TOYOTA COROLLA TE71

The Corolla TE71 appearing at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed was driven by John Midgley and co-driver Andrew Bodman to Group A victory in the the UK’s national rally championship in 1984, and to many other class wins in the mid-1980s. 

The TE71 was well positioned to take advantage of the change in rallying technical regulations from Group 1 to Group A, having four-link rear suspension, a 1.6-litre twin cam engine, five-speed transmission, a limited slip differential and twin side draught carburettors as standard. With a few technical tweaks that were well within the rules, it was an immediate winner.

John Midgley built the first group A car for the 1982 season and won the Group A 1600 class in that year’s open championship. Toyota GB went on to compete in Group A with the same car in 1983, winning the class overall with Per Eklund. In 1984 Eklund switched to the 16-valve AE86 and claimed a second open championship victory. John Midgley added to the Corolla’s honours by winning the national rally championship in an eight-valve version of the car.

This car was driven by Jim Fleming to win the Group A class in Scotland and was also used by Giovanni Piazza Musso to win Group A on the Costa Smeralda and Tour de Corse World Rally Championship events. It also won Group A in the National Breakdown open championship among many other successes, making it one of the most successful competition Corolla models.

TOYOTA COROLLA TE71 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS