2026 Toyota GRMN Corolla: Even hotter hatch leaked ahead of official reveal

Video and images of the 2026 Toyota GRMN Corolla have emerged online, with the vehicle appearing to have been shown early at a special dealership event.

Toyota’s GRMN badge is typically reserved for the company’s flagship, limited high-performance models – short for Gazoo Racing, Masters of Nürburgring – which are a step above its GR variants.

The leaked images from Instagram user mysupraadventures show the as-yet-unconfirmed GRMN Corolla with a ventilated carbon-fibre bonnet, vents in the front quarter panels above the wheels, a more aggressive diffuser, and a much larger rear wing made from carbon fibre.

There are also lightweight alloy wheels finished in bronze to help differentiate the GRMN from the GR Corolla.

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Inside, Toyota has fitted the GRMN Corolla with heavily bolstered sports seats trimmed in red leather and grey Alcantara, with the gear shifter and steering wheel also getting the Alcantara treatment.

A trim insert on the passenger side of the dashboard appears to be made from forged carbon fibre.

While there’s no word yet on the performance figures, the 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine is expected to get a power bump – up from the 221kW and 400Nm outputs currently offered.

Toyota released camouflage-clad teaser images of what’s expected to be the GRMN Corolla back in March 2025 – six months after a prototype was spotted testing at Germany’s Nürburgring circuit.

The final greenlight will be given by Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda – who drives under the pseudonym ‘Morizo’ – with Toyota confirming back in March “the Gazoo Racing team is still working to fine-tune this vehicle to make it ready for Akio Toyoda’s final test drive”.

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