Akio Toyoda: CEO of Fun -- ISSIMI Drives
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- čas přidán 26. 07. 2024
- When Toyota launched the GR Yaris for sale in Europe, American enthusiasts couldn’t escape the overwhelming positive reviews of the car, as well as the disappointment that we would likely never get a chance to experience it. After enough people raised a fuss, Toyota surprised everyone with the introduction of the GR Corolla in March of 2022, and announced plans to bring the car stateside. With sales beginning in late 2022, the GR Corolla was a runaway hit with the automotive media, and enthusiasts began snapping up every example they could get their hands on at significant premiums over MSRP. Now that the market has stabilized, the GR Corolla represents some of the most fun-per-dollar you can get in the automotive space- especially when factoring in the Toyota practicality and dependability.
Toyota is a name that conjures up images of boring economy cars and durable pickup trucks- but is there more to it? Join Lorenzo as he experiences Toyota’s newest hot hatch - the GR Corolla on some of California’s best backroads, and dives deeper into the history of the brand. Could it be that Toyota is actually one of the brands doing the most for today’s driving enthusiasts?
This car is not currently available on ISSIMI’s auction platform, but to find an exciting backroad carver that speaks to you, visit us at ISSIMI.com
www.issimi.com/ - Auta a dopravní prostředky
We are most certainly living in a golden age for Toyota (and enthusiast cars in general). Happy to have given my dollars to Toyota and I’m happy every time I put more miles on my GR86.
and that Toyota golden age couldn't come any sooner when our favorite european (and other) brands are abandoning hatchbacks and sports cars and their enthusiasts for cookie-cutter SUVs. Thank you Toyota for being cool again.
Agree totally. Except I'm happy every time I drive my GR Corolla (*and* my daughter's GR 86). :)
We lived in that age. Toyobaru is out of European market after 2024 and MX-5 will not ship 2.0L models in EU after 2024.
Finally a cinematic GR corolla video!!!
Very well done! Thank you for not only highlighting the GR Corolla but thank you for telling the story of Akio Toyoda. The GR Corolla is indeed something special. I for one do not take for granted that Toyoda has not only given us one great sports car with the GR Corolla but he found a way to give us three with the other two being the GR 86 and the GR Supra and all of them are available in 6 speed manuals! Also, Akio allowed each car to have its own look rather have one car look like a slight retool of the other by sharing the same design language. I hope to own one if not all three of the GR cars. Very well done indeed.
Wow, it took this video to truly understand the names "Morizo" and "Gazoo" ... If only Toyota themselves could have done so in their marketing. 🤔 I can see why they didn't though, it would be admitting they set Akio aside.
Thank you again, ISSIMI!
Can't wait for a TOYOTA GR movie about Akiyo
7:22 small correction, he bought 2 Toyota Altezza RS200s, they're not Lexuses
Grubby little fingers... Not so sure if that applies to Toyota engineers...
Grubby, dextrous tiny little fingers, how bout that
Grubby little surgeon's gloves
Loved this, Akio is a real legend! So happy with my GRC and also cool to see sir Guidy!
The unmentioned thread in the GR Corolla becoming the car it is, is the GR Yaris. The GR Yaris is a true homologation special as per the Lancia Delta Integrale, Mitsubishi Evo or Subari Impreza STI, and Toyota developed a complete powertrain from scratch for it - the 3cyl engine it could then homologate for Rally2 racing and the 'GR-Four' AWD system. The GR Corolla is effectively the highly bespoke GR Yaris scaled-up to suit Americans.
Just watched this again……great video.
absolute cinema
Great work on the video! Keep it up!
Cinematic and good cadence to the whole presentation in this video. Well done! I see California plates, I too I’m wondering where this was shot
Fun fact: Akio Toyoda was initially appointed president solely to take responsibility for Toyota's poor performance and debt settlement due to the Lehman Brothers collapse.
Fun Fact 2: Akio Toyoda launched GAZOO with only a few people, but he did not receive any funding from Toyota, but used pocket money to pay for it.
Interesting Fact 3: Akio Toyoda is so hands-on that he has been going to production sites to identify and solve problems since his days in the sales department. When Naruse, a test driver, complained to him, he gave up all vacation time and breaks to practice to improve his driving skills.
