If you’re a fan of Toyota and performance cars, you might want to pay attention to this. A limited edition 2023 Toyota GR Corolla MORIZO Edition is up for auction, and it’s not just any Corolla. It’s the first of only 200 units produced by Toyota, and it’s named after the company’s president, Akio Toyoda, who uses the alias Morizo when he races.
The GR Corolla MORIZO Edition is a special version of the upcoming GR Corolla, a hot hatch that will compete with the likes of the Honda Civic Type R and the Volkswagen Golf R., The Toyota GR Corolla will feature a turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder engine that produces an estimated 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, making it the most powerful three-cylinder engine in the world. The 2023 Toyota GR Corolla MORIZO Edition will also have a six-speed manual transmission, a four-wheel drive system with a rear limited-slip differential, and a sport-tuned suspension.
The 2023 Toyota GR Corolla MORIZO Edition adds some exclusive features to the GR Corolla, such as a pearl white exterior color with red accents, a carbon fiber roof and hood, a rear spoiler, and a black leather interior with red stitching. The MORIZO Edition also has a special badge on the dashboard that shows the car's serial number; in this case, it’s #001.
The auction is organized by Longo Toyota, the world’s largest Toyota dealership, located in El Monte, California. Longo Toyota is donating all its proceeds from the sale of this car to the El Monte Schools and Vision To Learn, two organizations that support education and vision care for students in the area. The auction will take place online from Oct. 18 to Oct. 24, and the winning bidder will be announced on Oct. 24. The final bid will also be matched and donated to the charities by Longo Toyota.
Longo Toyota is collaborating with Bring a Trailer (BaT), a digital auction platform that specializes in classic and enthusiast cars. BaT will also donate their buyer fee to the charities following the auction. The GR Corolla MORIZO Edition will be delivered cost-free to the winning bidder anywhere in the continental U.S. by RunBuggy, a car transportation technology platform.
Longo Toyota has been a proud supporter of the El Monte community for over 50 years, and this auction is another way of giving back and making a difference. Doug Eroh, president and general manager of Longo Toyota, said: “We can’t wait to share more about the GR Corolla MORIZO Edition with automotive enthusiasts and showcase the power and performance behind this very limited-edition vehicle.”
The El Monte City School District and El Monte Union High School District serve approximately 15,000 students across TK-12 public schools. The student population is incredibly diverse in El Monte, representing more than 20 different language backgrounds in the eastern part of Los Angeles County. Funds allocated to El Monte City School District will help create STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) labs and makerspaces at each of the district’s schools. These dedicated STEAM spaces will provide students with experiential learning through hands-on activities focused on design, audiovisual components, coding, and more.