Third TRD model

[Gipper]

I dont get Toyotas thinking...

They bring out the TRD Aurion which looks great and has plenty of power. As a first off, it is a top bit of work and worthy of the TRD badge. Next they will bring out the TRD Hilux. Again, great marketing exercise as its a 4door, 4WD sport ute which flies. I reckon Tradies will love it.

Then they have said they will work on one more car for the TRD linup, but will most likely be a TRD Yaris or RAV4. WHY?

Drive reported:

"Insiders told us the $20k starting price of the Corolla meant that an enhancements to improve the visual and physical aggression of the car to TRD standards could take the retail price beyond acceptable levels"

Surely it would be easiest of the lot. Grab the Blade with the 206kw 3.5 V6, add an LSD with VSD for traction and control, sort the suspension with some 18" wheels, add an aggressive bodykit and.... Whola

a TRD Corolla that will kill anything else, provide a Halo model for the best selling Toyota in the country and all with off the shelf bits at minimal cost. Release it at $36,000 and you will take sales from every MPS, WRX, etc out there.

Instead they have killed off the Sportivo and we are left with the "sporty" Levin at 100kw as the "sports" model. When the Hot hatch market is booming, why would you release a RAV4 instead of the corolla, when all the work is already done for Toyota Oz in the Blade?

Edited August 30, 2007 by Gipper

[CHA54]

Seriously...

Do you think a V6 FWD auto corolla would compete with the AWD turbo manual MPS's and WRX's??

I know what I'd spend my money on.

[Suprathai]

We are a small drop in the ocean compared to the market out there. A 3.5L corolla will conflict with sales against the aurion. A supercharged yaris with around 130-140kw wouldn't be too bad I guess, and taking into account that the new rolla is one heavy medium car (1300kg OMG).

[Alphabeta777]

We are a small drop in the ocean compared to the market out there. A 3.5L corolla will conflict with sales against the aurion. A supercharged yaris with around 130-140kw wouldn't be too bad I guess, and taking into account that the new rolla is one heavy medium car (1300kg OMG).

They should have just imported the AWD Blade, rebadged it as a TRD Corolla and called it a day.

They won't get any complaints about it, it looks different enough, so they don't need to really add anything.

[iffster]

$36k FWD is a waste of money.

supercharge the yaris i say.

[CHA54]

the AWD blade uses the 2.4L 2AZ-FE 4cyl and an auto box...

Not what you'd call a performance orientated car.

Toyota has had AWD corolla's since the first FWD's were released, and they've always been powered by the poverty spec motors.

Edited August 30, 2007 by rollamods

[MR22ZZ]

I agree with the Yaris idea.

The hot hatch market is swolen with the 3MPS, Golf GTi, Focus RX5, Astra Turbo and the Civic type R.

Why not go for the smaller segment where there are the Polo Gti and Citroen C2 as far as I can tell as the only others in that market.

[CAP]

We are a small drop in the ocean compared to the market out there. A 3.5L corolla will conflict with sales against the aurion. A supercharged yaris with around 130-140kw wouldn't be too bad I guess, and taking into account that the new rolla is one heavy medium car (1300kg OMG).

If it's a TRD Yaris it would be a rebadged version of Europe's Yaris TS (Which Toyota Aust has one here for 'evaluation'). It has less than 100kw.

But totally agree, if the TRD Aurion is supposed to be the Big Daddy of the TRD range, it would be bad marketing move to have a Corolla outperform it, no matter how much of a market there may be. If an Australian version of the Blade is brought here wearing a TRD badge it would most likely be the 2.4 version.

[Gipper]

We are a small drop in the ocean compared to the market out there. A 3.5L corolla will conflict with sales against the aurion. A supercharged yaris with around 130-140kw wouldn't be too bad I guess, and taking into account that the new rolla is one heavy medium car (1300kg OMG).

I disagree. The Corolla and the Aurion are 2 completly different cars aimed at 2 completely different markets. The size difference is huge as well as the luxury and price of the Big 6. You will not get many buyers deciding between the 2. They are marketed to completely different buyers. HSV have the astra and the commodore in their range and they dont compete with each other. I cant honestly see any conflict.

Rollamods Wrote:

Seriously...

Do you think a V6 FWD auto corolla would compete with the AWD turbo manual MPS's and WRX's??

I know what I'd spend my money on.

The Mazda 3 MPS is 190kw and "FWD". How is it any different? I agree it would have to be available as a manual though.

The new Rex looks like a Daewoo Lanos, I cant see many enthusiasts buying it.

