Topic: Toyota GR Corolla Tease

[JG20]

Wow, I really like that. Kudos to Toyota for actually building it and selling in North America.

I really like it too, although I've always thought the hatch is a great looking little car.  I hope it's not priced in the 40's, but given the competition that's likely where it will fall.

Good replacement for the Macan? 

[Shorlaw]

Wow, I really like that. Kudos to Toyota for actually building it and selling in North America.

I really like it too, although I've always thought the hatch is a great looking little car.  I hope it's not priced in the 40's, but given the competition that's likely where it will fall.

Good replacement for the Macan? 

Would be fun, but not great for dog duty!

[Dante]

I wonder if those hood and fender vents are actually functional or just stick on cladding which is something that Toyota did in the past. Same for the quarter panel bulging around the wheel - stick on trim or sheet metal?

Have never been a fun of the Corolla hatch rear end - it looks out of place with that bumper sticking out, but the powertrain - if as good as it's said to be, would make me forget perhaps that I don't really like the looks (rear end especially).

[Jaeger]

Who cares about interior volume. It is an AWD manual turbocharged hot hatch. Stuff will fit, most important thing is you fitting as the driver. Let's be honest people.

Lanky teenagers relegated to the back seat might care.  A lot. Part of the appeal of something like a Type R is it gives you hair-on-fire performance on demand, but sacrifices nothing in practicality and comfort as a primary family conveyance.

[JG20]

Wow, I really like that. Kudos to Toyota for actually building it and selling in North America.

I really like it too, although I've always thought the hatch is a great looking little car.  I hope it's not priced in the 40's, but given the competition that's likely where it will fall.

Good replacement for the Macan? 

Would be fun, but not great for dog duty!

I think it would be ok if you fold down the back seats no?

[rrocket]

Wow, I really like that. Kudos to Toyota for actually building it and selling in North America.

I really like it too, although I've always thought the hatch is a great looking little car.  I hope it's not priced in the 40's, but given the competition that's likely where it will fall.

Good replacement for the Macan? 

Would be fun, but not great for dog duty!

I think it would be ok if you fold down the back seats no?

[Layne]

I wonder if those hood and fender vents are actually functional or just stick on cladding which is something that Toyota did in the past. Same for the quarter panel bulging around the wheel - stick on trim or sheet metal?

Have never been a fun of the Corolla hatch rear end - it looks out of place with that bumper sticking out, but the powertrain - if as good as it's said to be, would make me forget perhaps that I don't really like the looks (rear end especially).

Toyota widened the rear track which necessitated the wider sheet metal.

[Layne]

Who cares about interior volume. It is an AWD manual turbocharged hot hatch. Stuff will fit, most important thing is you fitting as the driver. Let's be honest people.

Lanky teenagers relegated to the back seat might care.  A lot. Part of the appeal of something like a Type R is it gives you hair-on-fire performance on demand, but sacrifices nothing in practicality and comfort as a primary family conveyance.

Toyota brings over most of the tech from the incredible GR Yaris in the form of a 4 door (the Yaris is a 2 door), bumps up the hp, makes it a manual only, during a time where Subaru brings a new WRX to market and essentially punts the offering and then decides to nix the STI, and the EVO hasn't been available in years, and you are concerned about rear seat room for lanky teenagers.

Neato.

[rrocket]

FFS...Rutledge Wood hosting.....tempted to turn it off....

[JG20]

I'm liking this car more and more. The forged carbon fiber roof on the circuit edition looks amazing. Should be a hoot to drive.

[quadzilla]

Toyota brings over most of the tech from the incredible GR Yaris in the form of a 4 door (the Yaris is a 2 door), bumps up the hp, makes it a manual only

I read somewhere that they have already developed an 8 speed auto for this car so I wouldn't be shocked if it is an option for North America.

[rrocket]

I'm liking this car more and more. The forged carbon fiber roof on the circuit edition looks amazing. Should be a hoot to drive.

One of the big things (that most people don't know about) is this is going to be built on the specialized "GR Factory" in Motomachi.

All the employees there are hand picked Master Craftsman.

[EV Dan]

It's crazy they are mass producing this car, by themselves, after all the excuses we've heard about the Supra. 

