GR Corolla Official

[MR2 Fan]

https://pressroom.toyota.com/heat-for-the-streets-toyota-debuts-first-ever-gr-corolla/

and coming to the U.S.!

3-cylinder direct/port injected turbo engine delivers 300 hp and 273 pound-feet of torque
GR-Four AWD system with customizable front-rear power settings

Glad that it's a hatchback layout, makes it more tempting for me to get one


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FPOJDaXWYAIZvXU?format=jpg&name=4096x4096
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FPOJIzhWUAgPhIy?format=jpg&name=large

[Leon]

I think I still prefer the Yaris version, but oh man, it's nice to see an angry car with a Corolla badge on it again. Been a while.

[JoeW]

Hmmm that looks like at least $35-40k. Yikes.

[MR2 Fan]

Hmmm that looks like at least $35-40k. Yikes.

you mean MSRP...good luck getting it for that for a while

[Rare White Ape]

I prefer the Yaris too. The proportions of it being an angry little hot hatch are way better.

Overall I’m glad that small, crazy, Japanese sports cars are still a thing.

How long before we get a new mid-engine GR2?

[dodint]

Yeah, was going to point out the Americans got the fat slob version. Same powerplant but more mass. Yay.

[Leon]

More power from said powerplant though, so it's not all bad news.

I'm following with interest to see if this will be priced under the Yaris, because the Yaris is basically Yaris headlights, wing mirrors, and roof antenna. Everything else is bespoke. While the Corolla can potentially be more production based, thus a less insane build time required. But I don't know what side of the Yaris pricetag the Corolla will end up on.

[CudaMan]

If this drives as well as it spec-sheets, we're in for a treat.

I hope they sell more than a handful. A GR Yaris wouldn't sell well here, even "large" 3-door hatches don't do that well here and the Yaris is a little guy. We do 5-doors much more readily. I'm pretty sure this was the right move for the US market, and it doesn't surprise me in the least that we in this country are getting a larger GR hot hatch with a more familiar name.

[MR2 Fan]

I'm going to read reviews on the GR Yaris because I'm still thinking to myself "high strung 1.6L 3-cylinder with lots of boost" still feels...weird for a Toyota. I know it's basically homologation special right?

[FaultyMario]

I'm going to read reviews on the GR Yaris because I'm still thinking to myself "high strung 1.6L 3-cylinder with lots of boost" still feels...weird for a Toyota. I know it's basically homologation special right?

That's what I was trying to say in some other thread, about how the GR Yaris is the most successful motorsports product in some time.

[TheBenior]

I'm in agreement with CudaMan that the Corolla GR was the correct move for the US market. Toyota isn't bothering with a US spec car in that class anymore, after all. The choice wasn't between a US market Yaris GR and this Corolla GR. The choice was, and is, Corolla GR hot hatch or no Toyota hot hatch.

The Corolla hatchback has even less interior room and cargo space than my MK 7.5 GTI, which itself has less cargo space than my 1st gen Mazdaspeed3.

Should my GTI meet an untimely end (I tend to keep cars a long time), I'll consider a Corolla GR if it's not priced like the Golf R.

[Rare White Ape]

I know it's basically homologation special right?

Yes, a body made for a stillborn rally project that met its demise at the hands of COVID, but the buying public still got to benefit from their efforts.

[speedpimp]

Just as the FiST is almost paid off I see this.

[KillerB]

I definitely dig this; my problem with it is what I have with nearly every car these days - namely, that my wife and I now are permanent work-from-home. I'm still driving the Challenger I bought as my 30th birthday present to myself - I'm now 41, the Challenger only has 85,000 miles, and what few miles I drive get split between the Mazda B2600i 4x4. I just don't do much driving outside of road trips these days.

[Leon]

I drive my little Toyota Aqua hybrid the most, because fuel bills.

I had an Evo 10 Lancer for six-ish months, and only drove it a couple thousand km in that time. At which point, it had increased in value to the point where I just sold it again.

