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The newly announced 2023 Toyota GR Corolla gets a revised version of the G16E-GTS turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder engine that makes 300 horsepower, or some 185.4 horsepower per liter. A six-speed manual is the only transmission, and the shift lever sits adjacent to a prominent pull-style handbrake.The standard GR Four all-wheel-drive system offers three driver-selectable front/rear torque splits, plus available Torsen limited-slip differentials.North Americans who were paying attention were mighty upset when it was announced that the rally-inspired Toyota GR Yaris and its turbocharged three-cylinder engine that delivers 257 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque wasn’t coming to America. At the time it was said to be the most powerful production three-banger in the world, but Toyota’s Gazoo Racing has significantly upped the ante to an even 300 hp and 273 pound-feet for the just-announced Toyota GR Corolla that is absolutely coming to our shores later this year.

This more powerful version of the engine shares the same basic specifications. It’s a DOHC 12-valve inline-three that displaces 1618 cubic centimeters, and it shares the same D-4S direct and port fuel-injection system and 10.5:1 compression ratio. Its single-scroll ball-bearing turbo is integrated into the exhaust manifold itself, but in the larger GR Corolla the spent combustion gasses pass into a much freer-breathing triple-exit exhaust system that features a valve to control the flow out of an added new central exit to greatly reduce backpressure. Peak torque arrives at 3000 rpm, and its plateau persists to 5500 revs, at which point the 6500-rpm power peak is not far away.
The only available transmission is a six-speed manual, and it seems safe to assume it’ll deliver the same smooth short-throw shift-action we experienced during a drive of the Europe-only GR Yaris. All of the internal cogs in the close-ratio box are the same as the Yaris’s, including a top gear that’s barely overdriven at 0.90:1. Toyota refers to this gearbox as an intelligent manual transmission (iMT) because it includes a rev-matching feature, as well as hill holding to prevent rollback on steep inclines. The shift lever itself is positioned to be within easy reach of the driver, but we can’t help noticing the prominence of the chunky center-pull handbrake. The standard GR-FOUR all-wheel-drive system employs an electronically controlled clutch pack mounted to the nose of the rear differential to distribute torque, but unlike the demand-based systems found on most crossover SUVs, the GR Corolla’s system drives all four wheels all the time. It’s not a matter of if, but how much, as the system allows the driver to twirl a knob to select the front/rear torque split that’s best suited to conditions or mood. The everyday default is a 60/40 split, and there’s a rear-drive-heavy 30/70 setting that’s meant to up the entertainment factor on winding roads. The 50/50 setting is all about track driving, where too much tail-happiness can negatively affect lap times. But these torque splits are not carved in stone, as the system is able to tweak the distribution based on real-time feedback of how the car is actually behaving in response to changing driver inputs.The Circuit Edition comes standard with Torsen limited-slip front and rear differentials, but they can also be added to the Core grade by opting for the Performance package. In either case, the power generated by the diminutive three-cylinder turbo is ultimately pasted to the pavement through 235/40R-18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires mounted on 15-spoke cast-aluminum wheels. Toyota hasn’t made any acceleration claims, but we suspect that all-wheel-drive traction combined with a redline clutch dump and a pounds-per-horsepower ratio of just 10.8:1 could amount to a sub-five-second zero-to-60-mph time.
All of the above seems insane in the context of a Toyota Corolla, but the GR Corolla looks set to more than make up for the fact that the GR Yaris was never sent to these shores. It’s abundantly clear that the rallymeisters within Gazoo Racing have had a lot of say during the development of the 2023 GR Corolla, and we’re absolutely here for it.
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The 2023 Toyota GR Corolla hot hatch is here with 300 horsepower and all-wheel drive.A six-speed manual transmission is standard on both the base model, called Core, and the Circuit Edition. The GR Corolla will go on sale in the U.S. starting later this year.Are we in the midst of a hot-hatch revival? Let’s say yes, because we want that. Apparently Toyota wants it too, as it’s finally given us a look at the eagerly awaited 2023 GR Corolla.We’ve been jealously watching Gazoo Racing—Toyota’s performance and motorsports division—turn out tuned-up versions of cars we can’t get here in the states, most recently the Yaris GR. Thankfully, it looks like the GR Corolla is going to offer us everything we liked about that car and more.

