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Put your name in the hat to buy a Toyota GR Corolla
What makes a hot hatch great? There are a few core factors: Fast + Fun + Four Seats or in corporate speak performance, practicality, and affordability. The Toyota GR Corolla nails them all.
The globally acclaimed GR Corolla, which arrives in New Zealand this year, is already garnering unprecedented interest here and will have very limited availability.
Knowing that demand for the 3-cylinder 221kW all-wheel drive GR Corolla will outstrip supply, Toyota New Zealand has decided to give all GR fans an opportunity to purchase by holding ballots for the first 150 cars.
Three ballots will be held in 2023 with approximately 50 cars available in each ballot. The first ballot will open online for registration for two weeks starting on 1st February 2023.
Toyota New Zealand General Manager New Vehicles, Steve Prangnell, says the new GR Corolla is a highly anticipated addition to the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing line-up that also includes the GR Supra, GR86 and GR Yaris.
“By now every hot hatch enthusiast will be aware of the sheer driving thrill of the GR Yaris, and with an upgraded, more powerful powertrain, and manual-only transmission mated to an all-wheel drive system, the GR Corolla is promising to be equally as exciting to drive,” says Steve.
“While we expect to land more GR Corollas at some point, the global demand for now has restricted our allocation, and we felt a ballot would be the fairest way to sell them to customers,” he says.
Everything about the GR Corolla has been designed with the driver experience in mind. This is a hot hatch where out and out speed was not necessarily the goal; instead, maximum driver control and fun are the overarching aims.
GR Corolla is built on the TNGA-C platform and has much of the comfort and refinement of a standard Corolla. Where it differs is in the performance and handling. As well as the fantastic bellow from its 3 cylinder, 1.6L turbo engine, the GR Corolla sports a six-speed intelligent manual transmission that automatically matches the revs to the gear selected, with MacPherson strut front suspension and double wishbone rear suspension.
The GR Corolla features a GR FOUR permanent All Wheel Drive system with Torsen diffs front and rear that uses several drive modes, including the ability to send the power equally to the front and rear axles in Track mode or split it 60:40 in Normal, or 30:70 in Sport mode.
Make no mistake, get behind the wheel, and you’re under no misapprehension—this Toyota is built for more than just picking up the groceries.
New Zealanders wanting to enter the ballot can register here to be notified of the first GR Corolla ballot for 50 cars. The first ballot will open online for registration for two weeks starting on 1st February 2023.
For those who want to eyeball the GR Corolla, it will be on show at the TOYOTA GAZOO Festival at Highlands Motorsport Park, Cromwell, on March 25, 2023.