New Corolla Released In Australia

[ancullen]

You can now go down to your local Toyota dealership and buy the new Corolla. However...

 

The sedan is the previous model with a new front and rear end, interior updates, and the new engine & six-speed manual gearbox.

 

It is interesting to compare the new hatch with the old. When the ZZE122 was released, it had 100kW, 171Nm, and weighed 1080kg. Then in 2006, an update was released with the engine retuned to meet new emissions standards. This resulted in power dropping to 93kW and torque to 161Nm. Now the ZRE152 (I think that's correct) has been released with the new 2ZR-FE motor, with 100kW and 175Nm - and a kerb weight of 1225kg for the basic model!?!?! Fuel economy has improved slightly with the new motor, but mainly due to it being hooked up to a six speed manual transmission. Considering my ZZE122 sits on about 3,000rpm at 100km/h, it wouldn't be that hard to improve fuel economy with the six speed alone.

 

The exterior of the new Corolla does absolutely nothing for me. I'll be interested in seeing the Sportivo and/or TRD versions when they're released, but they'd want to be pretty special - and pretty powerful considering the weight increase. I wouldn't be surprised if the TRD version is just a supercharged version of the 1.8, with roughly 130-150kW (based on current TRD supercharger kits and predicted power for the TRD Aurion). If that's the case, then I don't expect it will do very well. I wouldn't be surprised if the Sportivo version just has handling upgrades and bodykit.

Edited May 21, 2007 by ancullen

[ancullen]

BTW, did any of you know that the TownAce in Japan still comes with the 7K-E?

[Xany]

I knew you could still get off the shelf items for the 7KE from toyota themselves......but i thought they stopped production on them around 2000....?

[Jono]

BTW, did any of you know that the TownAce in Japan still comes with the 7K-E?

 

 

funny, i'm buying a 7k-e townace next week. $7300 with 155000 kms! so my 1974 toyota will have 4age power and the late model workhorse will have 7k power!

 

 

back on topic, it sucks we don't get the performance corollas here. the last sportivo would still be pretty cool - but just knowing that elsewhere in the world it isn't top of the line wouldn't sit well when handing over the cash.

[ke11restorer]

and they say its the "hottest corolla yet" or something like that

 

pfffftt

 

my ke11 is !!

[dawi]

Yeah i saw it. Actually thought the styling was quite nice from the pics. Saw a hatch on the walk of shame walk through the city on sun morning.

 

Looked quite nice to me. The sedan looked like a Mazda 3 in the pics i saw. Sucks about the power... i have the 2003 rolla and its nice and eco... but gears are very notchy, it handles like a soft turd, i am cramped inside it being bit over 6 foot and it spins the wheels way too easily with my lame korean tires ;) I like the updated ones that came out in later 2003 or 2004. With some better susp and a nicer diff i'd like it a lot more.

Edited May 21, 2007 by dawi

[SoulSearcher]

here's the link if anyone's interested....

 

http://www.toyota.com.au/corolla

 

As for styling, I don't like the back end of the hatch but the interior's not too bad...

 

Lesley ;)

Edited May 21, 2007 by SoulSearcher

[ancullen]

Yeah, the interior's nice, but the exterior is shite.

 

Hopefully the rumours are true and Toyota will release a Corolla GT4 - AWD and 2.5L turbo. There's also meant to be an Auris (what the new Corolla's called everywhere but here) V6 for external markets with the Aurion's 3.5L V6. ;)

Edited May 22, 2007 by ancullen

[Nitephyre]

Auris is unlikely to be coming here. (*shame* I'd love an Auris wagon ;D)

 

At present there is also no plans for a TRD Corolla, only Aurion and Hilux

Edited May 22, 2007 by Nitephyre

[butty]

yeah looks cool i reckon...shame about the power tho 100kw....mmm... my rolla's 15 yrs old and it has that stock.

