Future faces of the past and future
The CarWow team is back at it. Over the years they’ve raced many things, including pick ups and EVs, as well as a Formula 1 vehicle. What’s this time on the drag strip? It’s a trio, Toyota Corollas and Toyota Corollas.
These are not your typical rental Corollas, as you can see in the thumbnail. Two touring cars and an iconic car from the 1980s are lined up on the runway. This drag race pits the present, the future, and the past. Who will win? Let’s take an in-depth look at the candidates.
The Toyota entry in the British Touring Car Championship, the Corolla Hatchback NGTC driven Rory Butcher, represents the present. This hatch conforms to current sport regulations and uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The turbocharged four-pot engine produces 370 horsepower (272 Kilowatts) as well as 295 pound-feet (405 Newton-meters) torque. This Corolla has been a winner in the BTCC Calendar this year. It has so far won three BTCC seasons in 2021.
Corolla GR Hybrid touring vehicle, which also doubles as Andrew Jackson’s office, is raising the flag for the future. Mat Watson, Carwow’s Mat Watson, declares that it’s the 2022 vehicle. What are the stats? It also features a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The 2021 race car’s power and torque figures remain the same, but the electric motor gives it an extra boost. The electric motor provides an additional 40 horsepower (30 kilowatts) for the car in 15 second bursts. This should make it easy to pass. These cars are basically equipped with KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System). The hybrid and standard models weigh in at 2,800 lbs (1.270 kg) each, despite the additional weight of the electric aids.
The Corolla 1600 GT Coupe is the classic, while the Corolla Levin GT Liftback, which bears the JDM name, represents the past. Chris Hodgetts drove this car, winning back-to-back titles in ’86 & ’87 with the pocket rocket. The engine’s naturally-aspirated 4AGE 1.6-liter was completely re-engineered to produce 180 horsepower (134 kilowatts), and 144 poundfeet (190 Newton meters) of torque. It seems like it will be crushed by modern counterparts. It weighs in at 1,763 lbs (800kg) and has a significant weight advantage. It will be able to keep up with the Corolla touring cars at most.
Although we won’t spoil the surprise, it’s going to be a close race for at most two cars.