The Toyota Corolla has a long and colorful history. It’s the world’s best-selling nameplate with over 50 million sold since 1966. The Corolla is essentially the car that made Toyota and one of the models that spread the good word of Japanese cars worldwide.
But some folks forget that the Corolla also made its bones in motorsport. It joined rallies and circuit races, and how can we forget the iconic AE86 that saw success in both touring cars and drifting.
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More recently, the Corolla joined the Nürburgring 24 hours and even won its class. More specifically, it's the Altis GR Sport HEV (hybrid) that took the top step of the podium. Now, there’s a Corolla race car coming soon, and it’s based on a model you least expect.
Believe it or not, the racer is based on the Toyota Corolla Cross, perhaps the least sporting variant of the Corolla family. It’s set to compete in Stock Car Pro Series for the next season. That's a huge deal as the Stock Car Pro Series is one of the biggest racing series in Latin America. There are epic drivers in that league, too, such as Reubens Barichello and Felipe Massa.
That said, it’s not entirely related to the model sitting in showrooms at the moment. Unlike the standard Corolla Cross, the race car sits much lower to the ground and utilizes a tube frame chassis. The roof has also been chopped, the fenders widened, and a massive wing bolted straight to the chassis.
For its engine, it uses a turbocharged 2.1-liter engine that packs around 500hp. It’s also rear-wheel drive, shifts with a six-speed sequential transmission, and comes with massive brakes. As far as we can tell, the only parts straight from the bone stock Toyota Corolla Cross are the headlights and tail lights.
Okay, it’s far removed from the stock Corolla Cross, but we still think it’s cool that this humble crossover can be turned into something epic. Plus, we have to say that it looks awesome with that chopped roof.
