SEMA 2022: Toyota wants to kick some dirt with GR Corolla Rally Concept

Toyota has once again proved their North American fans are not missing out on what other markets are getting. The GR Yaris may not be offered in the US, but what they got was the bigger and more practical 5-door GR Corolla hot hatch. And now, the latter has also been given the proper treatment to go rallying.

Enter the Toyota GR Corolla Rally Concept. Yes. It's not yet purpose-built for rallying, but this is the Japanese manufacturer providing a glimpse of the GR Corolla's potential as a rally car.

Inspired by the GR Yaris Rally1 that won this year's World Rally Championship, the GR Corolla started life as a Circuit Edition variant. A team of Toyota engineers and technicians then worked on creating a functional rally car bodywork that consists of three-inch fender flares, integrated carbon composite side skirts, and a front splitter, plus a custom carbon fiber rear wing to optimize aerodynamics and boost downforce.

Toyota also fitted fully adjustable Tein Gravel Rally coilovers plus 17-inch OZ Racing wheels with Continental tires to complete the rally car package. The stock brake setup was retained, but additional rear brake calipers from Wilwood were installed to make the car more capable of negotiating tight hairpin turns.

Inside, the GR Corolla Rally Concept features a full rally car-spec interior, complete with standard intercom, plumbed-in fire suppression system, custom roll cage, OMP Racing seats and belts, plus a hydraulic handbrake.

While the 1.6-liter, three-cylinder turbo was kept stock, a Magnaflow custom exhaust system and high-flow air filter were added to for better performance. In addition, intensive work was also done on improving the cooling capabilities of the GR Corolla's oil and transmission to ensure the reliability of its powertrain.

For now, Toyota is only showing off the GR Corolla Rally Concept for the 2022 SEMA show. But would you like to see them create a GR Corolla rally car for competition use? Let us know in the comments.