This is potentially what might happen if I buy a GR Yaris. Just quietly, I am on the short list to get one of the next shipment to come to NZ. Which is a bit exciting, because the NZ spec is one of the best available, as you get all the go fast bits (Torsen diffs, different swaybars etc), and you also get the nice mod-cons package with the big screen. Most markets you can have either the track pack, or the convenience pack, and can't actually get both in the same vehicle.
Downside is, they haven't actually released a price... so it might end up being too much.
Used GR Yaris' on the market here, are up to 20% over the new price.

[FaultyMario]

Downside is, they haven't actually released a price... so it might end up being too much.
Used GR Yaris' on the market here, are up to 20% over the new price.

Quick conversion from the Mexican Toyota website clocks in at 51k NZD

[Leon]

Yeah, but we're at the end of a very long supply chain. The last lot was NZ$59k, and the world has become a lot more expensive since then.

[Godson]

Forged carbon roof... Hmmm

[MR2 Fan]

Forged carbon roof... Hmmm

On the special version yes.


Oh and exclusively MANUAL transmission, the way it should be

[JoeW]

Far too much cash for a little box like that. So many more good values out there. For that money I’d buy a new Supra or something like that.

[Phil_SS]

Honestly. It just comes down to preference. For the people that like Rally cars this is for them.

I may be interested but only if I can buy one without a markup.

[Kchrpm]

Car and Driver estimated the price range to be $30k-$40k USD for the base and top end GR Corollas. So it's closer to the 86 in price range than the Supra.

[Yw-slayer]

A new Supra is cool, but it only seats 2. Agree that it's for those who like rally cars.

[Leon]

Far too much cash for a little box like that. So many more good values out there. For that money I’d buy a new Supra or something like that.

Supra here was 30k more than the GR Yaris.

[Leon]

Also, Supra is a BMW. So that's just all kinds of reliability nope too.

[Yw-slayer]

Fo sho.

[dodint]

One exhaust tip per cylinder is serious business.

[KillerB]

The more I look at this, the more I like it. Toyota really struck a balance here - I actually like the bigger of the two rear spoilers on this. The Civic Type-R was just offensive to look at, but this manages some nice aggression.

Since the chance of a new rotary Mazda - or even the once-rumored production version of the RX-Vision with Mazda's new twin-turbo I6 - is essentially nil, if I am going to buy a new Japanese sports car before combustion engines and manual transmissions are gone from new cars for good, it's going to be the new Nissan Z, a Miata, or this Corolla GR, I think.

On the classics market, I think the prices have gone well beyond where I feel like I'm getting reasonable value. Lesson learned - I should have bought a CYM 1993 RX-7 R1 that I saw on BaT (before they were all auctions) back in 2014. I'd have had to sell my Challenger at the time - I was not exactly flush with cash at that point, being out here in CA only a year - but I'd have paid $17,500 (a very good deal even then) for a car that I'd probably have to pay $60,000 for today. Seemed risky at the time, since the Challenger was still under warranty and 17 years newer. Oh well.

I'd been saying for years - I'm sure I posted about it here and at previous iterations of this forum several times - that when Gen X and older Millenials got into their peak earning years, that 80s and 90s Japanese sports cars would skyrocket in value, just like muscle cars did when the Boomers got money. Unfortunately, when I started to see prices move, my wife and I were knee-deep in buying a house. Financially, it worked out great for us - our house is worth 65% more than we paid for it in 2017, and we were able to lock in at just about the absolute bottom of mortgage rates with a refi at the beginning of 2021 - but while I now can pay $35,000 for an FC or $50,000 for an FD, I just am not interested in paying that much for something that I *KNOW* is going to give plenty of expensive problems. I actually bid on a few FCs on BaT over the past 18 months or so, but every last one went for thousands more than I was willing to pay.

Right now, I think the best value in any of the classic Japanese sports cars is the S2000. Yes, good ones cost about what they did new - not accounting for inflation - but as long as you get one that hasn't been totally thrashed or put into a wall, they should be reliable. Rebuild costs don't seem out of line, either, compared to a Porsche Boxster. If an opportunity presents itself to get a nice AP1 before the prices go crazy, I might just do that. But if not, I'm glad there are a few last exciting cars to look forward to before the party is over for good.

