We want Toyota to sell the Corolla Altis GR Sport here

In a week's time, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) will be officially launching the 2020 Corolla Altis, and will be offering a hybrid version for the very first time. If you're curious about the specs, variants and even prices of the new Altis locally, you may do so by checking our previous articles.

While we're still patiently waiting for TMP to lift the covers off the new Altis, Toyota Motor Thailand has launched the new 12th generation model ahead of us. Now, there's nothing new here as we will be getting the exact same model launched in Thailand albeit in left-hand drive. However, there is one variant that we hope Toyota will offer in the Philippines as well – the Corolla Altis GR Sport.

Design-wise, the Altis GR Sport retains the same basic design of the new model. However, it does feature a more aggressive front and rear fascia in line with the GR Sport name. Up front, it looks reminiscent of the Camry SE in the US featuring a new grill garnish with silver trim pieces. There's also a revised front bumper with blacked-out trim and a silver accent on the large center intake, giving it a sportier look. Other exterior trim pieces include new side skirts, rear bumper, diffuser, and a ducktail spoiler. Completing the exterior changes are the unique 17-inch seven-spoke wheels.

Inside, there's not a lot of changes. The GR Sport gets sports seat in black with contrasting red accents, a special gauge cluster, and paddle shifters. The rest is the same as what you would find on the standard Corolla Altis.

While the visual upgrades are somewhat subtle, the biggest difference between the GR Sport variant is found under the hood. The GR Sport will be powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine producing 140 PS and 177 Nm paired with Toyota's Super CVT-i gearbox sending power to the front wheels.

In Thailand, the 1.8 GR Sport is priced at THB 999,000 (Php 1.7 million) and is available only in three colors – White Pearl, Red Mica Metallic, and Attitude Black Mica.

At the moment, there is no word whether TMP will be offering a similar variant locally. Based on the price list we got from our sources, it doesn't seem to be the case. But who knows, maybe it will make a surprise debut at the launch next week. Or you know, you can ask.