The popular Toyota 4A-GE engine earned its stripes in rally and circuit racing during the mid-1980s when it was doing duty in the Conquest RSi. Much to the disappointment of aficionados, Toyota discontinued this unit in the early 1990s. However, a few years later the Japanese marque announced that it was creating a new version of the 4A-GE and South Africa was the only country to get it in the Corolla saloon. The 20-valve 1,6-litre engine pushed out 115 kW and 150 N.m of torque. When CAR tested the Corolla RSi in the July 1997 issue, the team described it as “the ideal car for the enthusiast with a family”. It clocked an impressive (for that time) zero-to-100 km/h sprint time of 7,71 seconds and managed to achieve a top speed of 207 km/h.
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