With my bags packed and my driving shoes on, I was all set to leave Cape Town and head to eGoli, in the hopes of striking gold with Gazoo Racing and their newest additions; the GR Supra and GR Corolla.
Arriving at Cape Town International Airport, I bumped into some familiar faces who would also partake in the inland antics. Budding with excitement, we were all eager to fly out and dive straight into the world of powerful GR models – this was no regular launch. Putting a damper on things, I glanced at the monitors and saw that the flight was delayed by two hours.
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As they say, loneliness makes the heart grow fonder – at least, that is what I told myself in light of my first track experience. And what a way to kick off a career of carving apexes and pushing a car to its limit! With a 3,0-litre direct injection, turbocharged straight six-cylinder engine of the GR Supra added to the mix, this is the kind of stuff that gets any car enthusiast enthralled. With that thought alone, I was ready to sit in that airport for the next five hours if I had to.
After the brief delay, we were welcomed at Lanseria Airport by the Toyota team. They whisked me and some industry-trusted journos away in a shuttle, heading towards the hotel where we’d be spending the night. Being behind schedule, we shot to offload luggage and catch a glimpse of our sleeping quarters – swiftly reconvening at the restaurant for dinner with the whole team. We knew that the next day would be filled with some serious driving action, so the wise choice was to call it an early night and recharge our batteries.
Top of the morning! The next day we had our breakfast and made our way to the shuttles, time to meet Zwartkops Raceway. That excitement hadn’t subsided, it was go time. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the GR Corolla and GR Supra MT, lined up and ready to put their best foot forward. Before we jumped into the driver’s seats we were asked to gather for a media briefing, where we were told what the day will consist of and to keep these potent machines on the black stuff.
After the breakdown of the itinerary, the first activity on the list was going around the track in the new models. Without hesitation, my weapon of choice was the GR Supra and as I mentioned before, it was my first track experience so I had to take it easy for the first few runs. Learn the track, learn the car, improve and repeat. I eventually got the hang of the circuit and its gradients, curves and kerbs, the car under me was becoming more tamed too. Read my thoughts on it below.
Related: Review: 2023 Toyota GR Supra MT
After I finally got the Supra out of my system (it was everything I expected it to be), it was now time to get to grips with its smaller sibling; the 1,6-litre GR Corolla Circuit edition. In doing so, the configuration went from rear-wheel drive to all-wheel drive and I immediately felt more confident. By this point, there were a few laps under my belt and the four-door hatch, the more tame vehicle compared to the GR Supra, allowed me to test my limits. With every one of the controls in the driver’s seat, the GR Corolla constantly gave me reassuring feedback – from every shift, blip of the accelerator and each input on the steering, I did not question who was in control.
In case you missed it: Review: 2023 Toyota GR Corolla Circuit Edition
Normal track antics aside, this is where things get really interesting. Next up was the “Drift X” activity, where we used a GR Corolla fitted with plastic wheels on the rear for drifting practice. It seemed easy when demonstrated by the GR driving instructors, but in reality, it took some getting used to – no rear traction! Initially, I struggled with the slippery plastic wheels, causing the car to spin in a way foreign to how a normal car navigates weight transfer under rapid direction change however after a few attempts, I improved and got the hang of the car and its unique characteristics.
Quick pitstop, for us and the cars – we took a break for lunch before the final activity of the day. During the meal, we discussed our experiences with the cars and felt reenergized for the challenges in the latter part of the day.
The last activity was a skidpad course, where we faced off against upcoming stars from the Junior GR driving academy, Nathi Msimanga and Sa’aad Variawa. The media team drove the new GR Corolla Circuit edition, while the junior competitors were in the updated Corolla Hatch XR hybrid. Despite putting up a good fight, the media team couldn’t match the skill of the junior competitors, who had mastered the course through their prowess and exponential experience. With the three-cylinder mill, it took a little bit of intuition to keep the motor in peak torque and prevent bogging.
After completing the final activity, it was time to head to the airport. The Toyota team not only allowed us to preview their GR newcomers but I also left satisfied, understanding the allure and excitement of preparing for a track day. It was difficult to part ways with the special models, but we had no choice but to return to regular programming, immediately leaving me waiting for the next.
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