The GRC is an amazing fun daily car, it is such a great tonic after a long day at work. The engine is amazing, lots of noise and plenty fast enough for the road. The steering is better than my old FWD GTI but not as good as my old RWD FR-S or MX-5, not sure if that is to do with driven wheel set up or EPS set up. I find the brakes to be some of the best I have come across. The clutch was heavy but now after a year, I am very use to it. My main gripe is the seating, it does not go low enough and the material does not breathe......the GTI seating position and cloth materials were a lot better. The suspension.......the reviewer is spot on, it is hard and you feel near everything but the bumps are not unsettling or reducing confidence......they just remind me I am no spring chicken and I need a car with adaptive dampers at some point :)
I agree with you on all points that’s why I was surprised when he said the brakes were just ok. The brakes on the GR Corolla blew my mind. The ride to me is like butter since my last car I had for 10 years was very stiff but I could still do long trips with comfort, I had a street and track coil-overs. I almost want to go stiffer on the GR Corolla. Lol
The GR Corolla is so perfect out the box I’m happy to keep it stock and this video makes it clear why it’s this good. 🍻 and wishing you smiles with miles in yours
@@kengit2 I think a mix of age and a couple of back problems have caught up with me, it maybe more my issues than the GRC. A little discomfort is a small price to pay for such a fun car to drive. Family, friends, and colleagues know I am a bit of a petrolhead and I do hide a smile when I tell them that I now drive a Corolla with a 1.6l 3 cylinder engine, they get this strange look of concern and surprise at the same time since many do not know what a GRC really is. Wishing you many great miles of +4k rpm on twisty roads and lots of well used Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires!
Where was this filmed 👀
WHERE IS THIS? Beautiful.
Imagine when you do shifter, adjustable suspension mods and simple bolt ons. The car really evolves into another level kind of fun!
From factory the shifter is so so, adjustable coilovers make the car a weapon on the backroads/track, and just an intake removed the factory defect which we call heat soak 👌
Amazing work, but doesn't replace BTS With DTS.
gr86 is a joy gr supra is an underrated beast the gr corolla is a knock out, we’re gonna look back on the gr era with fond memories
Sad that they made Akio step down from his roll just because he didnt want to push EV as much
❤ Toyota GR Corolla ❤️
At least we now see where Tesla got their tail light parts!
How does it compare with the FWD FK8 for daily use?
I don't need a 4x4 personally and think the space in the FK8 is enough for me.
I do love the GR though.
Cheers
Where is this road
Great video! One note. It's pronounced GAH-zoo. Emphasis on the first syllable.
Nice nod with review.
A nicely-engineered performance car hiding within a goofy-looking body. 'Same with the Supra. The beautiful new Celica and MR2 can't come soon enough (2026?).
Why not Cammisa?
He already did it
Jason Camisa... Bringback ason Camisa...😊
I ordered mine and I will say the interior left me disappointed. But so far the performance had made up for that.
Who the hell buys a car like this for the interior?!
@@nodo7575 well I didn't buy it for the interior. Otherwise I would have a Honda Civic Type R or VW Golf R, which have a better interior. The GR Corolla is definitely a bit more raw than the other two.
1:43 that gearshift 🤢
You shift perfectly in every car the first time you drive it?
Slow, but precise 😂
This dude is way better than the normal pretentious/crybaby host.
I'm hoping that the automatic option being considered for the GR Corolla is a dual clutch. Max performance, please!!!
It’s not for u pal, if you what speed…..get an electric car.
@@KN-jw7ts gatekeeping is so childish, kid.
They will probably not have an automatic for this car.
Gate keeping? Guy, the main idea of this car is a connected old school throwback of a vehicle. The market is flooded with autos, and you’re telling us we need yet another?! Unless your handicapped, or competitive driver of sorts…..you’re missing the whole point of this car. That’s not gate keeping, that’s just reality.
Unfortunately they probably will, look at the new gr yaris.
For me I'm done with Manuals... Hala from South Africa
It has hill hold assist
@@bobdavis3662 it's not about hill hold 🤦...
The Yaris GR has an automatic option, maybe the Corolla will follow.
"The car just wants to be wrung out" is code language for "it has no low end torque, being a vacuum cleaner and all". Give me a powerful diesel engine with a Tremec TR-series manual transmission!
No offense but this reviewer/Host is literally a carbon copy of everyone else out there. Nothing new. Nothing special. I turned off within the first minute. Unfortunate, CZcams content creators think that some good footage is enough to keep viewers. This is bad man.
Haha thank you!
sounds like a you problem, and I don't see you posting car reviews either