Limited-edition Corolla a catch for new owner

MATT BROWN

A Toyota Corolla – your nana probably used to drive one - but this 300hp pocket rocket throws convention out the window, packing a ludicrous amount of power, and fun, in a tiny package. With only 150 of the GR Corolla shipping to New Zealand, and only 50 currently in the country, when Marlborough Chamber of Commerce office manager Louisa Murray saw the car’s announcement; she was at Blenheim Toyota that same day.

“Put me on the list,” she told the sales manager. “There isn’t a list,” he replied. Louisa told him to make one.

The hot hatch was sold by ballot, with the lucky 33-year-old the only person in Marlborough to receive one of the limited-edition vehicles.

The 1.6L three-cylinder turbo-charged engine generates just over 300hp and is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission which delivers power to all four wheels via the GR4 4WD system. It goes from zero to 100 in 5.5 seconds, while a built-in accelerometer measures how many g’s you’re pulling.

Sporting 18” matte black alloy wheels, a wide body, red GR brake calipers and a triple-exhaust, the hot hatch looks the part, too.

Louisa says Darren Bate and the team at Mag & Turbo Blenheim were able to reshoe the Corolla with 19” mags.

“I thought the black wheels looked really good, but when we tried a few others – I was tempted,” she laughs.

“I’ve always been a huge fan of Toyota’s rally style cars,” says Louisa.

“I’ve got a GT3 Celica, which is their previous WRC championship car.”

A self-described car enthusiast, the Corolla is Louisa’s eleventh car – at least in Blenheim. And she has a proud racing heritage.

“My grandma used to race stock cars, when she was younger. My dad does drag V8’s.”

She found out she won the ballot in March and took delivery of the vehicle late in April.

“It’s the perfect driver’s car,” she says.

“It’s small, light and it handles perfectly.”

Former Toyota chief executive Akio Toyoda had a personal hand in developing the GR Corolla. A race car driver himself, Akio tested the Corolla on the track at each point during its development.

“Pound for pound, it’s a Bugatti Chiron at a Toyota price,” Louisa says.

Like any late model car, it has the necessary mod-cons – although they haven’t gone overboard, Louisa reckons. Heated seats, a 12.3” colour TFT meter, a head-up display (which shows along the bottom of the windscreen), eight-speaker JBL premium audio, 8” touchscreen with sat nav, a wireless charger – the list goes on. The car is even clever enough to reply to text messages while driving – to cut down on distractions.

“It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles,” she says.

“If you’re looking for gadgets, it doesn’t have that.

“But for driving experience – it’s perfect.”

The Toyota GR Corolla retails for $74,990.