As part of its partnership with the National Auto Sport Association (NASA), Toyota turned a GR Corolla into a pace car for the 2023 Championship finals at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex earlier this year. This weekend, you’ll be able to see it again at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show.
The car in question isn’t just any GR Corolla, it’s a MORIZO Edition model, which means that it’s one of just 200 built for the U.S. market in 2023. Its 1.6-liter turbocharged engine makes 300 hp (224 kW/304 PS) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque — up from the standard 273 lb-ft (370 Nm). It also weighs around 100 lbs (45 kg) less than the standard car, thanks to measures like the removal of the rear seats.
In addition, the pace car was given special lights mounted to its carbon fiber roof, to help racecars see it on track. NASA also allowed Toyota to give it a red, white, and black livery that was inspired by the automaker’s endurance racers.
Read: Toyota GR Corolla Will Once Again Act As NASA Championships Pace Car In September
Following its turn as the pacer for more than 350 race cars at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex in September, the car will now represent NASA at one of the world’s biggest motorsport industry trade shows, from December 7-9.
“We’re thrilled with our partnership with Toyota,” said NASA CEO, Jeremy Croiset. “Together, we’ve created an amazing way to introduce sports car owners to the world of performance driving in a safe and responsible manner. And it just made sense to have the GR Corolla Pace Car in the NASA booth at PRI this year for everyone in the industry to check out.”
On top of supporting the association through pacing duties, Toyota is also working with it to get more drivers involved in grassroots racing. When enthusiasts buy a GR Corolla, GR Supra, or GR86, they also get a complimentary one-year NASA membership, and one free track day.
“At Toyota, we have a passion for motorsports and it’s an honor to support racing enthusiasts and the motorsports industry,” said Mike Tripp, group vice president Toyota division Marketing. “Having the GR Corolla Pace Car at PRI reflects our ongoing commitment to engineer track-inspired and fun to drive vehicles for our customers, and we’re excited to be in the NASA booth this year.”
