On the dynamometer: Toyota Corolla T-Sport

William Broens from Schagen is the first to admit that his Toyota Corolla T-Sport is not high on everyone’s wish list. “If you look at how many fans, for example, the Honda Civic Type R has, the Corolla doesn’t even come close. I think Toyota was too modest when it launched the car,” says William. Looks also play a part, because the 2002 Corolla looks good, very good. Fortunately, William has done something about it. The Toyota has also been tackled technically and made more exciting.
With the volume model Corolla, Toyota has taken different steps on sporty side roads. The generation from 1988-1989 received a GTi variant on both the hatchback and liftback. William’s Corolla T-Sport is also a good example, but the absolute gem is without a doubt the Corolla WRC, the rally machine that earned its spurs in the World Rally Championship. That was in the late 1990s. Carlos Sainz Sr. (the father of the current Formula 1 driver) secured the first victory of this rally monster in 1998, which was equipped with a two-liter turbo engine with 300 hp and the four-wheel drive system from the Celica. There was no street version, but a body kit with a lot of appearance. In 1999, Toyota won the constructors’ title in the World Rally Championship with Sainz and Didier Auriol. After that, Toyota stopped rallying to enter Formula 1 in 2002. That adventure ended at the end of 2009 without a win.

Japanese parties

Start a conversation with William about Japanese cars, especially those from Toyota, and he will ‘turn on’. He is enthusiastic about his adventure with the Corolla T-Sport, which he bought in 2017. It then had 150,000 kilometers on the clock, now 191,000. The Japanese have an excellent ambassador in William, because he is just as happy with his Toyota as on the first day he got in. “I had it checked at the Toyota dealer and then had a purchase inspection carried out at a universal company. I wanted him to be good and safe,” he explains. Well, he was, so he went on the adventure. Five grand poorer, but in a very good mood. At the JapFest event, he was inspired to pimp his Toyota a bit, both technically and externally. For example, he invested in an Injen short ram intake, a JMTuning rear muffler, a different flywheel and a heavier clutch. “I didn’t do that myself, but a specialized company. That costs money, but then you also have something,” explains the primary school teacher. William takes very good care of his Corolla. The Toyota still looks like new on the inside, with a flawless gear knob as an eye-catcher.
He is no less than 21 years old and has almost two tons on the clock, but this Corolla must and will give everything one more time on Hague territory, even if it will be his last sprint. No sooner said than done. The Corolla is bucking nicely on the dynamometer, roars out, but doesn’t budge, with beautiful figures as a result. William is as happy as a child and dynamometer chief Ghisbert van Ginhoven also had a great time. “At 6,200 rpm, a different camshaft profile comes into play. That transition is quite intense with this engine, less smooth than with a Honda, for example. But it’s a good thing though. It’s a golden, old, raw bugger, this Corolla.”