We really do live in wild times. I mean, Toyota sells a 300-horsepower, all-wheel-drive Corolla. If you know someone who saw that one coming a decade ago, you should probably start letting them pick your lotto numbers. But if you live in Canada, the story gets even wilder. In order to buy the track-focused GR Corolla Morizo Edition, Toyota requires you fill out an application first.
Toyota Canada recently confirmed that news to Carscoops, but didn’t provide further comment. If being forced to apply for approval to buy a track-focused car sounds familiar to you, it’s because Ford did the exact same thing with the new GT. Mid-engine supercar. Toyota Corolla. Basically the same, right?
What’s even more unexpected is that, at least for now, the Morizo Edition will probably be even more exclusive than the Ford GT was. Toyota Canada also confirmed it will only get nine Morizos. It’s possible that Toyota could change its mind in the future, but currently, I have more fingers than Canada will have Morizos.
In a way, it makes sense that Toyota would want to make sure the handful of GR Corolla Morizos go to buyers who will actually drive them instead of parking them in a storage facility to sell on Bring a Trailer in 10 years (or less) for a big profit. But it’s also understandable that even if you’re one of those people, it would be beyond frustrating to have to jump through a hoop and then cross your fingers hoping someone at Toyota decides to allow you to give them your money.
So what does the application ask for? If you head to Toyota Canada’s website, you can see the “survey” here. After providing your basic contact information, things get serious fast. Section 2 wants links to all of your social media accounts. And I mean all of them.
I’m not sure that’s an actual red flag, but it’s definitely going to raise some eyebrows and be the focus of most of the complaints. You might get passed over just because you don’t have enough followers? What if you’re too busy driving to make TikToks? Are these cars all going to go to rich influencers with the time to be on social media all day?
The good news is, the next section makes it clear that this isn’t purely a social media contest, and you’re not automatically out of luck if you’re not... (Googles “Canada’s biggest TikTok star”)... Kris HC?
Yeah, they’re definitely looking for Toyota enthusiasts with significant track experience.
They even specifically ask whether or not you plan to treat your Morizo like it’s a Faberge egg.
That last question, though. Man. Things were going so well. With so few cars available, you get the feeling that not wanting to be used in unpaid advertisements is going to get your application tossed in the trash. Thankfully, if you dig into the contest rules, Toyota’s a little more clear on how it’s going to judge applications.
Interestingly, social media influence isn’t listed. But who even knows what “Toyota GR Corolla and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing values” means. Are we talking, “Be the kind of person who won’t drunkenly drive your Morizo into a group of school children,” or, “Be the kind of person who will only say positive things about the car to your millions of followers”?
I guess we’ll find out when Canada’s nine lucky winners eventually receive their Morizos.