Toyota's Latest Race Car Is the GR Corolla TC
There's no shortage of motorsports efforts going on at Toyota right now, from the Supra's role in NHRA and GT4 campaigns to the stepping-stone-program-occasionally-guest-starring-Keanu Reeves that is the GR86 Cup. But starting grids across the country are soon to see even more Toyotas — as the brand has just unveiled its newest race-ready model in the form of the GR Corolla TC.
At its core, the GR Corolla TC is a production GR Corolla chassis with the interior tossed out and a whole lot of suspension parts thrown in. The original 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-3 engine, 8-speed automatic transmission, and Toyota's tunable all-wheel-drive system remain in place, but the rest of its parts are swapped for more track-ready options. Specifically, Alcon 6-piston front and 2-piston rear brakes are installed, alongside internally designed MacPherson struts and JRi dual-adjustable shocks. Bosch takes care of the drivetrain tuning, power management, and ABS system.
A large rear-hatch wing and front splitter make up the aerodynamic upgrades, in line with other series models like the BMW M2 CS platform. Inside the GR Corolla TC, prospective racers will find an FIA-approved roll cage, an OMP fiberglass seat with a six-point harness, and an OMP electronically activated fire extinguishing system. (The decision to stick with OMP is not particularly surprising, given the company's reputation for quality as well as its partnership with Toyota's GR86 Cup class.)
The GR Corolla TC was developed specially for the TC America racing series, formatted into dual 40-minute sprint races on double-header race weekends. The homologation ideology of the series is focused on factory-built or supported turn-key race car, and the new GR Corolla TC is the former. Other manufacturers with TC America programs include BMW, Acura, Honda, Mazda, and Subaru.
"The opportunity to take the GR Corolla and make it a track-ready racecar with the team here at TGRNA was an exciting project to tackle," said Mike Norem, manager of customer racing at Toyota Gazoo Racing North America. "Working with our partners at SRO America as they established the updated 2025 TC America series, we knew that the GR Corolla was the ideal platform for this series and would provide the perfect opportunity for our team to continue to grow the GR sports car ladder in the United States."
Pricing, power figures, and production numbers have yet to be released. The GR86 Cup Car starts around $132,000, however, and we suspect this touring car specification will be priced above its rear-drive sibling. Those interested in buying a GR Corolla TC should email the Gazoo Racing North American sales department at tgrna.sales@toyota.com.
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