Toyota has pulled the covers off its most extreme GR Corolla yet, the GRMN Corolla, and confirmed it will reach Australian showrooms in 2027 — though only in very limited numbers. The Japanese automaker stripped out the rear seats to create a two-seater cabin, retuned the drivetrain, suspension, and steering, and added a new aero body kit inspired by the three-door GR Yaris. According to the carmaker’s Australian vice president John Pappas, the car was “designed and engineered with direct input from the brand’s involvement in motorsport.” The GRMN’s 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine now produces 221 kW of power and 408 Nm of torque, up slightly from 400 Nm. Its all-wheel-drive system has been “optimised,” and the front and rear monotube shock absorbers were retuned for racetrack conditions. The company also recalibrated the electric power steering for better feedback during high-load cornering. The car rides on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 performance tires that are 10 mm wider than before. A new aero package includes a five-step-adjustable rear roof spoiler, a front side spoiler, and vents on the bonnet and fenders. Inside, the two-seat cabin gets aggressive motorsport-style bucket seats mounted lower to accommodate a driver wearing a race helmet. There’s a unique instrument panel, an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, and a dashboard embroidery of the signature of chairman Akio Toyoda, who races under the pseudonym Morizo. The company says the changes shave 40 kg off the curb weight compared with the regular manual GR Corolla, bringing the GRMN to 1,450 kg. It appears this version will only come with a six-speed manual transmission, while the base model can be ordered with an eight-speed automatic. Two exclusive colors are offered: matte black and a khaki finish unique to Australia and North America.
The GRMN badge stands for “Gazoo Racing tuned by the Meister of Nürburgring.” Morizo’s directive, according to the carmaker, is that any GRMN-badged car should be able to “run the Nürburgring properly.” Its aero and suspension components were also developed through its participation in the Japanese Super Taikyu endurance racing series, where it fields a hydrogen-powered model in the ST-Q class.
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The car was extensively tuned on the famous German circuit.
That class serves as a test bed for future technologies, mainly alternative fuels. In Super Taikyu, the carmaker races against Honda’s low-carbon-fuel Civic Type R, Subaru’s Impreza-based WRX-powered hatch, and Mazda’s lightweight MX-5. This model’s unveiling follows the reveal of the hardcore GR Yaris Morizo RR and a small motorsport-inspired update to the regular GR Yaris applied in May 2026. That update brought a smaller-diameter steering wheel, retuned power steering, and Bridgestone Potenza race tires for the top-spec GTS.
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Pricing hasn’t been announced yet.
The manual GTS model currently starts at $67,990 before on-road costs, so analysts expect this version to land closer to $80,000. The carmaker has not said how many units will be allocated to Australia, but the precedent is telling: only 25 examples of the similar 2023 Morizo Edition — also a two-seater — were imported locally.
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The GRMN largely echoes the fittings of the 2023 special edition, but with further tuning. The company says all changes produce “an astonishing high-performance driver’s car that is as at home on the racetrack as it is on the road.” Whether the price tag and scarcity will justify the hype remains to be seen — but for the small number of buyers who get one, it’s likely to be a very different kind of hatchback.