The GR Corolla will be offered in two trims: Core and Circuit Edition. The latter adds a carbon-fiber roof, hood bulge, and larger rear spoiler. Both trims are rally-car wide and RC-car silly in the best way, with chunky, vented fenders and a tweaked version of the Corolla’s big frown of a grille that makes the GR look like it’s laughing.
Why wouldn’t it be happy? Under the hood it’s got a souped-up version of the turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder from the Yaris GR. In the Yaris, the engine makes 257 hp. In the Corolla, the G16E-GTS will make an astounding 300 hp and 273 pound-feet of torque. That’s 100 horses per cylinder. To up the power output, the Corolla exhaust uses three exhaust exits for reduced backpressure. As a bonus, it looks cool coming out the back. To keep the direct-injected engine together at its 6500 rpm max power peak, the three cylinders use jets of oil to cool the pistons, large exhaust valves to quickly vent spent gasses, and a machined intake port for better flow. If three exhaust tips and three oil-cooled pistons aren’t enough to get you excited, how about six gears, as in, a manual transmission? The GR Corolla aims for the hearts of purists by coming only with a six-speed manual transmission with a rev-match function.

The Corolla also has Toyota’s first sporty all-wheel-drive system in decades. Dubbed GR-Four—and embossed on the door sills in a nice little historical throwback to the GT-Four rally cars of the ‘80s—the system is designed for multiple terrains and quick adjustability. The standard setting is a 60:40 front to rear torque distribution, but it can go as rear-wheel biased as 30:70, or put in an even 50:50. However you split it, power feeds to open differentials as standard with an option for front and rear Torsen limited-slip differentials as part of the Performance package on the Core (the Torsen diffs are standard on the Circuit Edition).

To prepare for the gravel-spewing, rise-jumping life your GR Corolla will surely have, the frame has additional welds to strengthen joints and more structural adhesive used between glued components. The front suspension uses tuned struts while the rear is a multilink setup designed around the AWD system. The GR is wider than a standard Corolla by 2.4 inches, and uses those fat fenders to house Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires in 235/40R-18 size on gloss-black 15-spoke alloy wheels. Behind the wheels are slotted 14.0-inch brake rotors in the front and 11.7-inch rotors in the rear. The Circuit Edition clamps ‘em to a stop with red calipers marked with the GR logo.
The GR’s interior is not as dramatic a departure from a normal Corolla as the exterior is, but there are still some racy touches to set it apart. That’s especially true in the Circuit Edition, which gets a leather-trimmed steering wheel, a signed shifter, suede and faux leather sports seats with red details, and badges on the headrests. The Core model gets cloth seats without red accents, but both models get a GR-only performance readout in the 12.3-inch gauge cluster, a short-throw shifter, and a mechanical parking brake. Hello, parking lot shenanigans. The infotainment software and comfort features look standard Corolla, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability, multiple charge ports, and optional wireless charging. Safety and driver-assistance features may seem like anachronisms in a car so intended for hooliganism, but if your parking lot shenanigans shenan you towards a light pole or a pedestrian, both versions of the GR Corolla come standard with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0’s suite of features. Pricing has yet to be released, but we’re hoping for something in the low $30,000 range. The GR Corolla will go on sale later in 2022, and we’ll be eagerly waiting to get one lined up for a hot-hatch shootout.
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BMW has launched an electric 3-series called the i3 eDrive35L, which is being built exclusively for the Chinese market.The i3 has 282 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, and a 66.1-kWh battery providing 327 miles of range on China’s test cycle.The i3 eDrive35L has a 4.3-inch longer wheelbase than the standard 3-series, and will launch in China in May 2022.The BMW i3 is back, but not as we once knew it. Instead of a tiny hatchback with concept-car styling and a carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic structure, the new BMW i3 is an electric version of the venerable 3-series sedan. But BMW’s latest EV will not be available stateside, with the i3 eDrive35L being built exclusively for the Chinese market.

BMW

The i3 utilizes a similar powertrain as BMW’s latest electric offerings such as the i4, iX, and the iX3 that’s also not sold in America. BMW didn’t provide specifics on the i3’s electric motors, but given that the i4 eDrive40 is rear-wheel-drive and BMW is promising “sporty driving dynamics,” we would expect the i3 to feature a single motor on the rear axle, which the cutaway image provided seems to confirm. BMW did say that the i3 makes 282 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. This allows the i3 to scoot to 62 mph in a claimed 6.2 seconds. A 66.1-kWh battery provides 327 miles on China’s CLTC testing cycle, and BMW says the i3 will charge from 10 to 80 percent in 35 minutes.

