TOKYO: Toyota Gazoo Racing (GR) recently held the world premiere of the GRMN Corolla ― billed as the ultimate GR Corolla.
The GRMN Corolla is to be available in limited quantities, primarily in Japan, North America, and Australia.
In addition to development through track testing at the Nürburgring, the GRMN Corolla also went through its paces in Japan's Super Taikyu Series.
The GRMN Corolla features exclusively developed aerodynamic performance parts for enhanced road holding.
Its hood duct, fender ducts, front side spoilers, and rear wing incorporate know-how gained from racing, tested on the hydrogen engine-powered GR Corolla that competes in the Super Taikyu Series.
The GRMN Corolla's suspension employs exclusive front and rear monotube shock absorbers with rebound springs for improved inner-wheel traction during cornering and for enhanced high-speed cornering performance.
The Nürburgring road surface includes environments that induce significant vertical suspension travel beyond that experienced on typical circuits.
To ensure high stability for confident driving even in such conditions, extensive Nürburgring test runs facilitated optimisation of bump-stop characteristics.
The exclusive shock absorbers were developed by adjusting their stroke down to a millimeter at the front and rear for optimal balance.
Furthermore, for enhanced cornering stability and braking performance, the GRMN Corolla sports 245/40ZR18 "Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2" high-grip tyres, which are 10mm wider than those on the base vehicle.
The control programme of the GRMN Corolla's EPS (electric power steering) has been modified from that on the base vehicle to generate the required amount of assistance torque even during cornering under high g-forces.
The exclusively tuned 4WD control system provides optimal rear torque distribution during straight-line driving and enhanced stability at the onset of steering input at extremely high speeds.
Applying insights gained from competing in the Super Taikyu Series has enabled the GRMN Corolla to achieve a maximum engine torque of 415Nm, which is 15Nm greater than that of the base vehicle.
The development team optimised the GRMN Corolla's engine characteristics by analyzing the range of engine use during circuit driving, focusing on increasing torque in the 3,600 - 4,800rpm mid-speed range, which is crucial for accelerating out of corners.
To maintain stable, high engine output even during continuous full-throttle driving, the GRMN Corolla comes with an intercooler spray system, in addition to the cool-air duct added to the 2026 GR Corolla.
The power-to-weight ratio has been improved by reducing weight by 30kg compared to the base vehicle.
The custom-designed full bucket driver's seat was based on the driving position in Super Taikyu Series race cars to achieve holding performance capable of withstanding higher lateral g-forces.
The carefully adjusted seat length facilitates clutch operation, and the seat's glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) construction helps reduce weight.
Carbon-fibre ornamentation ― developed and manufactured by the Carbon Section at Toyota Motor Corp's Motomachi Plant ― adorns the instrument panel on the passenger side.
Other special items include instrument panel padding bearing Morizo's signature, door trim and shift knob accented in Alumite Red, and a GRMN-exclusive serial number plate.
In addition to the two-seater GRMN Corolla, a five-seater Morizo RR version equipped with the Gazoo Racing direct automatic transmission is currently being developed.
