If you’ve ever imagined spending real BMW M2 cash on a hatchback with an ordinary commuter badge, Toyota has built exactly that kind of machine. The 2026 Toyota GRMN Corolla arrives with a shocking starting price of $64,360, almost three times the cost of a basic rental-spec sedan and a full $24,000 above the regular GR Corolla.

So what does nearly $65,000 get you in hot-hatch terms? First, Gazoo Racing engineers cut 66 lbs / 30 kg from the curb weight, mainly by removing the rear seats altogether. In other words, your rear passengers are out of luck, but you do get a small torque increase to 302 lb-ft / 410 Nm from the turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder. Horsepower stays at 300 hp, while the package adds custom aero, Cup 2 tires, unique steering tuning, and a Nürburgring-developed suspension setup that should feel brutal on normal streets.

Only 730 examples will be built worldwide, so buying one is likely to invite dealer markups that can look hypercar-level. Paying Mustang Dark Horse money for a stripped two-seat hatchback may sound absurd, but in a market full of heavy electric crossovers, a hand-built, rally-inspired pocket rocket focused on lap times still feels refreshingly unfiltered. It is Toyota’s rawest statement to driving purists.

Is $64,360 too much for a Corolla? Does 1-of-730 rarity make the price easier to accept? And should Toyota have added more horsepower instead of only a torque bump for the GRMN badge?