You may have noticed the L tacked on at the end of the name—this denotes a lengthier wheelbase, with an extra 4.3 inches between the i3’s wheels compared to a standard 3-series sedan. Long-wheelbase versions of luxury sedans are popular in China, where having a chauffeur is more commonplace than it is here. The i3 will launch in China in May of this year and will be built in Shenyang by BMW Brilliance, a joint venture with Chinese automaker Brilliance Auto. Perhaps BMW will eventually bring an electric 3-series to the U.S., but for now, the electric sedan space is occupied by the i4.
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In a contentious, pricey used-auto market, Honda is looking to win new buyers by expanding its own Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) offerings.The new HondaTrue Used and Acura Precision Used programs will include vehicles up to 10 model years old (as well as newer ones, like the 2018 Civic Si coupe shown above).The goal is to get first-time buyers and other used-car shoppers into Honda dealerships where they can get a Honda limited warranty, rather than buy from one of the online sellers that are out there now.Honda is putting its reputation for reliability on the line while simultaneously looking to cash in on the presently red-hot used-car market. The Japanese automaker just launched HondaTrue Used, a nationwide Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program available on Honda vehicles that are up to 10 model years old and with no limit as to the number of miles they’ve covered.A nearly identical CPO offer is being offered by Honda’s luxury division, Acura, under the title Acura Precision Used.

Both programs are aimed at car shoppers stymied by the soaring cost of late-model used cars in this post-pandemic era. The companies hope to capture a customer group that has been forced into older models but would still rather have the added peace of mind that makes CPO vehicles attractive, if slightly pricier than typical older used cars and trucks.

Honda

In the case of HondaTrue Used, the program includes a 112-point inspection by a certified Honda technician, along with perks like 100 days/5,000 miles of warranty coverage, a year’s worth of roadside assistance, three months of SiriusXM satellite radio (if applicable), and a three-day vehicle exchange program. Acura Precision Used has similar benefits, though with a slightly longer warranty of six months/7500 miles, whichever comes first. Dan Rodriguez, American Honda’s Head of Used Car and CPO, explained to Car and Driver that the goal of HondaTrue Used is about more than shifting more cars off dealership lots. “We think the best place for a customer to experience our brand is at one of our dealerships. In a perfect world, we see this as leading a customer on a journey through our brand.”From Honda’s perspective, this means today’s used-car shopper could eventually migrate to one of the automaker’s two higher tiers of CPO vehicles, or a brand-new car at some point down the road. “Quite honestly, we think the timing [of HondaTrue Used] is amazing,” Rodriguez added, in regard to the current tumultuous state of the new and used car market.Automotive sales have been significantly affected by pandemic shutdowns, microchip shortages, and, just recently, even parts supply issues due to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. To compensate, many carmakers trimmed production and refocused on building their most lucrative models. The shortage of new vehicles has caused demand to rise for used cars and trucks. As a result, prices have skyrocketed over the past year. As we previously reported, transaction prices for used cars were 40.5 percent higher in January 2022 than in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index Summary. Dan Rodriguez said a HondaTrue Used shopper will be less particular about perfection, that nearly-new level of quality typical of many CPO offerings, including Hondas. Honda True Certified, Honda’s standard CPO program, presently covers vehicles from the 2017 to 2022 model years and carries a limit of 80,000 miles. “With [HondaTrue Used], we’re expecting cosmetic issues are not as much a part of the car shopping process,” Rodriguez explained. By this he means tiny door dings, paint scratches, or interior wear typical to a decade-old vehicle won’t be the deal breakers they might otherwise be on a vehicle only a few model years old. A HondaTrue Used vehicle’s multi-point checklist focuses more on mechanical and safety issues, such as brake pads or suspension components, for example. The vehicle’s completed inspection is digitized and can be viewed by a potential Honda shopper, so they know exactly which areas needed attention. Honda isn’t alone in zeroing in on the lucrative used-car market. Last year, Ford launched its Ford Blue Advantage CPO program on vehicles up to 10 years old, and with a maximum of 120,000 miles showing on the odometer. Then there are large-scale used car buyers and resellers, such as Carfax and Carvana. Each is even more open ended in terms of the age and mileage of their used-car inventory and, of course, their offerings run the full gamut of all makes and models. With this in mind, Rodriguez had one caveat to add for anyone considering HondaTrue Used, or Acura Precision Used. When asked if the programs covered every Honda vehicle, Rodriguez’s prompt response was, “Not the NSX.” To all those bargain-hunting hybrid supercar shoppers out there, you’ll have to dig for a deal elsewhere.
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You may be more familiar with the Jensen Interceptor, but the Jensen GT shooting brake is worth learning about.This rare example is for sale on Bring a Trailer in an auction that ends on Monday, April 4.In its day in the Seventies, the GT was overpriced compared to the Datsun 260Z and the Corvette. So far at auction, bidding is at a mere $5000 but should go up from there.How often does the chance come up to own the last of a British breed? Although Jensen Motors is better known for building the big-block-powered Interceptor, it’s this ultra-rare 1976 Jensen GT shooting brake that served to sunset a badge that had been in business since 1934. The car is currently up for auction on the Bring a Trailer auction site—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos.

