Toyota Canada recently announced on Instagram that the country that brought you Nathan Fielder is getting just nine GR Corolla Morizo Edition models, all of which are going to people with clout. How will Toyota Canada know you have clout? There’s an application form up on its website for you to flex like a Ford GT applicant.
The application form starts off fairly innocuous, asking for some basic information about yourself. However, the application quickly asks you to describe your social media following. Speed Academy probably has enough clout to score a GR Corolla Morizo Edition, but I’m struggling to think of active Canadian automotive influencers with incredibly strong followings who aren’t journalists or already tied to a brand. Birdy and Speed Academy, sure, but who else?
After the social media questions is a bank of response forms for applicants to get personal. Toyota Canada wants you to talk about club affiliations, connection to the Toyota brand, memorable experiences with manual performance cars, track experience, and intended use. Again, for a Corolla. I get that only nine of these are up for grabs, but still. The question of connection with the Toyota brand is a funny one since Canada hasn’t had the greatest history of getting Toyota performance cars. The SW20 MR2 had a short sales run, the MR2 Spyder wasn’t even sold up here, and most Corolla FX-16s have long since dissolved into iron oxide.
Not only does this vetting process seem ridiculous, I’m still a bit skeptical about the Morizo Edition’s value. The base Core model in Canada starts at $45,490 Canadian excluding an unspecified freight charge and includes the limited-slip diffs and heated seats. In contrast, the Morizo Edition starts at $59,990 Canadian, which is a lot of money for more torque, less weight, shorter gears, no rear seats, and some seam-welding. What’s more, it’s only about an $8,000 jump from the GR Corolla Morizo Edition to a 2023 GR Supra with the manual gearbox. Granted, some Toyota diehards will only take an all-Toyota product, but the GR Supra is an exceptionally good car.
It’s really annoying that Toyota Canada is guarding the most special version of a reasonably attainable hot hatch like it’s a supercar. Having to pitch yourself to a company in order to pay money for a car seemed disgusting with the Ford GT and still seems awful here. While I totally understand that nine examples isn’t enough to satiate everyone, there has to be a fairer way of distributing these cars than through vetting.
Lead photo credit: Toyota
Speed Academy is a good suggestion. I would also like to see the Straight Pipes (Jakub and Yuri) and Throttle House (Thomas and James) get one. Not that they have much pull in the automotive realm, but Linus Tech Tips has a huge audience and I’m sure Alex would love to get to drive one.
I’d honestly love to see Speed Academy get their hands on one.
I’ve made one Instagram post in 2 years. Do you guys think I have a chance?
The form should just be a simple credit app, and the two options 1. I will drive this car frequently. 2. I will not drive this car frequently; then let the lottery decide.
There should be lack of mileage penalties for people who buy the fun shit and then garage it until all the rubber is too dry for it to function.
This makes no sense. You have to be an influencer to buy it, so you can influence other people to buy… The one that costs 10 grand less? Couldn’t they make more money selling more of the overpriced trim? 10k more and they save on the rear seats!
Also, it’s a Corolla! The whole appeal is that it’s an attainable vehicle that you can flog the shit out of should you desire. Surely the Supra deserves more of the halo car treatment?
I’d rather get an old one for 1/10th the price and REALLY tear it down to the studs.
Surely the answer is to just build more cars?
Have Toyota explained their strategy with this car, because it’s all very odd. Beyond this gross, pleading style application form in Canada, in the UK interest in their hot hatches is sky high because of the crazy GR Yaris, which has sold very well, but they have decided not to bring this car over.
Ok, my hat is officially in the ring. Wish me luck guys.
Best of luck!
Thanks!
I have no social media, but my passion for fast Toyotas and is very real so I tried to convey that in the entry form.
Good luck buddy. Hopefully Anne Murray doesn’t swoop in and grab one.
Sounds like a car that will end up associated with a demographic I wouldn’t want to be associated with. How is putting your cars in the hands of parasites who will destroy them for clicks really a good long-term move? This car isn’t about padding Toyota’s bottom line, it’s about helping their image in the near term and—perhaps—the future if these likely become sought-after collectibles from the end of the ICE age, but a negative association isn’t going to help that. Those cheap clicks come at a steep price.
They can forget a boot it
As a Canadian, this post makes me so angry. But you’re insensitive comment makes me much, much more angry.
Just kidding. You seem great. Have a wonderful day!
Hey look!
It’s the Ford GT program all over again! Just submit 50 pieces of video evidence of your influence, at least 100 Instagram posts per week, 25 references, 2 tax returns, and make a post that earns 1,000,000 likes and we’ll consider letting you pay at least $10k above MSRP but only if you sign a contract that says you won’t promote or post any other car for least six months.
Well in regards to Canadians in the automotive youtube sphere, I would note DD speedshop, Halfass Kustoms, Fitzee’s Fabrications, and Jap Hands Kustoms are all worthy of note. That being said, I can’t imagine a single one of those guys buying a brand new Corolla, and definitely not if they have to use their “clout” to buy it.
You forgot the best from Albertastan, Peg and Zip Ties n Bias Plias.
They should just auction them all for charity.
The public disdain for the buyer base would be similar, but at least some good would be done.
I hope the eventual buyers get named and shamed.
My first thought was, because there are just nine of them, if they didn’t do something like this they’d all be bought by collectors immediately and never again see the light of day until some millionaire’s shiftless grandkids needed to liquidate some assets.
But then… it’s a Corolla, not an LFA. Probably more fun than anything I’ve ever driven, but really, how collectible is it? It makes no sense.
Sorry to hear that fellas!
This is not ridiculous, it is disgusting.
Gross. Sounds like they’re setting up to sell the cars to a handful of obnoxious, fame-obsessed douchebags who are willing to sell their souls for attention and trinkets. Sometimes I hate the world we live in.
Honestly never thought id have to pull out the “social media influencer” card in order to buy a car