Toyota launches hotter Corolla
Supercharged VVTL engine boosts torque, driveability
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Toyota has launched a hotter Corolla, one that it describes as "faster, more powerful and has better handling and more street presence than ever before".
We'll take the street presence claim with a pinch of salt (as with all such claims), but the company has beefed up the car by adding a supercharger to its high-revving VVTL-i engine, the same zingy mill that sits in the Lotus Elise.
While in the Lotus, the motor has under 1,000Kg to shove, but the Toyota Corolla 1.8 VVTL-i Sport is a chunkier kettle of fish at 1,255Kg. So keeping the Corolla moving quickly means remaining in the 6,000-8,000rpm powerband. Not always ideal and eventually tiring. It also makes for lethargic performance when the engine's working outside that powerband.
The new Corolla Compressor uses the same 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine as the Sport but the supercharger boosts output from 189bhp to 215bhp. That helps knock 1.5 seconds off the car’s 0-62mph acceleration time, down to 6.9 seconds, and adds 3mph to the top speed, now 143mph.
With extra torque at lower engine speeds – a maximum 159lb-ft at 4,000rpm – the Compressor is more flexible. Toyota claimed fifth gear acceleration from 50 to 75mph in 8.5 seconds, while 37 to 62mph in fourth took only 6.1 seconds.
To accompany the power hike, the Compressor is fettled with 15mm lowered sports suspension and uprated springs. It also gets 17-inch alloy wheels with 215/45 tyres plus a roof spoiler, rear air dam and sports exhaust with twin tailpipes.
Toyota has also added adjustments to meet Euro IV emissions standards.
Only 250 right-hand drive Corolla Compressor models are being made available in the UK. The model goes on sale on 1 November 2006, priced on-the-road at £19,995.
Trouble is 250bhp from just 1.8l is always going to mean quite a lot of boost (or rev the knacks off it), either way it makes it a bit manic and gutless. Why don't Toyota just move to 2 litre or even 2.5 like the Ford?
>> Edited by SpunkyM on Tuesday 25th October 13:59
I do also remember driving the 189BHP (as will Chris Freebie) Corolla. I have to say it did need much firmer suspension, it was all over the place.
Webby
(Celica T-Sport)
IS200RJR said:
Toyota should shoe horn the IS200 2lt straight six in there with a blower bolted to it lexus are no longer useing that power plant its all v six now ?
or just not bother trying to make a 'hot' version of a boring car at all.
It will never match Focus, Civic, Golf, Leon etc etc
They'll be lucky to sell 250. I think even Ralf Schumacher would take a Focus ST over this. That said, if each dealer takes one as a demo...
Further to the comment below on many manufacturers going for superchargers, the trend is now actually going back the other way: Mercedes will be dropping all their supercharged versions and the next hot Mini will be turbocharged too. These days there are ways of turbocharging without the lag, and superchargers take too much driver power and cost too much.
zebedee said:
Toyota should shoe horn the IS200 2lt straight six in there with a blower bolted to it lexus are no longer useing that power plant its all v six now ?
or just not bother trying to make a 'hot' version of a boring car at all.
It will never match Focus, Civic, Golf, Leon etc etc
I'd agree, there is little point in adding more power to a chassis that clearly isnt up to the job.
I would have thought this engine in either the celica, which is supposed to be pretty good already, or even better, the mr2, where they could have potentially one of the best drivers cars out there with the performance to scare the odd M3.......!!!
Makes sense to me....
IS200RJR said:
Toyota should shoe horn the IS200 2lt straight six in there with a blower bolted to it lexus are no longer useing that power plant its all v six now ?
I don't think so.
Name 1 straight 6 transverse engined car!?!?!?!
(car obviously to avoid all you smart Alec's mentioning Honda's 6 cyl tubular bells piped 70's 2 wheeled bronco's!)
neil g60 said:
Well my G60 certainly doesn't need the nuts revving off it for it to produce any power. It'll pull keenly from 30mph in 4th. Surely the idea of a supercharger is to make the engine have more mid range grunt. They seem to have missed the mark here slightly. Although it is interesting to see more and more cars opting for a S/C over a turbo. Right from SLR, SL55 territory down to the new Golf compound charged 1.4 and Elise. Bet the Corolla doesn't sounds like a G-Lader
Funny, I got the impression most cars were ditching S/Cs for turbos or NA. Merc is now Twin Turbo V12 and the new 6.3L V8 is NA they dumped the S/Cer from most if not all models. The Golf has both, BMW are bringing in some turbo models. There are really only a handful of factory supercharged cars around compared with turbocharged factory cars.
skid said:
Toyota should shoe horn the IS200 2lt straight six in there with a blower bolted to it lexus are no longer useing that power plant its all v six now ?
I don't think so.
Name 1 straight 6 transverse engined car!?!?!?!
(car obviously to avoid all you smart Alec's mentioning Honda's 6 cyl tubular bells piped 70's 2 wheeled bronco's!)
Volvo S90 also? and Austin Princess /Ambasador (can't remember if they did a six with a hatch) . My uncle had a 2.2 Princess you could feel the torque steer from the back seat !!!
speaking of torque , why is this SC engine lacking in Grunt, would have expected more like 200+ ft/lbs
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