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Driving enthusiasts scored a win last week with the debut of the Toyota GR Corolla 2023. The hot hatchback offers something not often found these days – a turbocharged engine that powers all four wheels via a three-pedal manual transmission. It goes on sale later in 2022, and while we don’t know the price yet, we have an idea of how many Toyotas will be built: at least 6,500 in all.
In an email to Motor1.com, a Toyota spokesman explained the up-spec Circuit Edition will have a production capacity of 1,500 units. The GR Corolla Core trim will be over 5,000 units, although a specific limit is not stated. These numbers represent the first year of production.
The Circuit Edition will be a finished hot hatch version, only available for the 2023 model year. It comes standard with many upgrades including limited slip differentials for the front and rear axles, carbon fiber roof, synthetic leather seats, up-spec stereo, heated seats. , and other items that are optional on the GR Corolla Core. Carbon fiber roofing is not an option; as well as the Circuit Edition hood with a sizable protrusion and functional ventilation. Along with the large rear wing, the Circuit Edition offers a decidedly more aggressive exterior look than the Core trim levels.
Aesthetics aside, both versions pack the same 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine. The factory G16E-GTS develops 300 horsepower (224 kilowatts) and 273 pound-feet (370 Newton-meters) of torque, with peak torque remaining steady from 3,000 to 5,500 rpm. It glides to the ground via Toyota’s GR-Four all-wheel-drive system, which offers a selectable power separation of 40 percent, 50 percent, or 70 percent to the rear wheels. And yes, for now at least the only transmission on offer is a six-speed stick.
The big question right now is price. Toyota has not offered any hints with regard to the MSRP or where it might fit into the company’s performance portfolio. In our comparison to the Subaru WRX and Volkswagen Golf R, we speculated that the starting point in the low-to-midrange $30,000 range might be the sweet spot. The Circuit Edition will obviously have a higher price tag, but with a total 2023 production run of at least 6,500 vehicles, hopefully the GR Corolla won’t suffer from excessive dealer markups once it hits showrooms later this year.
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