A new sport hatchback is coming to the United States. Gone are the days of yore where hot hatchbacks were offered by numerous different auto manufacturers for use on United States roads. In fact, there are virtually only a select few manufacturers that still offer a vehicle that could be considered a “hot” hatchback that is for sale in the United States. Manufacturers, being focused directly on sales numbers, have realized that the market cannot bear such vehicles, which are considered too small for a family, too rough of a ride for a luxury vehicle, and overall distasteful to the general public. There is a subset of buyers, however, who still yearn for a manual transmission, excellent tactile connection to the roadway, and aggressive styling. Therefore, companies are still offering these vehicles for sale. Toyota is planning on releasing a hot hatch version of their Corolla, dubbed the Corolla GR. The Corolla GR will have four doors, a full hatchback, a high-strung turbo charged engine, and all-wheel drive and is set to compete with the Hyundai Veloster N, or even the Volkswagen Golf R. What will be interesting to see is whether the Corolla GR will sell well in a market that is already declining due to consumer interest in sport utility vehicles over sedans, as well as a general shift away from gasoline engines towards electric motor-driven vehicles. The Corolla GR is being manufactured in Motomachi, Japan facility, where the Lexus LFA was previously manufactured. A large portion of assembly will be done by hand, ensuring that tolerances are met and weight is kept to a minimum. The GR Corolla will come in two trim levels, the Core and Circuit Edition. The Core trim will be available first, with the limited-run Circuit Edition arriving in 2023. The Circuit Edition will be an enhanced version with more luxury features, as well as some performance and handling upgrades.
-taken from www.sae.org