Bring a Trailer

Related Jensen-Healey roadsters have appeared on Bring a Trailer before, most recently in the form of a 1974 model selling for $15,350 in February 2022. With only 511 examples of its hardtop Jensen GT sibling ever built, however, it’s a much rarer find. In fact, only a trio of examples have found their way to the auction site in the past three years, and of those, two were projects that required serious attention. The current bid on this particular 1976 GT, which presents well as a driver and boasts recent engine servicing, sits at $5000 with five days to go.

The original open-top Jensen-Healey was intended as a replacement for the long-running but defunct Austin-Healey, with the project coming to life after Donald Healey was brought on by head honcho Kjell Qvale as Jensen’s chairman in 1970 and hired his son to engineer the model. Healey’s lightweight, well-balanced sports car debuted for the 1972 model year.

Bring a Trailer

Following on in 1975 was the Jensen GT, which in addition to its fixed roof also boasted a vestigial rear seat that only hinted at practicality. With Healey’s name wiped from the masthead after internal strife pushed both Donald and his progeny out of the Jensen picture, the roadster’s bodywork was stretched without any input from its original creator. The GT also benefited from a less troubled version of the initial roadster’s problematic dual-overhead-cam, all-aluminum Lotus-built engine good for 140 horsepower and 130 pound-feet of torque. With a few hundred pounds extra to cart around compared to the convertible, the Jensen GT was slightly less spry but still boasted a top speed of well over 100 mph.

Bring a Trailer

The GT was overpriced compared to equally exciting competitors from Datsun (the 260Z) and Chevrolet (the Corvette), but it had a combination of big comfort and a small package. However, many buyers were unwilling to extend Jensen the olive branch after reliability concerns with early Jensen-Healeys wrecked the automaker’s reputation in the U.S. Unable to save Jensen from economic turmoil, the GT ended up bookending the brand as it slid into bankruptcy, with only 269 models making it across the Atlantic before the company went out of business in mid-1976.Not quite a Europa, and a few paces behind the baby Interceptor that Qvale originally imagined, this 1976 Jensen GT nevertheless remains an intriguing piece of automotive history. It was inexpensive to run and rarer than many a modern exotic. And when was the last time you had the opportunity to pick up a genuine four-wheeled, one-of-500 anything for a price approaching affordability?

