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Second chance for GR Corolla fans to purchase
GR Corolla enthusiasts will get a second chance to go into a ballot to purchase the highly sought after offering from the Toyota GAZOO Racing stable of performance cars.
The second ballot opens today at midday and closes on 17 April. With only 150 of the hatches allocated to Toyota New Zealand in 2023, the company plans to offer them in three ballots, the first of which was oversubscribed.
Unsuccessful applicants have been advised to reapply for the second ballot.
Toyota New Zealand Vice President of New Vehicles, Steve Prangnell, says the GR Corolla reflects Toyota’s passion for performance driving, motorsports, and Toyota’s rich performance car heritage.
“GR Corolla is an incredibly fun car to drive, in the truest sense of a hot hatch.”
“If you want a car that is practical, comfortable, and usable every day. Which is great fun and exciting to drive thanks to more power, better handling, and greater driver involvement, then a GR Corolla is the only way to go. You get the complete package that “delivers it all” with GR Corolla - performance, power, and personality,” says Steve.
“The addition of the GR Corolla shows how we can continue to offer a wide range of vehicles for all customer needs as we move Toyota’s product portfolio towards electrification,” he says.
Built in the same factory as the GR Yaris, by special craftsmen, it takes ten times longer to build a GR Corolla than a normal Corolla. For example, the precision of the suspension is very important for a sports car, so every part of the suspension system is measured and then, using AI, parts are combined to get the very best outcome to cancel out the smallest variety in manufacturing. Then using Takami craftsmanship, the GR Corolla body and suspension are precisely docked together.
“By letting the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing engineers loose on the GR Corolla, we have produced that rare Jekyll and Hyde combination of a high-performance car that can be driven hard with confidence and enjoyment in a variety of situations but can also be a relaxed daily driver with five seats, five doors and the complete Toyota Safety Sense package,” Steve says.
Performance
GR Corolla sports a 221kW /370Nm 1.6L turbocharged engine with 21kW more power than the same engine in the GR Yaris, paired with a 6-speed Intelligent Manual Transmission.
Showcasing its capabilities to put power to the ground, its GR-FOUR AWD system automatically distributes power from 50/50 split, up to 30/70 front and rear, for ultimate traction come rain or shine. And by enhancing your drive with Normal, Sport and Track Modes, this hot hatch is more than ready to rally.
While adopting the basic body framework of the Toyota Corolla to enable it to inherit the high-speed stability of a long wheelbase, the GR Corolla employs wider track up front and, in the rear, to command a high level of cornering performance.
Steve says it’s exciting to see the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing brand filtering into our product as Toyota has rolled out six vehicles with GR treatment over the last few years.
Toyota Driveaway Pricing
The 2023 Toyota GR Corolla will be priced at $74,990 driveway. The Toyota Drive-away price includes all on road costs: WOF, registration, a full tank of fuel, the Toyota Care Service Advantage fixed price servicing package, floor mats, and a three year or 100,000 km warranty.
While a deposit is not required to enter the ballot, Steve Prangnell says the ballot is open to anyone who is serious about buying a GR Corolla in 2023.
The second ballot will open at midday today and close midday 17 April 2023. Updates can be found here.