[MR2 Fan]

Regarding this vs a Supra....for me the no manual is a no go on the Supra (yes, paddle shift, blah blah). Vs an 86, that's a much tougher argument for me. I need to test drive a new 86, but it's still not a hatchback, not a lot of storage space and I do like more storage/seating options.

[CudaMan]

I think the Twins are excellent in terms of packaging. Sure the rear seats aren't terribly useful for holding adults, but when you think of how light the car is, how stiff, how well it handles and the fact it can still get out of its own way when you put your right foot down, you can carry a decent amount in it. Four oversize wheels and tires, plus all your tools and jack and a couple helmets and backpacks in the trunk. To me it's one of the few cars that "drives small" and still lets you carry that much.

KillerB - you were right with your prediction on 80s/90s car values. I thought they would go up in this rough timeframe, too, but I wasn't prepared for just how much. I think I didn't account for the amount of inflation that would happen in the 2020s, nor the general sense of scarcity and "gotta jump on it"-ism that's been going around.

The SW20s haven't become unobtanium price wise either, though they can need a bit more work to recondition than an S2k just due to age and engine accessibility. A handful have gone for relatively big money but they are the exceptional super low mileage cars. I'm seeing a resurgence of MR2s (mainly SW20 and ZZW30) in general in recent years, likely due to a combination of the YouTube effect spreading the word of how they drive and the ease and availability of new engine swap options (K-series and 2GR mainly).

[KillerB]

MR2 Fan - That's my issue with the 86, as well as another RX-8, which I enjoyed - without a hatchback, the luggage space isn't really great on cars like this. I want to be able to use it for a road trip with my wife, and she doesn't pack light. :lol:

CudaMan - Yeah, COVID had an effect I never would have predicted, even if I had known COVID was coming. It definitely accelerated the rise in prices over the past couple years, and probably pulled those forward several years. Worked great for some. I've had to fight very hard not to get sucked into the scarcity spiral. If it means I don't get one of those classics, so be it. I'd be satisfied having one of the last of the greats - and I think this Toyota, the Miata, and the new Z will all be great.

...that said... yeah, I'd totally take an SW20 MR2 Turbo. Let me know if you see one for a reasonable price. :lol: [edit: One of those with a K-series would be AWESOME, but something something fucking CARB :lol:]

[MR2 Fan]

...that said... yeah, I'd totally take an SW20 MR2 Turbo. Let me know if you see one for a reasonable price. :lol: [edit: One of those with a K-series would be AWESOME, but something something fucking CARB :lol:]

What do you consider "reasonable"? lol

Most of the ones I'm seeing are $12K-$15K for a turbo and $25K-$30K for a nice one....they have gone way up in the past few years but I also haven't been seeing many up for sale.

The GOOD news is that parts availability should improve due to the ones being imported...we will start seeing 1996, 1997, 1998 models in the next few years that can be imported and I bet some people will be converting them to LHD also, or just "upgrading" older ones with the newer parts. The newer engines were also ~245hp stock

[JoeW]

I wouldn’t mind an unmolested S2000. But definitely starting in the high teens moving into the high 20’s. Too rich for my blood for a toy. Maybe after the kids move out and I can lose one of our SUVs.

[Godson]

S2k is an iconic and perfect car.

It's the only car I actually miss.

[CudaMan]

It seems like S2k prices may have actually gone down a little bit in the last 5-8 years overall. In 2013 or so a good one was $30k+.

Talking about storage space and hatch coupes, I think those days are pretty much over due to chassis rigidity goals and economies of scale. It seems to be that either a car is designed as a coupe with a trunk for chassis rigidity (Twins, RX8, etc), or a FWD practical hatchback platform that is hotted up. No more 240sx hatchback style cars I suspect. Two seat hatchbacks like the Z can't fit four tires inside, which is one of my barometers of practicality in a sporty car, and the Twins can. I wonder if the cargo volume is close on the Z if you pack more small things. The shape just doesn't work for tires.

