

Toyota is taking another Corolla to the track, and this time it’s not a crossover alchemized into a super-wagon. The brand unveiled a purpose-built GR Corolla designed for the inaugural season of the TC America series, which blends the TCX and TC classes into a single category.
Power for the TC America-bound GR Corolla comes from the same basic turbocharged, 1.6-liter three-cylinder engine found in the production car. Its output hasn’t been announced, but we know it spins the four wheels via Toyota’s eight-speed Direct Automatic Transmission (DAT). This is the same transmission that Toyota has already tested on track in Japan and it’s now optionally available on the regular-production GR Corolla.
It’s been a long, winding road for the little triple. It started life in the GR Yaris, a rally-bred hot hatch sold only in select global markets, before making its way to the United States between the GR Corolla’s flared fenders. Now, it’s up against the Honda Civic Type R, the Acura Integra Type S, and the BMW M2, among others. In this application, Bosch’s Motorsport electronics manage the drivetrain and the power management.

Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division made numerous other modifications to prepare the GR Corolla for the track. It added six-piston front and two-piston rear brake calipers provided by Alcon, model-specific struts designed in-house, JRi dual-adjustable shocks, and a huge rear wing. We haven’t seen the interior but the brand notes that it added an FIA-approved roll cage, plus an OMP fiberglass seat with a six-point harness.
Specifications, pricing, and availability will be announced in the coming weeks, and the GR Corolla TC will make its racing debut in 2025. The 2025 TC America season starts on March 28 at the Sonoma Raceway in California. The calendar includes eight races scattered across the nation. Competitors will notably race on the Circuit of the Americas, the Sebring International Raceway, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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