 2023 and instead of being hybrid powered, will use a reported 184 kW version of the all-new 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine from the GR Yaris. Like it junior sibling, the use of the engine will see the Corolla being offered solely with a six-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel-drive.
Touted as being an alternative to not only the GTI but also the Ford Focus ST, Hyundai i30 N and Renault Megane RS, the GR Corolla’s additional tweaks will more than likely consist of a revised chassis, sharper steering, upgraded brakes and bespoke interior detailing.
Despite the three year wait, chances are that select details and spy images will become more apparent in the coming months and years, along with actual production model pictures in the form of online leaks.
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