The FWD/AWD hot hatch type of cars definitely win the practical awards. IMHO the Focus RS doesn't drive quite as well as it should at the limit, and the Golf R while really good doesn't seem to sell well (expensive?), so Toyota has an opportunity here with the GR Corolla.


MR2 Fan - the manual Supra is coming soon from what I gather.


...that said... yeah, I'd totally take an SW20 MR2 Turbo. Let me know if you see one for a reasonable price. :lol: [edit: One of those with a K-series would be AWESOME, but something something fucking CARB :lol:]
As MR2 Fan said, under $20k is definitely still a viable option in Turbo SW20 land, especially if you're willing to get a 91-92 chassis or a swapped NA chassis. I don't expect values to go down at all in the near future as parts availability is a bit of a problem outside of maintenance parts. Places like MR2Heaven are making some reproduction parts with varying degrees of quality (from what I hear; no personal experience). But body panels and trim parts and some suspension stuff is simply NLA. Which means if you get one, make sure it's insured for its actual value instead of whatever KBB says (AAA would have done that - good thing I checked - now my Turbo is with Hagerty).

Don't get me started on CARB. :lol: You may have seen my Garage thread, I'm still trying to work out a good engine swap for the Spyder under those restrictions. There is one engine that I'm pretty sure would work, the 2AR-FE from the tC and Camry, it just doesn't rev even to 7k RPM from the factory and it doesn't look like I can make any power above that low redline and still stay compliant. This engine has a lot of potential, just like the K series, and it's an easier swap into a ZZW30 than a K is. I don't know if anyone has done it in a SW20 yet, the 2GR is such an easy fit in that chassis and is a great match for it. To wit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uhEdGbkB2U&t=591s [valve springs and a higher rev limit on this one]

[CudaMan]

Little side note on the MR2 resurgence I was talking about earlier. Last month there was an all* MR2 track day at Willow Springs. This is something I haven't seen in over 15 years. In the early 2000s there were MR2 Club track days out here in CA, and by the mid 2000s fewer and fewer MR2s were seen at the tracks as owners moved on to Honda Hybrids, Elises, S2000s, etc, and soon nary an MR2 was to be seen at track days for the most part.

Fast forward to 2022:
3889

*Nearly

[JoeW]

There are couple of really pristine MR-S cars running around here. Would rather one of those than a Miata.

[MR2 Fan]

I'd love to buy a '98 (final year) SW20 once they're able to be imported...so 5 more years from now, but still iffy on keeping it RHD

[JoeW]

Did a quick S2k search here. A couple of nice ones with less than 50k on the clock but they are in the $30s. Can’t see paying more than $20k for a 20yr old car. For that I pony up $30k+ and get a nice 80’s 911. Maybe an early 90’s 911 (964).

But these are fantasies. If I win the lottery I get a Singer 911 :)

[MR2 Fan]

I test drove an S2K once with my dad who was looking at miatas also...he bought the miata but I was VERY impressed by the S2K...definitely one of the best sports cars in recent memory

[Godson]

Did a quick S2k search here. A couple of nice ones with less than 50k on the clock but they are in the $30s. Can’t see paying more than $20k for a 20yr old car. For that I pony up $30k+ and get a nice 80’s 911. Maybe an early 90’s 911 (964).

But these are fantasies. If I win the lottery I get a Singer 911 :)

Having owned a 996 with the proper order set, the AP1 was a much more impressive car. Granted, it would try to kill you much faster, but it has so much more personality and special feeling than a Porsche.

[JoeW]

Yeah I had a 1980 Euro 911 for several years. Used to work at a Porsche dealer for a year as well.

I was never a fan of the 996 or 997 water cooled cars. They lost the personality of the air cooled cars. I never even liked the 993 much either. After the 964 RS America the cars just porked out…like all cars everywhere I suppose. But this is why I’d only really want to own up to a 964.

