Toyota’s fire-breathing, two-seater GR Corolla Morizo Edition hot hatch has landed.
The high-performance machine – only 25 of which, for now, are to be available in Australia – gets a range of enhancements over the GR Corolla GTS.
The 1.6-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine underpinning the GR Corolla range has been tuned to produce an extra 30Nm of torque, to a maximum of 400Nm from 3250-4600rpm. Power remains the same with 221kW at 6500rpm.
Toyota says engineers recalibrated the six-speed manual transmission with altered gear ratios for the first and third gear, allowing for the engine power band to be used more efficiently. The final gear ratio has also been configured for drive torque. High-strength gear material has been used to improve durability, with the first, third, fourth, fifth and final drive gears gaining shock treatment to enhance shock torque strength. The spring inside the synchroniser has also been strengthened to improve shifting performance during sports driving.
Monotube shock absorbers have been adopted to improve roll rigidity and responsiveness of the MacPherson strut front and double-wishbone rear suspension.
The Morizo sits on 245/40ZR18 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber, wrapped around 10-spoke, 18-inch BBS3 forged alloy wheels.
Inside the cabin, two new braces bolster structural reinforcement, with a suspension tower brace between the rear wheels joined by a new floor brace in place of the rear seats.
The removal of the rear seats represents just one of many weight-saving measures applied to the Morizo Edition, which cumulatively shed 30kg from the vehicle’s kerb weight compared with the GTS.
The roof is made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic, while other weight-saving measures include removing the steering wheel heater, parking sensors and wireless charger, and changing the dual-zone air conditioner to a single-zone unit.
Inside, the Morizo Edition adds a number of race-inspired touches.
There are race bucket seats; suede has been applied to the steering wheel, manual parking brake and shift boot for strong grip; and alumite red metal accents have been applied to the steering wheel centre marker and shifter. Red stitching also appears on the seats, steering wheel, shifter and parking brake for an extra-sporty touch.
There’s an 8-inch touchscreen multimedia system supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, paired with a colour head-up display and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.
Toyota Connected Services is offered as standard, and owners can remotely check the status of their vehicle through the myToyota Connect smartphone app.
A comprehensive suite of Toyota Safety Sense active safety technologies are included.
Along with the core Frosted White pearl and Tarmac Black metallic exterior paint colours, a new Matte Steel hue is available for the Morizo Edition.
The flagship Morizo Edition is priced at $77,800 plus on-road costs.
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (July 2023)
23 July 2023