If the car already exists, surely it wouldnt be too hard to bring it out here, modify it enough to be a true TRD car.

The power is there, you just have to make sure the chassis came up to the power of the engine.

[Dead]

We are a small drop in the ocean compared to the market out there. A 3.5L corolla will conflict with sales against the aurion. A supercharged yaris with around 130-140kw wouldn't be too bad I guess, and taking into account that the new rolla is one heavy medium car (1300kg OMG).

I disagree. The Corolla and the Aurion are 2 completly different cars aimed at 2 completely different markets. The size difference is huge as well as the luxury and price of the Big 6. You will not get many buyers deciding between the 2. They are marketed to completely different buyers. HSV have the astra and the commodore in their range and they dont compete with each other. I cant honestly see any conflict.

Rollamods Wrote:

Seriously...

Do you think a V6 FWD auto corolla would compete with the AWD turbo manual MPS's and WRX's??

I know what I'd spend my money on.

The Mazda 3 MPS is 190kw and "FWD". How is it any different? I agree it would have to be available as a manual though.

The new Rex looks like a Daewoo Lanos, I cant see many enthusiasts buying it.

If the car already exists, surely it wouldnt be too hard to bring it out here, modify it enough to be a true TRD car.

The power is there, you just have to make sure the chassis came up to the power of the engine.

He's talking about that one. It's AWD.

[Gipper]

We are a small drop in the ocean compared to the market out there. A 3.5L corolla will conflict with sales against the aurion. A supercharged yaris with around 130-140kw wouldn't be too bad I guess, and taking into account that the new rolla is one heavy medium car (1300kg OMG).

I disagree. The Corolla and the Aurion are 2 completly different cars aimed at 2 completely different markets. The size difference is huge as well as the luxury and price of the Big 6. You will not get many buyers deciding between the 2. They are marketed to completely different buyers. HSV have the astra and the commodore in their range and they dont compete with each other. I cant honestly see any conflict.

Rollamods Wrote:

Seriously...

Do you think a V6 FWD auto corolla would compete with the AWD turbo manual MPS's and WRX's??

I know what I'd spend my money on.

The Mazda 3 MPS is 190kw and "FWD". How is it any different? I agree it would have to be available as a manual though.

The new Rex looks like a Daewoo Lanos, I cant see many enthusiasts buying it.

If the car already exists, surely it wouldnt be too hard to bring it out here, modify it enough to be a true TRD car.

The power is there, you just have to make sure the chassis came up to the power of the engine.

He's talking about that one. It's AWD.

Yeah the Mazda 6 is AWD, but its also over 60k on the road. It will compete against the TRD Aurion. I was talking about the Blade being a direct competitor for the Mazda 3 MPS in size, specs and pricing.

[CORZZA]

yaris trd is turbo! and i wouldnt mind owning one

[sugizo_esp]

Heres what i think, first they release the aurion, ok, fair enought, i see the point for competing with commodores and falcons

then 2nd model Hilux??? Why??, they could have picked something like e Rav4 for the 4wd drive and that would be kick****...

i doubt they can offically bring a blade in, when something is japan only, then its offically japan only unless u private import.

i agree the third model should be a TRD corolla AWD, i m sure it would compete with the MPS, and WRX, the new wrx isnt too appealing already.

the current levin models are not that great in power i reckon but interior and exterior have improved. all they need to do is to TRD power it.

[Dead]

2nd hand sportivo: 20K average.

S/C Kit: 10K

Other items to assist drive ability in the rebuild (bigger brakes etc): 5k odd?

35 to 40k. It's about the same. Meh, I'll just make my own TRD Corolla later in life, plus I'm already one step ahead. I've got the car. Plus I'll have more fun 'creating' something.

[Tats]

Surely it would be easiest of the lot. Grab the Blade with the 206kw 3.5 V6, add an LSD with VSD for traction and control, sort the suspension with some 18" wheels, add an aggressive bodykit and.... Whola

a TRD Corolla that will kill anything else, provide a Halo model for the best selling Toyota in the country and all with off the shelf bits at minimal cost. Release it at $36,000 and you will take sales from every MPS, WRX, etc out there.

They're trying to build a brand. If the TRD Aurion was released at $60k, they wouldn't release a Corolla with that much work any lower than $40k. And personally, the only way I'm spending anywhere near that much dosh on a Corolla is if it's rally group N spec. Nobody will buy it.

