How does TOYOTA GAZOO Racing squeeze even more excitement into the ultra-hot GR Corolla? Like any enthusiasts, they take it to the garage and figure out how to add power, reduce weight and enhance handling - all while keeping an eye on building a car that's ready to jump from the street to the track. Then, after tweaking, testing and re-testing, they come away with a GR Corolla that can carry only one name: GR Corolla MORIZO Edition. The purpose-built MORIZO Edition adds even more heat to Toyota's GR lineup, which includes the performance ready GR Corolla Core Grade, launch-year-only Circuit Edition, as well as GR Supra and GR86. The MORIZO Edition was named for GR Master Driver and Toyota president Akio Toyoda. This track-oriented version of GR Corolla was designed to meet specifications desired by Toyoda himself, with tight handling, a high power-to-weight ratio and a highly rigid body. Only 200 numbered-units will be produced for model year 2023. Like the Core and Circuit Edition, the MORIZO Edition comes in at 300 horsepower, with torque bumped up to 295 lb.-ft. versus the 273 lb.-ft. available in its siblings. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing engineers retuned GR Corolla's engine for additional power, with peak torque coming in at 3250-4600RPM. The MORIZO edition has an exclusive close ratio intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) and shorter differential gears for satisfying acceleration across the power band. GR Engineers removed nearly 100 pounds of weight versus the GR Corolla Circuit Edition model, preliminary curb weight is estimated at 3,186 pounds (GR Corolla Circuit Edition preliminary curb weight is estimated at 3,292 pounds). Primary weight reduction came from the removal of the rear seats, a forged carbon fiber roof (also used on the GR Corolla Circuit Edition) and forged wheels. The two-seater design also allowed for additional weight removal in the rear, with no rear door speakers or rear window regulator, even the rear wiper blade and motor were pulled to save every ounce.
Revolutionary 3-Cylinder Turbo Engine
For GR Corolla MORIZO grade, we took the same turbocharged G16E-GTS powerplant used in the GR Corolla and bumped the torque. Displacing 1,618 cubic centimeters, it produces a maximum power of 300 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque. Compact and lightweight, the DOHC 12-valve engine features a single-scroll ball-bearing turbo that's matched to a 6-speed intelligent manual transmission (iMT) with rev-matching engineered to accommodate high torque levels. TGR engineers adjusted the transmission gear ratios, differential gear ratio and engine tuning to support sustained acceleration at peak torque on the MORIZO edition. The turbocharger is integrated in the exhaust manifold, reducing weight, while control of wastegate bypass gases is used to improve the catalyst's warm-up efficiency. The G16E also benefits from motorsport technologies that maximize performance, including multi-oil jet piston cooling, large-diameter exhaust valves and a part-machined intake port. Combustion is fed by Toyota's D-4S direct and port fuel injection system, which operates at high pressure for maximum fuel dispersion and efficiency. This compact-yet-powerful three-cylinder engine has increased power for GR Corolla thanks to improved engine exhaust efficiency and a 3-piece muffler with valve capped off with brushed stainless steel tips. This design reduces exhaust pressure and outside noise, which are essential to backpressure performance.
Safety & Other Technology
All GR Corolla grades come standard with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0), which includes enhancements made possible by system sensors with improved detection capability. The Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection is capable of detecting motorcyclists and guardrails in certain conditions. When making a turn or approaching an intersection, the system is designed to detect certain forward or laterally approaching vehicles and provides audio/visual alerts and automatic braking in certain conditions. Improved lane recognition delivers refined performance of Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist and Lane Tracing Assist. GR Corolla will be equipped with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC). Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist is designed to notify the driver via audible and visual alerts and slight steering force if it senses the vehicle is leaving the lane without engaging a turn signal. When DRCC is set and engaged, Lane Tracing Assist uses visible lane markers or a preceding vehicle to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane. Automatic High Beams are designed to detect preceding or oncoming vehicles and automatically switch between high beam and low beam headlights. Road Sign Assist is designed to recognize certain road sign information using a forward-facing camera and display them on the multi-information display (MID). Toyota's Rear Seat Reminder comes standard on all GR Corolla grades. The feature can note whether a rear door was opened after the vehicle has been turned on, with a reminder message in the instrument cluster after the engine is turned off, accompanied by multitone chimes.
Wide, Rigid and Designed to Handle
To achieve control worthy of the GR badge, a highly rigid body was specially constructed for GR Corolla. Based off the GA-C platform, it produced handling performance that rewards the driver. Enhanced rigidity comes from significantly more weld points in the frame, particularly to strengthen joints. Further gains are made through extensive use of structural adhesive, increasing the joint rigidity between component parts. The front suspension is a MacPherson-type strut design that offers both light weight and firm handling, maximizing the tires' grip potential. Made up of circuit-tuned coil springs, monotube shock absorbers and stabilizer bars, the front suspension is designed to deliver all the engine's power to the road and provide optimum cornering capability on all surfaces. The rear suspension uses a double-wishbone type multilink system that accommodates the AWD system's goal of maximum agility and stability. Extra wide tread tires help ensure high cornering performance while maintaining the excellent high speed stability of the GR Corolla's 103.9-inch long wheelbase. It has 10 more millimeters of tread width than its siblings and wears Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires that are mounted to 18" forged alloy wheels.
GR Factory
To help meet the performance goals for the GR Corolla, Toyota has established a dedicated GR Factory at its production facility in Motomachi, Japan. It's the birthplace of legends such as the Lexus LFA and Supra A80 and is now home to the first GR production line, where GR Corolla and GR Yaris are precision built. Instead of the traditional conveyor system, the body and assembly lines comprise several different cells connected by automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) rather than the conveyors featured in conventional car plants. This fully flexible method of working, with many manual assembly techniques, enables precise body and suspension alignment, with variations in vehicle dimensions and weight kept to a minimum. Using manual expertise means that the assembly of each GR Corolla takes longer than a conventional mass-produced car. The production line has been streamlined for performance, with elements such as body alignment and weld checks to ensure that each GR Corolla is built with meticulous care and attention.
0 Comments