My 911 was 2100lbs soaking wet, corner balanced, 210hp at the wheels, no ABS, no power steering…just a perfect visceral fun car to drive.

But yes…the S2K intrigues me if I want a modern experience with more creature comforts. Maybe someday :)

[MR2 Fan]

Yeah I had a 1980 Euro 911 for several years. Used to work at a Porsche dealer for a year as well.

I was never a fan of the 996 or 997 water cooled cars. They lost the personality of the air cooled cars. I never even liked the 993 much either. After the 964 RS America the cars just porked out…like all cars everywhere I suppose. But this is why I’d only really want to own up to a 964.

My 911 was 2100lbs soaking wet, corner balanced, 210hp at the wheels, no ABS, no power steering…just a perfect visceral fun car to drive.

But yes…the S2K intrigues me if I want a modern experience with more creature comforts. Maybe someday :)


Yes, still remember that time we did the autocross at MacDill Air Force Base, I had my '93 Turquoise MR2

[Godson]

Yeah I had a 1980 Euro 911 for several years. Used to work at a Porsche dealer for a year as well.

I was never a fan of the 996 or 997 water cooled cars. They lost the personality of the air cooled cars. I never even liked the 993 much either. After the 964 RS America the cars just porked out…like all cars everywhere I suppose. But this is why I’d only really want to own up to a 964.

My 911 was 2100lbs soaking wet, corner balanced, 210hp at the wheels, no ABS, no power steering…just a perfect visceral fun car to drive.

But yes…the S2K intrigues me if I want a modern experience with more creature comforts. Maybe someday :)

Don't get me wrong, the 996 was great, but the S2K was just so special.

Reliability was insane for the revs too. Something wild about that 9k rpm.

[JoeW]

Sheesh...a couple S2K in the area with less than 30k miles. Good lord...they look like showroom...and priced at $35k lol. Yikes. But so cool. I see a CR edition for $48k. Yowza.

[KillerB]

I wouldn't pay more than $20k for an MR2 Turbo - MAYBE $25k for a pristine original. I'd do $25k-$30k on an AP1 S2000 which still seems in line with what I'm seeing on BaT for something with less than 50k miles.

Looking at prices, maybe I will just end up with another RX-8. But let's see what happens with some of these new cars - the new Nissan Z in particular. It looks like it's finally getting the styling, detailing, and engine it always deserved.

[TheBenior]

The FWD/AWD hot hatch type of cars definitely win the practical awards. IMHO the Focus RS doesn't drive quite as well as it should at the limit, and the Golf R while really good doesn't seem to sell well (expensive?), so Toyota has an opportunity here with the GR Corolla.

Maybe the Golf R's AWD is a bigger selling point in the Midwest, but they've never needed help to sell the way that lesser Golf variants have, and they hold their value better. When I bought my MK7.5 GTI in 2019, dealers had $4k in manufacturer incentives on GTI models, but not Golf Rs. The GTI Autobahn trim models were close enough in price to the R that they didn't make sense at MSRP, but Autobahn trims typically had $5k discounts, while you might see an R advertised for a $1k discount.

FWIU, VW has never broken up GTI and R sales, but I don't think that VW ever intended the R to be the volume Golf platform car here the way that the GTI is.

[Rare White Ape]

I wouldn't pay more than $20k for an MR2 Turbo - MAYBE $25k for a pristine original.

20 years ago I was a stupid McDonald's-employed idiot who would baulk at paying $5k for a used 1st-gen MR2. That was back when I owned my AE86 which I paid $3k for.

We are a long way from those days, my friends.

[JoeW]

Truth

[Crazed_Insanity]

Did a quick S2k search here. A couple of nice ones with less than 50k on the clock but they are in the $30s. Can’t see paying more than $20k for a 20yr old car. For that I pony up $30k+ and get a nice 80’s 911. Maybe an early 90’s 911 (964).

But these are fantasies. If I win the lottery I get a Singer 911 :)

I put my 150k mile S2k thru KBB and it now looks in excellent show room condition because I recently repainted it. KBB showed me trade-in value to be aroud $14~$18k. You just need to find one with high mileage to make this toy more 'affordable'.

