Toyota's U.S.-Bound GR Corolla Hot Hatch Inches Closer to Us in New Teaser

Back in October, Toyota unveiled a teaser image on Instagram for the highly-anticipated GR Corolla model intended to assuage our GR Yaris withdrawals. The only problem with this teaser is that it was a bit too subtle, taking fans and enthusiasts alike nearly a month to discover the GR-specific nods. Well, the automaker appears to have learned from its last effort, as a new teaser of the hot hatch has just been posted to Instagram.

The image in question came as part of a trio, all of which are set inside a port. Two of the photos exclusively contain the current Corolla hatch, which in itself is a pretty attractive runabout. The final image, which depicts a rear three-quarter view of the blue hatch, is the one that requires more careful viewing. This shot contains a number of nods to the hopped-up GR variant, including a camouflaged prototype hiding in the shadows. The development vehicle appears to wear a different front facia than the standard Corolla hatch, drawing elements from both the WRC and GR Yaris. So far so good.

The red shipping container above the car also contains a few nods as to what we can expect. The letters "NA" are a nod to North America, while "G16" hints to Toyota's G16E-GTS three-cylinder engine, which powers the GR Yaris. Displacing just 1.5-liters, the G16E-GTS is good for 268 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque. Toyota referenced this power figure in its last teaser for the car, which suggests that the U.S. model won't be down on any power. And of course, we can't forget about "GR Four", which is the name Toyota have given to their performance all-wheel drive system. While costs may have prevented us from getting the real GR Yaris in the States, these hints further confirm that Toyota is keen on bringing something stateside.

While we don't have an official debut date yet for the GR Corolla, we don't expect Toyota plans on waiting much longer. A launch before the end of the year seems unlikely at this point, but we expect more information to drop during first quarter of 2022. Here's to hoping Toyota is already working on fighting against dealer markups, because lord knows this thing will face them.

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