Toyota turns up the heat with GRMN Corolla

The standard GR Corolla was never short on performance. Toyota has now gone a step further. The company has unveiled the GRMN Corolla, a version aimed more squarely at track day enthusiasts than everyday drivers. The recipe is familiar: a little more power, less weight and fewer concessions to practicality.

More power, same engine

The changes begin with the 1.6-litre turbocharged three cylinder engine. Output climbs to 224kW and 415Nm, modest increases over the regular GR Corolla. Toyota has also added an intercooler spray system, a feature intended to help manage temperatures when the car is driven hard for extended periods. The bigger story is not the extra power. It’s the effort Toyota has made elsewhere. The rear seats are gone. Lighter bucket seats replace the standard front chairs. Combined with other changes, the GRMN weighs 30kg less than the car on which it is based. Toyota has also revised the suspension and steering. New inverted shock absorbers have been fitted, while wider Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres suggest the engineers were chasing grip as much as outright speed.

Functional changes inside and out

The visual changes are functional rather than dramatic. A larger rear wing, front side spoilers and wheel-arch ducts have all been added in the name of airflow and stability. Inside, there are few surprises. The cabin adopts a black-and-red colour scheme, carbon-fibre trim appears on the dashboard and GRMN-specific details remind occupants they are in something rarer than the standard model.

Built with enthusiasts in mind

Akio Toyoda, better known by his racing alias Morizo, was involved in the car’s development. That is hardly unusual these days. His influence can be seen across much of Toyota’s modern performance line-up, from the GR Yaris to the GR Corolla. What makes the GRMN interesting is that it arrives at a time when many manufacturers are moving away from niche performance cars altogether. Toyota appears to be taking the opposite approach. Instead of broadening the Corolla’s appeal, it has built a version that asks owners to accept fewer seats, a firmer setup and a narrower focus. For a small group of enthusiasts, that will be precisely the point.