Toyota’s Forgotten V6 Hot Hatch: The Blade Master G Is Rarer Than the GRMN Corolla

Toyota has a long history of building small sporty cars, from the Celica and Supra to today’s GR86 and GR Corolla. But some of its most interesting performance models flew under the radar. One of those is the Toyota Blade Master G, a hot hatch sold only in Japan that hid a 3.5-liter V6 under its hood.

The Blade Master G was based on the Toyota Blade, an upmarket version of the Auris hatchback, built between 2006 and 2012. S. 5-liter 2GR-FE V6 producing 276 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque. That made it one of the most powerful front-drive hatchbacks ever mass-produced by a Japanese company.

Toyota didn’t just drop in the engine. The chassis was reworked with a double-wishbone rear suspension, stiffer springs, larger brakes, and wider 225/45R17 tires. The car weighed about 3,241 lbs, only 150 lbs more than the standard Blade. 8 seconds, quicker than the 2007 Alfa Romeo 147 GTA and the VW Golf R32 of the same era.

Top speed was governed to 112 mph, though unverified rumors suggested an unlimited speed of 159 mph.

The Blade Master G also came with luxury touches like a suede-effect dashboard and leatherette seats, making it an unusual blend of comfort and performance. That combination may be why it stayed in Japan, demand for a luxurious hot hatch was low elsewhere. Toyota produced roughly 2,880 Blades in total, but exact numbers for the Master G are unverifiable.

Most examples now sell for about $6,000 to $12,000 on the Japanese used market.

While it never influenced Toyota’s current performance revival directly, the Blade Master G showed the brand’s willingness to build surprising machines. It lacked the turbocharging, all-wheel drive, and manual transmission of the modern GR Corolla, but its V6-powered front-drive setup made it a true sleeper.

S. buyers will have to wait about six more years before they can legally import one.