This Toyota Corolla has been transformed into a full blown Super GT contender. The car was build by APR, who were also responsible for the famous Lightning McQueen MR-S that competed last year in the GT300 class and even won 1 race. For the 2009 season APR thought it would be fitting to start with a completely new car. It was initially unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon and slowly a few more details have become available..
Team manager and chief engineer had this to say about his choice for the Corolla Axio; "My team has been using Corolla on the street, and, in spite of having a manual transmission, I often have taken the wheel also. I always thought that the car has everything in a nice package: good balance, maneuverability, drivability, etc. From there, I thought 'Would we be able to make a racing car out of it?"
As you can see, they definably succeeded in making race car out of the plain looking Corolla.
As expected, the car features a full carbon widebody kit with lots of vents and sharp corners. Thanks to the bodykit and the superlight frame it weighs in at 1100kg. The engine of choice is a 2GR-FSE; it's a water-cooled V6 without any turbos, it still manages to reach a poweroutput of more than 300ps. The engine is longitudinal placed behind the rear seats making it a true mid engine car.
Man those tires look beefy. Like almost all the race cars in Japan, APR has chosen Rays to make their wheels. They come in 18" with a one lug setup. Behind the wheels we can see enormous AP Racing calipers and rotor's.
What amazes me the most in this picture is that the top of the wheel is almost as high as the dashboard. The seating position must be extremely low. I can't imagine how it must feel like to drive such a beast. Especially when you realize it runs a NA engine, the sound it will make…. ahhh….
I can't wait to see this thing run in the new Super GT season. I'm just glad that we can still see new cars being developed for this race series….
-Jeroen Willemsen
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
"I always thought that the car has everything in a nice package: good balance, maneuverability, drivability, etc. From there, I thought 'Would we be able to make a racing car out of it?"
You gotta be kidding me rite? The statement above got nothing to do with this car. You know that, Jeroen
Would to see the interior and the engine.
great story Jeroen. I think this Super GT Corolla looks awesome! APR is incredible!
It makes me want to buy a 2009 Corolla now! ....just kidding.
Nice write-up.
when will the Super GT season start btw?
I love this new car. Such a unique one...There was really a lot of thought put into this car. Thanks Jeroen for featuring it!
APR also did this by the way:
http://www.bespokeventures.com/blog/2008/03/01/super-gt-car-builder-makes-big-scooter-parts-is-this-cool-i-dont-know/
They are awesome, but just looking at that car and all of the other GT300 & 500 cars makes me think that today's GT racing is not a true representation of the cars the companies actually sell. When you think about it, the only part of that car that would be factory is most probably the roof. Everything else has either been widened, shortened or moved around in some way. God, the engine is in the middle of the car LOL
Anyway, that's my 2cents worth, but i don't care. Even if the manufacturer's don't make the GT cars resemble the street cars in the tiniest way possible, i still LOVE THEM!!!
Are there any places on the web where we can watch these races? Live or uploaded to the net?
Too bad Toyota doesn't make the Corolla a mid engine rwd v6. (sigh) I wish some of these cars would cross the ocean and race a US series like ALMS gt3.
Awsome ... Im glad to see this story.. when I saw the photo of this car during Speedhunters TAS covrage I thought it looked 1nsane and I wanted to know more.
Im wondering tho... why do they need a new Toyota GT300 silhouette car... after all Toyota manufactures the Lexus IS (and IS-F) and that seams like a much more appropriate bodystyle to use for Toyotas GT300 class...... Dosent it?
@tis: are you saying that in a negative or positive context? In either case, it's always cool to hear backstories behind builds. We've seen what South America does with Corollas, I was waiting to see what Japan would do, and I haven't been disappointed.
@TougeNoMikado
They already use a IS350 in the GT300, but they always used to moddels.
Where? - There are some on youtube eg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm6f8JDrJWY
cool stuff. I agree with Jason but I like them anyway...just like DTM these cars look bitchin but since these cars aren't really the real cars using completely different motors why don't they just make a one of car? If someone were to build a car not based on a production car that would be cool. O the other thing whats the story with the other corolla's in the background?? I wan't to see more of those too. kthnxbai.
Nice write-up on a Sweet car!
@ V8 soundtrack - the season starts in March. Check it out at the official Super GT website:
http://supergt.net/en/
@ Jason - Like you, I don't care if they don't look like street cars... all I know is Super GT sure beats NASCAR anyday! LOL!
@vrocsone
The left one in the last picture is a corolla axio 1.5 turbo with 150BHP. And the right one is a TRD crown athlete with a 3.5 supercharged V6 making 360BHP.
@Absolution
Hi dude,
+ve or -ve? Hey, Im a car nuts like all of us here. Who d hell hates super gt car? I love 'em.
To answer your question, I'm just fooling around. :p
ps - Never able to see the engine of them cars. Most of the FR layout car, the engine bay were stuffed with CAI hose and other things which the engine is not visible.
PLEASE BE TRUE!!!
Would be so much cooler than the genesis.
I agree, Super GT does beat NASCAR any day of the week, but hearing one of those v8 NASCAR's scream by at 8,000 rpm+ sure is awesome!
I don't watch NASCAR, i watch the local V8 Supercar series here in Aus. 5L n/a V8's making around 600hp
this looks really nice. ^_^
those bulges for the wheels upront makes it looks mean.
and its good that they pulled of the DTM look quite nicely.
and i love the orange paint. iy looks tasty lol.