The all-new Toyota Corolla is taking shape - going radical?

The 11th generation of the evergreen Toyota Corolla range is going for a major overhaul and will adopt some radical change in terms of design, according to Car and Driver Brazil. Top Toyota executives has reviewed the up-coming model in Japan HQ earlier this year. The new Corolla is targeted to be launched in Japan market in early 2013 so MMN expect all the major fundamental has been freezed.

Typical to Toyota culture is giving Corolla a major transformation in every two generation, the new car is expected to get a new platform. Toyota also has stated their intent in rationalising the Corolla range as, despite the global name, the car actually varies a lot from region to region. For example, take a look at the Euro Corolla where the hatchback model is totally different looking (and has dropped the Corolla nomenclature, replaced with Auris) , it is a totally different species. This time around, Toyota is going to release one global design, but with multiple body styles to accommodate the difference in taste globally.

According to the source, the new generation of Toyota Corolla is going to adopt a radical aesthetic change, consistent with Toyota new design language. Similar in concept to the recently launched Toyota Camry, as well as the Euro Avensis, the new Corolla will be given a sharper suit, with angular and sharp discontinuous lines. The front end will be more aggressively styled, with prominent intakes. Glass house will be shallower and the sedan version will gets a Camry derived rear light cluster. Car and Driver quoted L-shaped like the new Camry, but this could be tailored from region to region. Perhaps this car will mimic the 8th generation Corolla, one body style with multiple front and rear end that is vastly different between regions. More details after the jump.

The interior will be modernized too, but according to the source, Toyota will not resort to the radicalism like Honda Civic dashboard with its two-tired instrument panel, instead the concept will more conventional. Anyhow, exterior and interior wise, Toyota has to buck-up to fend of the cleverer and more innovative Korean. Maybe the rush facelift job like the US Civic become a lesson learnt for the Japanese firm.

However, the main dimensions are expected to be retained. This include the 4.54m length, 1.76m wide and 1.48m tall. Wheelbase could be retained as 2.6m of the current car, while targeting a cavernous 470L of boot.

In the powertrain department, the engine capacity will be retained. So, depending on the market, it will be from 1.5L, 1.6L, 1.8L and 2.0L. Mostly will be carried over with minimal enhancement. The real changes will be in the transmission, as Toyota car is fondly known to channel the drive to the gearbox so old that the founder has a hand in designing it. This time around, Toyota was continue to work with Aisin to come up with a 6 speed automatic transmission. CVT might be offered too as it is in the current market.

However, in March this year, the alleged replacement Toyota Corolla Axio has leaked through the net. Typically, Asian's Corolla Altis gets the Axio body and interior, with different front and rear styling. The leaked photo however is anything but radical. Despite the crisp waist line and flared arches, the design can be described more as a handsome rather than radical. The interior has gone for a complete departure with styling cues from Toyota 86 and Mark X. The interior can be seen in the leaked Toyota Corolla Fielder, essentially a Corolla Wagon.

All these years, Toyota is one of the company that is immune to modernism. Their cars continues to trundle with old technology, and sold based on reputation alone and bought by people who does not care at all about technology. Will it change, wait till 2013 then.