A tuning house has reportedly unlocked the Toyota GR Corolla’s ECU, opening a world of tuning potential.
VF Tuner, based in Korea, produces a line of tools for tuning various Toyota vehicles. The company announced that it has cracked the GR Corolla ECU, opening it up for tuning. Given the company had already done this before with the GR Yaris ECU, it was only a matter of time before the GR Corolla got the same treatment.
This development could allow owners to coax more power from the vehicle as stock. It also provides the potential to tune the car to suit various aftermarket performance modifications. For example, running something like a bigger turbo or different cam generally requires retuning. With an unlocked ECU, it’s possible to tune for these modifications without having to switch to a fully standalone ECU.
The GR Corolla’s official figures state it has 300 horsepower at the flywheel of its turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder engine. It already makes more power than the 268-hp GR Yaris, thanks in part to a revised exhaust system among other differences. It begs the question of how much power is really left on the table. Though, it’s unlikely Toyota has left much more for tuners to unlock from the engine in stock form.
However, we’ve seen bigger turbos and supporting mods push the GR Yaris engine up to 472 hp, measured at the hubs. Given how closely related the GR Corolla engine is, there may be big potential for those willing to invest in a more serious upgrade path.
VF Tuner is currently testing its GR Corolla tuning tools, as per a recent post on Facebook, and expects to roll out beta access to owners of its tuning kits in the coming week. Company owner Mathew Wilson told a GR Corolla owners group that he expects to see GR Corollas with 300 wheel hp before the end of the month. Given the joy the GR Corolla delivers in stock form, the promise of more power is tantalizing, to say the least.
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