2005 Toyota Corolla XRS Preview

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What's Under The Hood

Redline is a tall 8,400 rpm. The Celica GT-R is rated at 180 horsepower, but Toyota has tuned the engine to deliver peak torque at lower revolutions in the Corolla, thereby lessening maximum horsepower. Perhaps, given Corolla's usual mild temperament, Toyota did not want to offer an engine that only cooks at its boiling point.

To complement the performance potential of the new engine, a 6-speed manual transmission is the only gearbox offered. The shifts are short, contributing to the sporty, glued-to-the-road feel. The suspension has also been tuned to enhance on-road stability. The normal MacPherson-type front suspension and torsion beam rear suspension get sport-tuned struts, stiffer springs, sturdier stabilizer bars, and a sport strut tower brace. The ride height is lowered slightly, and the Corolla XRS rolls on 16-in. alloy wheels with P195/55R16 summer tires. Inside those rims, four-wheel disc brakes with standard ABS reside. Other Corollas stop via front discs and rear drums, with ABS offered optionally. To direct the car, power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering is variable, and senses the engine's speed. Stability and traction control, found on some S and LE models, will not arrive on XRS versions. On the exterior, the XRS is very similar to a Corolla S. "Smoked" headlight lenses and integrated fog lamps distinguish the S and XRS from other Corollas, as do the body-colored trunk-lid spoiler, front and rear underbody spoilers, side rocker panel moldings, and rear mudguards. A sharp eye will separate the XRS from the S, by XRS's body-colored grille surround and larger wheels and tires.