The Toyota GRMN Corolla is the ultimate Corolla hot hatchback, boasting handling upgrades, more torque and lightweight interior.
The Toyota GRMN Corolla takes the GR Corolla to another level entirely with a touch more power, upgraded suspension, stripped-out cabin and trick aerodynamics. At this stage it looks like this race car for the road will be available in limited quantities for select markets like Japan, North America and Australia.
GRMN stands for Gazoo Racing tuned by the Meister of the Nurburgring, which gives you some idea of what this vehicle is capable. Sure, its easy to make a straight-line performer, but Toyota’s goal here was to make a hands-on and engaging racetrack weapon. With extensive research and development on the famous Nurburgring, the GRMN Corolla is probably going to go down in hatchback history.
GRMN vs GR
The Toyota GRMN Corolla features unique aerodynamic components in the form of special ducts on the bonnet, wings and spoilers to help with road holding. The suspension has been enhanced with front and rear monotube shock absorbers with rebound springs for improved inner-wheel traction during corner, while the wheels are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, which are 10 mm wider in comparison to the standard car. Both the electric power steering and 4WD control system have been tuned to suit this exclusive model.
The 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine has received some software tweaks, increasing maximum engine torque to 415 Nm, 15 more than the standard car. Standard output remains the same at 224 kW. Interestingly, the South African-spec GR Corolla outputs are 210 kW and 400 Nm, and the vehicle is available with a choice of an 8-speed automatic or 6-speed manual ‘box.
Toyota’s powertrain engineers focused on increasing the torque around the 4 000 rpm band, which they say is the sweet spot for accelerating out of corners. To help keep charge temperatures down, the vehicle features an intercooler spray. To keep the purist and enthusiast theme going, Toyota has opted for a 6-speed manual transmission.
Step inside and the Toyota GRMN Corolla is quite different to the standard unit as the rear seats have been deleted to save weight, plus the front two seats are custom-designed full bucket seats which are also lighter. In place of the rear seats is a strut brace to stiffen the vehicle. There’s extensive use of carbon fibre plus there’s a serial number plate, and there’s an instrument panel bearing Toyota Master Driver Morizo’s signature.
Will the Toyota Corolla GRMN come to South Africa?
At this stage, this is an exclusive and limited-run vehicle and we’ll wait for official confirmation from Toyota South Africa.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Will the Toyota GRMN Corolla be available in South Africa?
The newly unveiled GRMN Corolla is an extremely rare, track-honed special edition primarily designated for Japan, North America, and Australia. While Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) sells the standard GR Corolla Circuit Edition (priced from R985 200), local availability for the GRMN has not been officially confirmed, and if any units arrive, they will be in strictly limited single-digit numbers.
How much power does the GRMN Corolla produce?
The GRMN Corolla uses an upgraded version of the G16E-GTS 1.6-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder engine. It pushes out 224kW of power and a boosted 415Nm of torque, making it the most powerful factory Corolla ever built.
Is the GRMN Corolla a 2-seater?
Yes, to save weight and maximize body rigidity, the GRMN Corolla completely removes the rear seats. In their place, a specialized 2-seater structural strut brace is installed. Up front, it features GRMN-exclusive full bucket seats.
What transmission option does the GRMN Corolla have?
The track-ready GRMN version is equipped exclusively with a close-ratio 6-speed intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) to preserve ultimate driver engagement, paired with the active torque-splitting GR-FOUR all-wheel-drive system.
What makes the GRMN unique compared to a standard GR Corolla?
Honed directly at the Nürburgring, the GRMN features an extra 13.9 meters of structural body adhesive for extreme rigidity, specialized inverted monotube shock absorbers, forged matte bronze wheels wrapped in sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, and an interior featuring Akio Toyoda’s (“Morizo”) signature on the dashboard.
