2023 Toyota GR Corolla customers ‘screened’ before being allocated a car

Toyota Australia has announced it is taking unprecedented and extra-ordinary steps to 'screen' potential buyers of the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla – in an attempt to eliminate opportunistic re-sellers who will 'flip' the in-demand car to make a quick profit.

Toyota Australia has revealed it has advised dealers to ask customers how many performance cars they've owned – as well as information about other pertinent motoring enthusiast credentials such as car-club membership – before they can order a Toyota GR Corolla hot hatch.

As reported previously by Drive, individual Toyota dealers will be responsible for assigning Australia's first-year allocation of Toyota GR Corollas – comprised of 700 five-seat GTS and 25 two-seat Morizo models – to customers. This is in lieu of a random ballot system adopted for the Toyota GR Corolla in Japan and New Zealand.

The initial allocation of 700 cars – which is higher than the initial estimate of 500 announced last year – must be spread across Toyota's 232 dealers, which translates to an average of three cars per showroom.

MORE: 2023 Toyota GR Corolla customer allocation plans in Australia revealed

Toyota Australia has revealed the customers questionnaire includes information about a buyer's car ownership history – including non-Toyota vehicles.

Such screening measures are common for high-end supercars – such as the Ford GT and exotic Ferraris.

However this process is believed to be the first time in Australia such a method has been applied by any manufacturer for a hot hatchback that costs the fraction of the price of exotic European sports-cars.

"We decided in November [2022] to ask dealers to complete an expression of interest [form] providing additional information about every person wanting to purchase a GR Corolla before a contract was signed or a deposit taken," Toyota Australia sales boss Sean Hanley told local media this week.

"The expression of interest covers a customer's motoring interests and history – not just with Toyota, but with sports-cars generally – and their involvement in car clubs.

"This approach is intended to ensure that as far as possible, these cars end up in the hands of enthusiasts and loyal customers who truly want to enjoy their GR ownership," the Toyota executive told media.

Mr Hanley said Toyota has received 4900 expressions of interest for the new GR Corolla since mid-September 2022, and the form given to customers is intended to help dealers ensure cars are purchased by true hot-hatch fans.

However, the final process of allocating the vehicles will remain at the dealer's discretion.

"It will get down to the assessment of your relationship with the Toyota dealer as well," Mr Hanley said. "It's not a perfect system. It won't eliminate all of what I would call 're-sellers', but we are trying our best within the laws of this country to get these [cars] the right hands.

"In the end the dealer will determine [how to allocate cars] through the information provided, but as I said, we do want to get to the enthusiast, the people that truly want to have this experience [of owning of these cars]," Mr Hanley told media.

"An enthusiast is any history with motorsport – not necessarily Toyota, any car club affiliation. This is what we deem an enthusiast, someone who may have bought our cars before."

However, the executive said buyers who may be purchasing a Toyota GR Corolla as their first performance car and first Toyota – and may not be interested in motorsport, or part of a weekend car club – won't necessarily be left out.

"As long as they qualify for the right reasons, they can still buy this car. They won't be excluded," he said.

Mr Hanley told Australian media the company would "refine the process" for the Morizo edition – which is limited to 25 cars in the first year of production – "if necessary", due to its exclusivity.

The Toyota GR Corolla is due in Australian showrooms in March, priced from $62,300 plus on-road costs for the five-seat GTS version, or $77,600 plus on-road costs for the two-seat Morizo.