Even then, to compete with the likes of MPS, WRX and GTI, it's going to need a lot of development to make a decent argument for itself. The V6 wouldn't push it along any faster than the others and it would need fiddling to counter the extra weight in the front end.

[SuperDave]

We are a small drop in the ocean compared to the market out there. A 3.5L corolla will conflict with sales against the aurion. A supercharged yaris with around 130-140kw wouldn't be too bad I guess, and taking into account that the new rolla is one heavy medium car (1300kg OMG).

To clear a few things up.

The Blade weighs even more at 1400-1500kg depending on the engine.

The version with the 3.5L engine (BEAMS 2GR-FE) comes with a 6 speed auto. 206kW, 344Nm. Prices in Japan range from Y2,772,000 to Y3,234,000 (about $au30-35,000, plus taxes and the like). Available in only FF.

The 2.4L 2AZ-FE verson comes with a crappy CVT job. 123kW, 224Nm. Prices range from Y2,247,000 to Y2,772,000 (about $au24-30,000, plus taxes and the like). Available in 4WD and FF. But who would want a CVT anyway?

Like I said all along, the third TRD model is most likely going to be a Yaris ;)

[Alphabeta777]

the AWD blade uses the 2.4L 2AZ-FE 4cyl and an auto box...

Not what you'd call a performance orientated car.

Toyota has had AWD corolla's since the first FWD's were released, and they've always been powered by the poverty spec motors.

Not really. The Blade Master G has AWD and a 2GR-FE, or so I have heard.

[Dead]

LOL the names these days are hilarious.

The Blade Master G

yO

It sounds like a seedy underground rap artist lol.

[CHA54]

Not really. The Blade Master G has AWD and a 2GR-FE, or so I have heard.

http://toyota.jp/blade/

Go look it up yourself. The AWD blade only comes with the 2.4L 2AZ.

The only place an AWD 2GR blade has been mentioned is in old motoring blogs where they were speculating.

[Alphabeta777]

Not really. The Blade Master G has AWD and a 2GR-FE, or so I have heard.

http://toyota.jp/blade/

Go look it up yourself. The AWD blade only comes with the 2.4L 2AZ.

The only place an AWD 2GR blade has been mentioned is in old motoring blogs where they were speculating.

I trust Autoblog enough, and they said it was launched???

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/02/japan-t...ster-hatchback/

Regardless of what engine it has, it looks good and I think it'd look differentiated enough to just use it's body as is for a TRD product with a Corolla nametag.

Edited August 30, 2007 by Alphabeta777

[CHA54]

the six pumps 276 horsepower and 253 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels via a 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters.

No mention of AWD V6 there...

[CAP]

Wheels mag has a small article on a new v6 blade just released. Has some long winded name

[Dead]

Spiderdave, I think you're right. It really is beginning to make sense.

the six pumps 276 horsepower and 253 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels via a 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters.

No mention of AWD V6 there...

Oops...

[sportiyo]

Not really. The Blade Master G has AWD and a 2GR-FE, or so I have heard.

http://toyota.jp/blade/

Go look it up yourself. The AWD blade only comes with the 2.4L 2AZ.

The only place an AWD 2GR blade has been mentioned is in old motoring blogs where they were speculating.

I trust Autoblog enough, and they said it was launched???

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/02/japan-t...ster-hatchback/

Regardless of what engine it has, it looks good and I think it'd look differentiated enough to just use it's body as is for a TRD product with a Corolla nametag.

that looks sh!t

[CAP]

Just had a look at the Wheels mag again it states:

"Meet the Toyota Blade Master G - Japan's biggest, baddest derivative of the Corolla Family. Just unleashed in Tokyo, the Master G may have a name straight outta Compton (LA) but it combines premium trimmings with a 206kw, 3.5-Litre V6... driving the front wheels.

Probing the upper limits of front-wheel-drive traction the Master G gets the same 2GR-FE V6 as the big, Australian made Aurion making it Toyota's answer to the Volkswagen Golf R32.

The G is the Flagship of the Blade range - a Japan only, upscale derivative of the Corolla. The basic Blade runs a 2.4-litre Camry Engine and boasts double A-arm rear suspension to deliver better handling than the cheap torsion beam of the Corolla.

The Master G also has a unique front end. It's bigger, deeper grille provides more head-on visual punch while low-profile tyres on 17 inch alloys better fill the arches.

Inside the cockpit, there are steering wheel paddleshifters for the six speed automatic, and an extensive list of comfort and convenience equipment.

In Japan, the Master G costs the equivalent of $32,000. Word up bro"