"Here is a Toyota with real fire, a real sense of purpose, its personality for once not "H smothered by compromise and a desire to please all of the people all of the time." This is one line that stands out from this publication's February 1987 road test of the first Conquest RSi.
Complete with its hard-to-ignore 16-valve livery and sharply squared-off lines, this "wet look" hatchback would, indeed, introduce an entirely new generation of South African enthusiasts to the otherwise admittedly conservative Toyota brand.
While the RSi badge would continue to showcase this Japanese brand's penchant for upstaging the establishment - including on the local racing scene - many felt that its legacy peaked with the high-revving, 4A-GEpowered Corolla RSi (and its more refined RXi sibling) from the late '90s, future iterations, including a switch to the TRD moniker, turning out to be somewhat diluted in terms of their respective mandates.
Someone else disillusioned with how cautious the Corolla nameplate had become was the former President and CEO of Toyota - and amateur racing driver - Akio Toyoda. With its Gazoo Racing division now firmly entrenched within the brand's Motomachi plant, Toyoda (or Morizo, as he is known in racing circles) would in 2018 set about creating "a Corolla that captivates customers."
Fulfilling its role as "big brother" to the feisty WRC-inspired GR Yaris, the newest Gazoo creation harnesses the ground-up, in-house drivetrain development work from its plucky sibling within the modern Corolla hatch package. This includes the turbocharged 1 618 cm³, three-cylinder motor mated exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission, as well as the brand's GR Four electronically controlled variable all-wheel drive system.
Bu hikaye CAR South Africa dergisinin CAR July 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye CAR South Africa dergisinin CAR July 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
CROSSOVER COUTURE
Opel has revived the Frontera nameplate once attached to its rugged Isuzu Frontier-based SUV from the 1990s and attached it to a stylish looking crossover set to arrive here next year.
BMW E36 M3 (1992-1999) SA's first taste of M
When conversing about modern-classic sportscars, few match the pedigree and heritage of the BMW M3.
SATISFACTION TO SORROW
Like the undulations from one side of the Kyalami's Mineshaft to the other, motorsport can deliver spectacular highs and petrifying lows.
FINAL FLING
Targeting his record eighth title, Lewis Hamilton will ditch his long-time Mercedes team for a Ferrari seat from 2025 onwards.
Ford Ranger 3.0TD V6 Platinum 4WD
The.battle for double-cab supremacy continues, with Ford’s luxurious new Ranger Platinum appealing to the lifestyle-oriented buyer
Mercedes-Benz GLE 450d Coupé 4Matic
A fresh face with the sleeker coupé roofline lifts the GLE's appeal, especially in 450d guise
Volvo EX30 Ultra Twin Motor Performance
Volvo's all-electric ambitions have been bolstered by the arrival of a new entry level model. Is the EX30 the model to change local opinion of EV motoring?
Niche knacks
They are about as deep in the crossover niche as it's possible to mine, but the Ford Puma and Volkswagen's Taigo are more closely matched than you'd think...
TOURING de FORCE
First unveiled at the 1967 Paris Motor Show as a replacement for the stunning Ferrari 330 GT 2+2, the 365 GT is about as accomplished a long distance tourer as you could wish for
Levelling up
Audi South Africa's expanded portfolio of special-edition models aims to combine the most popular specification requests into individual packages