The Toyota GR Corolla Is Going Racing

At this point, we’re beginning to lose track of all the racing series Toyota has some form of involvement in. From racing the boxy Hilux Champ in Thailand’s Super Pickup Series to re-entering F1 via a technical tie-in with Haas, it covers plenty of bases, and it’s about to cover another with this, the Toyota GR Corolla TC.

Built to race in the US-based TC America series, which sees various production-based hot hatches and coupes compete with one another, it builds very lightly on the mechanical package offered by the roadgoing GR Corolla, which may or may not be on its way to Europe.

The fundamentals of the road car are pretty much unchanged. It uses the same 1.6-litre turbocharged inline-three, and there’s no mention of any uplift to its 300bhp and 295lb ft of torque. It’ll also use the car’s new eight-speed ‘Direct Automatic Transmission’, an excellent performance-oriented auto it shares with the GR Yaris, and it’ll keep the standard torque-splitting four-wheel drive system too.

Changes to make it more race-ready include new Alcon brakes with six-pot callipers up front and two-pots at the rear, a new MacPherson strut suspension setup specifically designed by Gazoo Racing North America, two-way adjustable shocks from JRi, and most importantly, a big ol’ wing, plus some more subtle aero addenda elsewhere.

Its drivetrain, engine management and ABS are now controlled via a specialised Bosch Motorsport system, and it gets all the usual safety kit, including an FIA-grade roll cage, a fibreglass racing seat with a six-point harness, and an electronically-deployed fire extinguishing system.

The GR Corolla TC will be hitting the track in TC America next year, where it’ll race the likes of the Honda Civic Type R, BMW M2, Mini JCW, Subaru BRZ and more. This year, the series visited such iconic circuits as Sebring, Circuit of the Americas and Indianapolis.