Special Cars

Of course, enthusiasts remember a time when the Corolla was once fun and semi-destructible like the rear-drive TE-37, or the Panda-liveried AE86 of Initial-D. With sharp creases and a front fascia borrowed from Emperor Zurg, the new Corolla also sports LED lighting across the board. Its also bigger than before; inside, theres three inches of extra legroom, and eight-airbags as standard, as the Law of Model Bloat demands. No surprises underhood, with a bullet-proof 1.8-liter four-banger pumping out a tuned-for-efficiency 132 hp, and a new CVT transmission to help eke out extra distance from each gallon of fuel (base models still get the antediluvian 4-speed automatic, which debuted during the reign of Ramses II). In the meantime, its lightweight, sturdy, reliable, gas-sippin business-as-usual with fancy new duds. Toyota says this results in a 5 percent improvement in fuel economy and engine output, and accounts for the LE Eco models 140 hp and 126 lb-ft of torque, up from the L, LE, and...