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The Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are rumored to get Stellantis’ new inline-six engine, dubbed Hurricane.The high-output version of the twin-turbo 3.0-liter is slated to produce 500 hp and 475 pound-feet of torque.Owner’s manuals and a screenshot from Jeep’s configurator purport to reveal towing and pricing specs for this new engine option.Stellantis recently revealed a new inline-six engine called Hurricane, and it appears that the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will be among the first models to use this new powertrain. TFLTruck.com found an amended owner’s manual for the 2022 Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer that lists towing specs for the new twin-turbo 3.0-liter engine, while journalist Gary Gastelu tweeted a screenshot of Jeep’s online configurator that briefly showed the inline-six as a $2000 option (it’s since been removed from Jeep’s website).
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If we put all this evidence together with Stellantis’ claims for the Hurricane engine, we can surmise that the Jeep Grand Wagoneer will soon offer the high-output version of the inline-six in addition to the standard 6.4-liter V-8. The Hurricane engine’s claimed 500 hp and 475 pound-feet of torque beat out the big V-8’s 471 hp and 455 pound-feet. The less expensive Wagoneer might use the lower-output version of the new inline-six, which claims 400 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. The Wagoneer currently offers a 392-hp 5.7-liter V-8 engine with an eTorque hybrid system.The owner’s manual shows that the 3.0L models offer maximum towing capacity of 10,000 pounds when equipped with rear-wheel drive and a towing package. This matches the 5.7L Wagoneer’s max rating.Stellantis previously said that the Hurricane could make its way into any of its products with longitudinal engines, so this is likely just the start of this new powertrain’s prevalance across the lineup. We think it will eventually replace the Hemi V-8s currently found in Ram trucks, Jeep SUVs, and many other products.
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Kia has confirmed that a production version of the EV9 SUV will arrive in Europe in 2023.While Kia hasn’t yet confirmed whether the EV9 will be offered in the U.S., we’re sure that it will reach our shores.The all-electric, three-row EV9 concept was revealed at the L.A. auto show last November.Europe will be the first to get a production version of the Kia EV9 SUV sometime in 2023, according to a press release on Kia’s U.K. media site. Although the company didn’t say anything about a U.S. version, we believe that the EV9 will eventually make it to our shores, too.

For those who missed its reveal at the L.A. auto show last November, the EV9 concept is an all-electric SUV with three rows of seats that’s similar in size and shape to the Kia Telluride. However, thanks to the EV9’s blocky bodywork and futuristic styling elements, we don’t expect anyone to confuse the two.
Apart from confirming production for the European market, Kia hasn’t revealed any more details about the upcoming EV9. We already knew that it’ll share components with the Hyundai Ioniq 7, which was also revealed last year. Both Kia and Hyundai’s big EV SUVs will be based on a stretched version of the e-GMP platform that underpins the much smaller Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Kia has claimed that the EV9 will have 300 miles of range on a full battery and a max charging rate of 350 kilowatts. We can only speculate at the moment, but we think the U.S. version will arrive for the 2024 model year and start around $50,000.
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The BMW Alpina B4 Gran Coupe makes 22 more horsepower than the standard M4 and 59 more pound-feet of torque than the Competition model.Alpina claims a zero to 62 mph sprint of 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 187 mph.BMW would not confirm whether the B4 Gran Coupe will be sold in the United States.Earlier this month, BMW took full control of Alpina, the German tuning company that specializes in fast and luxurious Bimmers and had enjoyed a symbiotic relationship with BMW for decades. Now Alpina has revealed its latest BMW-based creation, the Alpina B4 Gran Coupe, which ups the performance of the four-door 4-series to create the closest thing to an M4 Gran Coupe.
Like the M4, the all-wheel-drive B4 uses a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, tuned by Alpina to produce 495 horsepower. This slots it neatly between the standard 473-hp M4 and the 503-hp Competition model. But the Alpina’s whopping 538 pound-feet of torque far surpasses the Competition’s 479 pound-feet. It uses a retuned version of the ZF eight-speed automatic and Alpina claims the B4 can hit 62 mph in 3.7 seconds, putting it three-tenths behind BMW’s claim for the all-wheel-drive M4 Competition. The B4’s claimed top speed is 187 mph.Alpina’s Sport Suspension includes specially developed front anti-roll bars and unique spring and damper configurations, aiming to provide a composed ride at high speeds. There is also an electronically controlled rear limited-slip differential, and the B4 receives a unique Alpina exhaust system.
The B4 gains minor aerodynamic enhancements, with subtle spoilers front and rear and a diffuser sandwiched between the four oval exhaust tips. The classic 20-inch Alpina turbine wheels are wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tires developed specifically for Alpina. Inside is supple Lavalina leather, a unique sports steering wheel, and plenty of luxurious standard equipment including a heated steering wheel and driver-assistance features.

BMW would neither confirm nor deny the availability of the B4 Gran Coupe in the United States when asked, but did acknowledge to Car and Driver that “there has been no announcement by BMW of a 4 Series-based ALPINA model for the U.S.” In Europe, deliveries will begin this summer and the B4 costs the equivalent of around $100,000.
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