Spicier Toyota GRMN Corolla Teased with Nürburgring Credentials

• New GR Corolla “GRMN” version teased by Toyota USA.
• It could include a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with hybrid assistance, which will boost power.
• More performance-focused styling too, with a unique front end.
• MN short for “Meisters of Nürburgring”

With a slowdown of EV sales and the era of the “affordable” sports car seemingly behind us, the Toyota GR Corolla is a breath of fresh air as one of the last petrol hot hatches worth driving. The current new generation Corolla is a serious performance-focused iteration, but with Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division given the responsibility to inject fun into their cars, there is no holding back when it comes to the Toyota Corolla GRMN teased by the brand’s USA division.

This new GR Corolla variant is still in a prototype phase, and while it’s likely to retain the current G16E-GTS 3-cylinder engine, producing 221kW of power and 400Nm of torque, rumours suggest it could get a spicier 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged powertrain.

We found there’s plenty to like about the current 1.6-litre 3-cylinder engine when we drove the new range earlier this year, but a new 2.0-litre engine, teased by the brand at Tokyo Auto Salon 2025, could give the GR Corolla a more potent canvas to showcase its dynamic abilities. There’s even talk that this new 2.0-litre turbo engine could benefit from a hybrid set-up, rumoured to be fitted to the MR2 or even the Celica rebirth. Expect power outputs to touch 300kW (400HP) for the flagship versions, while the staple AWD system would continue to be there, along with (hopefully) a manual gearbox option.

There’s a new generation Corolla due next year, based on the current architecture, but the GR version could rock up a year later. With more power, the upcoming GR Corolla could also wear a more sinister look while adhering to the classic hot hatch styling rulebook. Hence, expect sleeker styling along with wider arches, a different front grille, bigger intakes, and a massive rear wing.

Toyota will also likely tweak the front-end with slimmer headlamps and tail-lamps, while the car can also get bigger dimension-wise, as is the norm.

Inside, expect gripper performance seats and technology being strewn everywhere, with bigger screens, although the GR version could have more differentiation this time.

Back to the powertrains, and while the standard Corolla will get improved efficiency via its overhauled hybrid powertrains, the new rumoured 2.0-litre turbocharged unit could elevate it to compete with not only the Volkswagen Golf R, but also faster hot hatches like the Mercedes-AMG A45 S and Audi RS 3 Hatchback.

The current generation GR Corolla is fairly new and has just recently received a new update, including an automatic gearbox, but we’d wager that Toyota is indeed working on the new generation that will come post-unveil of the standard model. Hence, hot hatch fans could be in for a treat as the current feisty 1.6-litre engine could be swapped for something a lot more powerful. Fingers crossed!