New Performance Corolla

[igor@af]

News from AutoExpress

The world's best-selling car, the Toyota Corolla, is set to benefit from an exciting performance edition, powered by the 189bhp engine from the latest Celica. That will make it the Japanese giant's fastest production hatchback ever.
The new flier will wear the T Sport badge seen on the hot version of its popular smaller brother, the Yaris.

Due to reach the UK next February, the new Corolla range will include three and five-door models, plus a Verso MPV. The hot hatch will be available immediately, and will closely resemble the car pictured here, released in Japan this week. British T Sports will only be offered in three-door form, however.

Using the Celica's chassis components will ensure the handling makes the grade, while a sporty six-speed manual gearbox will give a solid drive and make the most of the 1.8-litre VVT-i engine's power. Performance figures have yet to be released, but buyers can expect a 135mph top speed and a 0-60mph time of around eight seconds. The T Sport will feature deeper bumpers front and rear than the standard Corolla, plus a mesh grille and a subtle roof spoiler.

It's designed to go head-to-head with the Honda Civic Type-R, as well as more mainstream models such as Ford's ST170 Focus. But the new range's biggest advantage over its predecessors will be in packaging. A wider, taller body means the Corolla will be able to compete with the class-leading Honda Civic and Peugeot 307 for interior space.

[Moppie]

Toyota have a long history of making Hot Corollas. The most famous are the mid 80s GT models with the trusty old 4age. For a while they were the fastest hot hatch out there. But there were GT model before and after, the last model used the 20V 160hp version of the 4agze, and was again quite a little rocketship.
Fitting the new celica motor to the Corrola wasn't much of a secret, here in NZ its been known for some time that the new Corrola wagon would only be avliable with this engine and in very limited numbers, and its always been assumed that at some stage it would be fitted to the rest of the corrola line up.
Should give Honda and Nissan something to think about, Im sure they will make mass produced models to cover it for the japanese market, and we'll see if any of them make it over sea's as well. (I know theres a new Type-R civic, but Im thinking along the lines of a new SiR model, and new SSS pulsar)

[enzo@af]

Yeah, we don't get that cool stuff here in the good ole US of A.

[Euro19]

In what year was the Corolla the world´s best selling car?
Cause the best selling car previous years was the Ford Focus with about 228000 sales between december 99 and april 2000 in about 60 countries. And the previous top selling car was the VW Golf. (Motor trend 2000/01)

[Jay!]

Originally posted by Euro19
In what year was the Corolla the world´s best selling car?

The Corolla is the best selling car in that it has sold the most units accross all sales years. (of course, it's been around for 30 years...)

[dropedlex1]

Originally posted by Euro19
In what year was the Corolla the world´s best selling car?
Cause the best selling car previous years was the Ford Focus with about 228000 sales between december 99 and april 2000 in about 60 countries. And the previous top selling car was the VW Golf. (Motor trend 2000/01)

If im not mistaken werent the focus's recalled a lot, I went to rent one to drive it down to LA from medford and the ford lot told me they were recalled, That sucks for the focus's Its a lame attempt for ford to bite into the compact market. ford makes good deisel trucks and muscle cars not compact cars. Ditto with chevy, Generally speaking of course

[90Corolla]

Toyota has sold 32million Corollas since its inception in 68. Most popular car EVER

[PreacheR-NZ]

I own a 20 valve Corolla FX-GT. Its great fun.
Costs practically nothing at the gas pump too.