Toyota Corolla GTi-16: Cult Classic Not Best Seller

 

Unfairly (but understandably) destined to forever eek out an existence within the colossal shadow cast by its rear-wheel drive, JDM culture-shaping AE86 forebearer, the AE92 Corolla first came to these shores in 1988. Back then, Japanese cars were generally still viewed as dependable (if somewhat soulless) transportation at best, and, at worst, as inferior, semi-disposable imitations of their more exotic European rivals.

While the notion of a Japanese hot hatch was certainly not unheard of in the dying days of the nineteen-eighties, it would be fair to suggest that the Corolla GTi still had a lot of work to do if it was to overcome the preconceptions of most potential buyers, both in mainland Europe and the UK. 

Fortunately for Toyota, the Corolla GTi was something of a cracker. It certainly didn’t hurt that the AE92 made use of the same 4A-GE twin cam that had proved so beloved in the AE86, and while it inevitably lost a smidge of charm in the process of being spun around 90 degrees to power the front wheels, it retained the traits that made it such a standout motive force. These included sixteen valves, twin cams, and fuel injection, which constituted pub bragging rights at the time and gifted the ‘four-a-gee’ its famously eager, rev-happy nature.

Early UK versions of the Corolla GTi came fitted with ‘big port’ variants of the 4A-GE and thus Toyota’s variable intake system known as ‘T-VIS,’ while later cars—those sold from late 1989 onwards—got the ‘small port’ engine and a conventional inlet setup. Without a cat fitted, this change boosted peak power from 124 to 129 bhp, though this fell dramatically to 115 bhp once converters became mandatory across Europe in the early years of the nineteen-nineties. 

Other than the fact it was the first Corolla to eschew a driven rear axle, the AE92 was a case study in conventionality. Each corner sported coil springs and discs, and while it would be incorrect to say that the resultant chassis was poised enough to give the boffins at Lotus cause for concern, it was keen and eager and more than capable of utilising the performance the 4A-GE imbued it with.

The sporting Corolla was a visually appealing bit of kit and differentiated from its more prosaic relations by a distinctive body kit with unique bumpers, deep side skirts, and a spoiler. It was finished off with flat-faced alloys and, inside, bolstered seats and a three-spoke steering wheel. 

Of course there’s an elephant in the room we’ve yet to acknowledge, a point of discussion that’s (rightly) brought up whenever talk turns to Corollas of this shape and vintage, and that’s their propensity to rot and rot with relish! AE92s were never a particularly common sight on our road network, but now, after over thirty years of inclement weather and the gritting efforts of the Highways Agency, they’re vanishingly rare, the overwhelming majority having dissolved. 

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