[SoulSearcher]

I found some additional info (bad news):

 

http://www.caradvice.com.au/2758/brand-new...s-first-recall/

 

AND

 

there may be a TRD Version Corolla, see here (good news!):

 

http://trdvehicles.toyota.com.au/toyota/tr...87_1192,00.html

 

Lesley ;)

[ancullen]

There has always been talk that there will be a TRD Corolla, and ever since the TRD Australia site was released, they mentioned that a TRD Corolla is being strongly considered.

 

As for the Auris, it is a Corolla - just a different name.

 

BTW, I just had a thought - I wouldn't be surprised if the Corolla Sportivo (not TRD) is a bodykitted Corolla with all the good bits from the Japanese market Blade. The Blade is an Auris with a different front and rear end, with a 2.4L 2AZ-FE engine under the bonnet making 165hp (123kW) and 224Nm. It wouldn't be especially quick, but it wouldn't be too bad. Plus it means that Toyota wouldn't have to work too hard to make the TRD version quick by comparison.

 

Interestingly, TRD already make a supercharger kit for the 2AZ-FE for use in the Scion tC, so applying it to the same engine in the Corolla body wouldn't be too difficult. In the Scion it makes 200hp (149kW) and 248Nm on just 7psi, which is about the sort of power figures I would expect for the TRD vehicle. And traction control is available from the Blade, so Toyota will be able to limit torque steer as they've done with the Aurion.

 

The only issue is that the Blade only comes with a CVT transmission, and the Scion's manual gearbox is only a five speed. Presumably Toyota will be able to find a six speed to suit it though, but I doubt it'd be the same one as the standard Corolla now gets (the C66). I wonder if they'll do a six speed version of the E-series transmission...

[ancullen]

There has always been talk that there will be a TRD Corolla, and ever since the TRD Australia site was released, they mentioned that a TRD Corolla is being strongly considered.

 

As for the Auris, it is a Corolla - just a different name.

 

BTW, I just had a thought - I wouldn't be surprised if the Corolla Sportivo (not TRD) is a bodykitted Corolla with all the good bits from the Japanese market Blade. The Blade is an Auris with a different front and rear end, with a 2.4L 2AZ-FE engine under the bonnet making 165hp (123kW) and 224Nm. It wouldn't be especially quick, but it wouldn't be too bad. Plus it means that Toyota wouldn't have to work too hard to make the TRD version quick by comparison.

 

Interestingly, TRD already make a supercharger kit for the 2AZ-FE for use in the Scion tC, so applying it to the same engine in the Corolla body wouldn't be too difficult. In the Scion it makes 200hp (149kW) and 248Nm on just 7psi, which is about the sort of power figures I would expect for the TRD Corolla. And traction control is available from the Blade, so Toyota will be able to limit torque steer as they've done with the Aurion.

 

The only issue is that the Blade only comes with a CVT transmission, and the Scion's manual gearbox is only a five speed. Presumably Toyota will be able to find a six speed to suit it though, but I doubt it'd be the same one as the standard Corolla now gets (the C66). I wonder if they'll do a six speed version of the E-series transmission...

[Clown]

YOu'd assume that if the corolla GT4 is true (rumors been around for years but it'd be cool) that it'd be a 2 litre of some sort for rally purposes.

 

Yeah, the interior's nice, but the exterior is shite.

 

Hopefully the rumours are true and Toyota will release a Corolla GT4 - AWD and 2.5L turbo. There's also meant to be an Auris (what the new Corolla's called everywhere but here) V6 for external markets with the Aurion's 3.5L V6. ;)

[ancullen]

That's what I would have thought too, but it's not necessarily going to be built around WRC rules. Also, the WRX and some STi's now run a 2.5L, and to be even slightly competitive with them Toyota will need a similarly sized engine. There's also the added benefit of the engine requiring a less extreme state of tune due to the greater capacity. I still wouldn't expect to see power over 200kW though, but I could be wrong. Then again, if the other rumour is true, that is that Toyota are working on an Auris with a 2GR-FE 3.5L V6, then the GT4 would either be ditched, or it would be a bit more extreme, with say 220-230kW.