Toyota Corolla FX Edition celebrates the '80s with retro name and look

The Toyota Corolla FX Edition has been revealed in the US, and it’s a flashback to the days of big hair and legwarmers.

Toyota says the special edition Corolla “ignites the spirit of the legendary FX16”, but don’t go expecting any extra performance because tThis is no GR Corolla hot hatch.

It employs the same naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine as regular Corollas, delivering 126kW of power and 205Nm of torque to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

And yet despite this, Toyota is playing up the FX16 connection, releasing images of the two hatches side-by-side.

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In any case, don’t expect the FX Edition to come here, as it’s expected to be exclusive to the US. Just 1600 examples will be produced.

For the record, the FX Edition rides on gloss white alloy wheels, which is perhaps the most 1980s-inspired touch on the vehicle, though at 18 inches these are considerably larger than the FX16’s wheels.

You can also get the FX Edition in Ice Cap paint, giving the car a particularly ’80s monochromatic look. Other exterior finishes comprise Inferno (the bright orange hue seen here) and Blue Crush Metallic.

Toyota finishes off the FX Edition with a rear wing and a “heritage-inspired rear badge”.

Inside, there are black ‘Sport Touring Seats’ with suede inserts and orange stitching, which can also be found on the door panels, steering wheel and at the base of the shifter.

Confusingly, Toyota already offers an FX version of the Corolla stateside, which slots in under the sporty looking XSE and is also said to be inspired by the Corolla FX16.

This FX is offered exclusively as a sedan in the US, and uses the same powertrain as the FX Edition.

It rides on 18-inch satin-black alloy wheels and features a black roof. Mechanical changes include lowered suspension and retuned electric power steering, neither of which are listed as upgrades for the FX Edition hatch.

The FX nameplate hasn’t always historically denoted a sporty Corolla variant, with regular hatchback versions of the E80 Corolla wearing the badge in some markets.

But the E80 FX16 is what Toyota in the US is nodding at with this latest Corolla variant. This was powered by a fuel-injected twin-cam, 16-valve 1.6-litre four-cylinder ‘4A-GE’ engine producing 81kW of power, mated with a five-speed manual transmission. It also featured sportier suspension tuning and styling than lesser Corollas.

Australia also received the E80 with this engine, in both hatchback and liftback (‘Seca’) body styles, and wearing the rather anodyne Twin Cam nameplate. In Japan, this hotter Corolla was called the FX-GT.

The engine didn’t make the FX16/Twin Cam/FX-GT the hottest small car out there, but it’s regarded as one of the more exciting Corollas in the long history of the small Toyota, which will celebrate its 60th birthday next year.

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