The only unexpected repair I had was a leaky clutch cylinder at around 120k miles. I didn't realize I need to replace the clutch hydraulic fluid before I replaced my clutch. In fact I'm still on my original factory clutch.

Anyway, point is you don't need a low mileage S2000 while pay extra for that. :p

[JoeW]

Oh absolutely. If I ever get one it will be a well taken care of higher mileage one like yours. I drive my cars so a low mileage example would lose value quickly in my possession :)

[Crazed_Insanity]

Oh absolutely. If I ever get one it will be a well taken care of higher mileage one like yours. I drive my cars so a low mileage example would lose value quickly in my possession :)

I bumped up my mileage to 250k miles and KBB is telling me I could still get as much as $14k for it. So I think the value has probably stabilized for S2k. Just maintain it well and don't crash it, it should be a good hedge against current inflation. Not to mention you get an extra toy. :p

[CudaMan]

Perhaps KBB is more accurate for S2000s. In my experience with other sports cars KBB value simply does not apply. I've gotten the impression it's only useful for "normal" cars.

KBB says my MR2T is worth about $3-4k as I recall. :lol:


Maybe the Golf R's AWD is a bigger selling point in the Midwest, but they've never needed help to sell the way that lesser Golf variants have, and they hold their value better. When I bought my MK7.5 GTI in 2019, dealers had $4k in manufacturer incentives on GTI models, but not Golf Rs. The GTI Autobahn trim models were close enough in price to the R that they didn't make sense at MSRP, but Autobahn trims typically had $5k discounts, while you might see an R advertised for a $1k discount.
Anecdotally what I see out West is that a Golf R is a rare sighting even among 5 door AWD turbo vehicles. I see at least 50 WRX wagons or Focus RSs for every Golf R I see. Kind of a shame, the one Golf R I drove at an autox school was really a ton of fun. Made me want one.

[MR2 Fan]

NADA Resale Value seems to be more accurate

[JoeW]

Yeah I’ve seen maybe a handful of Golf Rs ever.

[Crazed_Insanity]

NADA didn’t even ask for my mileage. Low retail range for my car is $9k, average is $21k and highest would be $37k.

What I told JoeW earlier were actually trade in values. So I think figures are all within the ball park? A very big ball park! :D

[Phil_SS]

Honestly, I wonder if Hemmings might be a better gauge, :lol:

And I thought basically any running air cooled 911 was like 50-60k to start......

[CudaMan]

NADA Resale Value seems to be more accurate

$3,395 :lol:

[KillerB]

20 years ago I was a stupid McDonald's-employed idiot who would baulk at paying $5k for a used 1st-gen MR2. That was back when I owned my AE86 which I paid $3k for.

We are a long way from those days, my friends.

Understood, but if I've got to choose between paying $30k for an FC Turbo II, an SW20 MR2 Turbo, or an AP1 S2000, I'm taking the S2000. All old cars, but the S2000 is far less likely to break in expensive and inconvenient ways, IMO.

FWIW, I use BaT's sales trends to establish values. At this point, for better or worse, they're setting the market.

[MR2 Fan]

$3,395 :lol:

I said that without having looked recently :smh:

[CudaMan]

And that was the high number!

[Crazed_Insanity]

Yeah, all those # are probably just for reference only. One man's treasure may be another man's trash and vice versa. These statistical #s are probably more applicable for cars that are selling in relatively high volumes.

I don't really care since I'm not selling anyways. I wouldn't even sell mine at the highest value right now. However, should the day comes that I need some quick cash, who knows, maybe I could only find buyers willing to pay the lower end. :p

Anyway, back to topic, anyone here would seriously consider buying this new Corolla?

I'm really glad I'm not currently in a market for cars. I really cannot believe how expensive cars are nowadays. Hopefully things will return to normal by the time I need a replacement vehicle...

[dodint]

BaT is Barrett-Jackson for millenials. I put zero stock in their values.

[Godson]

Agreed.