The Toyota GR Corolla is near-unobtainium as demand far outstrips supply, and customers are left to negotiate markups with dealers and scalpers. That’s the bad news. The good news is that Toyota plans to expand the previously-limited Circuit Edition beyond the first model year. It will also increase production volume to help meet the extreme demand.
Toyota started selling the GR Corolla Core in late 2022, but the Circuit Edition isn’t scheduled until spring 2023, and the ultra-exclusive Morizo Edition won’t land until the winter. The Circuit Edition was initially intended to be a first-year-only model, but Toyota said that demand for it is strong and noted that it would remain a part of the lineup in 2024. Given the Morizo Edition’s unique configuration and exclusivity, it’s unlikely to see a similar expansion.
The Circuit Edition builds on the base Core Edition with a unique hood, a forged carbon roof, a rear spoiler, and front/rear Torsen limited-slip differentials. Suede and synthetic leather seats, heated front seats and steering wheel, a JBL stereo, and a leather-wrapped shift knob are also standard. All cars come with a turbocharged three-cylinder engine, six-speed manual transmission, and rally-bred all-wheel drive. Though tiny, the 1.6-liter three is mighty, producing 300 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque.
This is all good news for hopeful buyers, but we’re still not talking about massive supply numbers for any of the GR Corolla variants. Toyota said just 1,500 Circuit Edition models would be available for 2023, so an increase in such a tiny number will be a positive step but not the savior many people want. The automaker unleashed only a few thousand cars in the U.S. and even fewer than that for other countries, though, so any movement is good.
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Source: www.autoblog.com