The bestselling nameplate in the world, the bestselling international car of 2012, over 39 million copies sold worldwide; the Toyota Corolla is easily Toyota’s favorite sibling in its large family.
Sadly, it is frequently bashed by the automotive community for being a bit too dull and boring. Toyota recognized the need to shift the design and promised a new Toyota Corolla that "was fun to drive again" for the future.
Toyota showcased the Corolla Furia Concept at the NAIAS earlier this month giving us a glimpse of Toyota’s future design philosophy.
Our Malaysian friend TheophilusChin presents us his vision of the next gen Toyota Corolla inspired by the Furia Concept.
On the face of it, I wouldn’t say that there is a huge leap forward in terms of design. It still has a typical Japanese aura to it. The sporty front bumper seems to be inspired by the new American Camry.
The rear is vastly improved and looks much better than the current jungle of misplaced LED lights.
If the next generation Toyota Corolla (codenamed E160) is inspired completely by the Furia Concept, then there is a very good chance it will be 45 mm wider than the outgoing model. It will also sit 40 mm closer to the ground than the Corolla. All these changes are incorporated to make the Toyota Corolla appeal to the younger audience. Toyota designers have been specifically informed to make the new Corolla more dramatic and expressive.
It will be powered by an improved (read frugal) version of the 1.8 litre petrol engine and the 1.4L diesel engine which will deliver more power. They are likely to be mated to a 6 speed manual or a CVT gearbox.
The new Corolla will head to India after its U.S. debut sometime in 2014 to regain the market share lost to the Chevrolet Cruze.
[Source: Paultan.org]