[rrocket]

It's crazy they are mass producing this car, by themselves, after all the excuses we've heard about the Supra. 

Not really.

[EV Dan]

It's crazy they are mass producing this car, by themselves, after all the excuses we've heard about the Supra. 

Not really.

I'm not talking about Toyota's technical capability or expertise. It's that they said it was too expensive to develop the Supra in house for a sports car that would be sold in relatively small numbers. How is this GR different?

[HeliDriver]

^^ GR is still a Corolla on the TNGA platform. RWD sports car like the Supra has to start from scratch.

[JG20]

I'm liking this car more and more. The forged carbon fiber roof on the circuit edition looks amazing. Should be a hoot to drive.

One of the big things (that most people don't know about) is this is going to be built on the specialized "GR Factory" in Motomachi.

All the employees there are hand picked Master Craftsman.

Same factory where the LFA was built right?

[rrocket]

It's crazy they are mass producing this car, by themselves, after all the excuses we've heard about the Supra. 

Not really.

I'm not talking about Toyota's technical capability or expertise. It's that they said it was too expensive to develop the Supra in house for a sports car that would be sold in relatively small numbers. How is this GR different?

Well for starters, the GR Yaris has already sold more than the GR Supra has.  Let that sink in for a moment.    And the GR Corolla will too.

One of the desires of Akio was that whatever new sportscar they made he wanted it to be accessible to as many people as possible.  If Toyota had developed the Supra 100% in-house, from scratch, they would have had to sell it for $100k to be profitable (that number is Toyota's figure, not mine)...and that was a small profit.    They had no platform and no engine.  Apparently, the engine was the bigger deal of the two.  They would have had to build a new plant for it, as the last I6 plant was closed and repurposed.  Had they decided to build that plant, it would be just coming online this year had everything gone to plan.  It would have been more "doable" if that engine were to go into every high production model under the sun (like Stellantis' new I-6).  But that would have been a complete "reworking" of Toyota's model lineup as some of their important new models (Tundra) already had the engine choice selected.

I mean..I know we rag on Toyota for this...but it's nice to see Toyota still committed to interesting enthusiast cars.  GR Yaris GR Supra, GR 86 and GR Corolla.  A pretty decent lineup of enthusiast cars.  I think they're doing alright for the enthusiast.

[rrocket]

I'm liking this car more and more. The forged carbon fiber roof on the circuit edition looks amazing. Should be a hoot to drive.

One of the big things (that most people don't know about) is this is going to be built on the specialized "GR Factory" in Motomachi.

All the employees there are hand picked Master Craftsman.

Same factory where the LFA was built right?

Yes, but no.  In the same plant area, but a completely new area within the compound.

BUT....many of the LFA workers are now working on the GR Factory.

[JG20]

It's crazy they are mass producing this car, by themselves, after all the excuses we've heard about the Supra. 

Not really.

I'm not talking about Toyota's technical capability or expertise. It's that they said it was too expensive to develop the Supra in house for a sports car that would be sold in relatively small numbers. How is this GR different?

Well for starters, the GR Yaris has already sold more than the GR Supra has.  Let that sink in for a moment.    And the GR Corolla will too.

One of the desires of Akio was that whatever new sportscar they made he wanted it to be accessible to as many people as possible.  If Toyota had developed the Supra 100% in-house, from scratch, they would have had to sell it for $100k to be profitable (that number is Toyota's figure, not mine)...and that was a small profit.    They had no platform and no engine.  Apparently, the engine was the bigger deal of the two.  They would have had to build a new plant for it, as the last I6 plant was closed and repurposed.  Had they decided to build that plant, it would be just coming online this year had everything gone to plan.  It would have been more "doable" if that engine were to go into every high production model under the sun (like Stellantis' new I-6).  But that would have been a complete "reworking" of Toyota's model lineup as some of their important new models (Tundra) already had the engine choice selected.

I mean..I know we rag on Toyota for this...but it's nice to see Toyota still committed to interesting enthusiast cars.  GR Yaris GR Supra, GR 86 and GR Corolla.  A pretty decent lineup of enthusiast cars. I think they're doing alright for the enthusiast.

Agreed.